Improved Time Management Delivers Strategy
The Client
a451 is a Search Engine Marketing company based in Chichester. Founded by David Hollands-Hurst 11 years ago a451 has clients of varying size from large multi-nationals to small local business in many business sectors including: global leaders in security and mission-critical information systems, web-based financial services, education, leading publishers of scientific information, the travel industry. The company employs 5 staff, and works closely with a number of design agencies and digital communications specialists.
The Brief
Following a presentation to the Chichester Chamber of Commerce on ‘How much of your time is spent profitably?’ I was approached by David as he’d identified himself with two phrases I’d used in the presentation - ‘the busiest person in the World’ and ‘Am I the best person to do this?’ He’d just finished updating his business plan for the following 12 months the aim of which was to grow and develop a451. The plan involved developing existing business through the addition of new services, winning new business and changing aspects of the way the team worked. He was already working long hours and the presentation was the catalyst to realising that if he didn’t make some changes to the way he was working he simply couldn’t make his plans reality without working 24/7. When a client is this busy they don’t come to you with a brief so there’s danger you don’t fully understanding their expectations. Consequently the first stage was to propose a brief which David agreed to, which was to:
• review the business plan
• understand what David perceived to be barriers and obstacles to delivering the plan ie the background to why he thought he needed help
• review a451’s resources and whether delivery of the plan was achievable
• audit how David was allocating and spending his time and what time he’d have available
• make recommendations for the changes needed to achieve the 12 month plan including a time and implementation plans.
The Delivery
The key to helping people who are ‘the busiest people in the World’ is finding that tiny gap in their diary for a coffee, phone conversation or glass of wine - whatever works best for them, recognising their pain, helping them make tiny changes to reduce this pain and gradually replacing old habits with better ones. My clients, and David was no exception, have so much to do that it’s unrealistic to expect them to focus on a two hour session even about how to change the way they are working as they are too distracted by the enormous list of things they have to do. Flexibility is key in what I do and apart from reviewing written documents like the business plan, every stage of the project involved short face to face meetings. By asking questions that get my clients talking I’m able to identify their issues - which aren’t always the same as what they think they are, what they like, dislike, avoid etc - not only by the words they use, but their tone of voice, facial expression and body language. Because I encourage them to talk information is often piecemeal and disjointed so it’s a skill to piece together what can appear to be a jigsaw of broken pieces. Because David’s business - search engine optimisation - focuses on key words, and he regularly blogs and tweets, he’s eloquent and able to express himself succinctly. Not all my clients have that skill.
Once we’d agreed the brief, I’d reviewed the business plan and resources and understood David’s ‘pain’ we started talking about priorities, to do lists and diaries. Like many CEO’s of SMEs David was doing things he could, and needed to, delegate. They’d become habits. He only used a meetings diary. By sowing the seed about scheduling and focusing time on the actions that deliver revenue and business strategy David started realising what was taking up his time unnecessarily and sapping his energy. As he started to focus more on what he’s good at and passionate about, namely his core business, I found that when we met David’s topics of conversations about what he’d done that week had changed significantly. He was visibly and audibly more energised and enthusiastic and had clearly found another gear which was a great result.
One of the many problems encountered by people at the top of the pile is not having anyone to give you feedback and not having a business colleague with whom to share the worries and concerns. I become that colleague when I work with a client. Change is a slow process and this brief summary may give the impression it’s plain sailing. However there were times when things completely outside David’s control got to him so my role was to help keep things in perspective.
The Results
Focusing on what David was good at made a difference to the business and his productivity. It’s only 9 months since our first meeting so it’s too early to say David has achieved his 12 month plan for a451. However, judging by the number of new clients a451 have won and the changes they have made to keep their proposition fresh the new way of working is working.
Client Recommendation
Having heard Sarah speak at the Chamber of Commerce on time management and the importance of focusing on strategic and revenue-generating actions I approached her to see if she could help organise my time better. Sarah reviewed my business objectives and helped me put in place a time management programme. The idea was simple which was prioritising strategic goals on which to spend time and delegating the tasks that others can do better and quicker. The execution was more difficult but with Sarah's on-going review of how I was spending my time ensured it was spent on the business and I have seen the results in a increase in business overall.
David Hollands-Hurst
Founder, a451