Self Assessment

Learning to manage your time more effectively and efficiently is difficult. You've taken a big step by admitting that you need to do so. You've taken an even bigger step if you've completed the job function analysis worksheet and/or the daily time log. Please don't quit now.

This third step in the process consists of taking a long, hard look at yourself. You are asked to perform an honest appraisal of your abilities and resources, your interests and your present situation. Raise some questions about you. Who are you? If you were asked to describe yourself to a perfect stranger, how would you go about it? I'm not talking about a physical description; we'll assume that the stranger is not visually or hearing impaired. What would you say are your strengths; what do you do really well? Do you, for example have strong writing skills? Are you a good communicator...or do you just think you are? How would you rate your organizational skills? What technical skills do you possess? How do you manage people; what are your techniques for drawing the best out of others? What are your weaknesses? Are you, as so many millions of people are, terrified of speaking before an audience of more than one? Are your language skills lacking. Do you have trouble making plans, following through? Do you manage by intimidation or let subordinates manage you?

In performing this self appraisal, you must be perfectly candid. A method that I used the first time I did this was to write out my appraisal and then ask my wife to look at it. We didn't work together, but she knew the field. She wasn't about to call my colleagues and ask, "Guess what...." In addition to being my spouse, Joan just happens to be both my best and worst critic. She's also my best friend. Some of what she said was a bit painful, and I remember asking myself, "Is that really true?" When it came right down to it, she was pretty much on target and I was the one who had lost objectivity. Under no circumstances should your self appraisal be shared with a colleague or anyone who might, in the future, have any possibility of becoming a colleague. Am I being too distrustful? No, I'm not!

As you perform your self appraisal, complete the following four statements:

This is all part of your long range planning process. It's what might be called, "My Personal Strategic Plan," and like any strategic plan, it's a work in progress; it's not static; it will change as you change, as you grow and develop, as you become a better time manager.

In Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," when Alice comes to the first fork in the road, she spies the Cheshire Cat, sitting in a tree. "Which road do I take from here," she asks.

"It depends on where you want to go," replies the Cat.

"It doesn't much matter," answers Alice.

"Then it doesn't make much difference which road you take, does it?" the Cat responds.

You must know, as Alice did not, which road you are going to take before you can take the necessary actions to set you on that road in the most expeditious manner. You have the luxury of taking a while, in the peace and quiet of your home, to perform your self appraisal. Use your time wisely and perhaps after you've completed and verified your self assessment, you will begin to work on the next step, Setting Goals and Establishing Priorities.

End of Self Assessment section