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Taking Charge When You're Not in Control

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I have to admit, the idea for this topic came from two interactions with two different clients, in two different industries. They had the same problem: manually adding features or performing actions their MS Office programs could have easily done for them. Both were faced with too many things to do, and neither had taken the time to learn how to use the programs they found crucial to getting their daily work done.
  
So, as a confirmed Mac addict, I found myself coaching an executive and a one-person business owner on how to use their PCs to be more effective, save time, have less rework for careless mistakes, and look more professional with a few quick tips about Office features they weren't using.
  
Are you using all of these to make your daily work easier?
  
Whether your version is Outlook (PC) or Entourage (Mac) these features can make your work faster, easier, and protect you from missing crucial messages from important people.
  
Sort Incoming Messages into Folders
 
Decide on the sorting criteria: important clients, important projects or topics, or even family members. Then set up a folder to hold the incoming messages from that group. I have one for each of the focus groups I belong to, one for each of the classes I'm taking, special colleagues, and of course, new order notifications. (See the NEW sub-window in the FILE drop down window)
  
Then, set up a Rule (found on the TOOLS drop down window) to automatically move all incoming mail to the targeted folder. I've found it's important to check the 'execute if ALL criteria are met' not the 'any criteria' option or else everything seems to go into the folder you're working on. (Don't ask me how I know. It wasn't pretty.)
  
Use Signatures for Repetitive Messages
  
Often, I've had to send the same message to a list of people, with some personalization to each person. Copying and pasting got to be too much of a hassle. Enter signatures for complex and/or long repetitive emails.
  
Most of us use signature files for contact info and/or a little promotion. Because there is no size limit to a signature file, they are also much quicker to use when sending out similar message to many people.
  
In a new signature file (look in the TOOLS drop down window) simply type in the text that is the same and put very obvious placeholders for the part that needs to be personalized. (I use some version of XXXXX.)
  
Choose your new signature file as the default for the email account you want to use to send the message. (Find your accounts in Tools.) Then, when you open a new email from that account, the message is right there. Add an email address, a subject, and then personalize the messages by double clicking on the XXX and type in the info for that person. Click send, then new, and start the next message. (I have to admit this is T.V. work for me…I find I can keep up with CSI and finish emailing before the fourth commercial.)
  
Use Categories for Crucial People
  
If you don't have enough email to warrant a separate folder, or just want to keep track of someone in a folder, add a category to their email address. A category, found in the EDIT drop down window, can be assigned to any number of people according to your criteria. Not only will the category show up on your incoming email list, but each category will have a text color associated with it. I use red for all my clients. The exec who missed the crucial email, decided red would be only the boss color. Hasn't missed a boss email since.
  
Don't get caught struggling with software. Most programs are very intuitive, and easy to learn. Use the strategy my sister, the schoolteacher, used with her fourth and fifth graders: take the time to look at and click on every option of every drop down window of every program you use on a consistent basis. You will be pleasantly surprised by what you'll find.
  
A second step would be to go to the online help function when you get stuck or things seem to be too much of a struggle. Most of the time you'll find a quick solution to an annoying issue.

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Patricia Wiklund Ph.D., author, consultant, and coach works with 1Person Business owners who want to grow their businesses by getting and staying focused, maximizing their sales and marketing efforts, and delivering premier services to their target markets. Information on her coaching services and on-line product catalogue can be found at www.1PersonBusiness.com.

An electronic version of this article is available if you wish to reprint or repost it. Please contact Dr. Pat Wiklund for permission to reprint, and to see if there is a royalty required for reprint. If permission is granted, we request a hard copy of the publication in which the article appears. We request you include Pat's bio at the end of the piece, along with contract information, and preferably, a photo. We'll happily supply a 5x7 black and white or color photo if you can use it.

Reprinting and Reposting

An electronic version of these articles is available if you wish to reprint or repost one of them. Please contact Dr. Pat Wiklund for permission to reprint, and to see if there is a royalty required for reprint.

If permission is granted, we request a hard copy of the publication in which the article appears. We request you include Pat's bio at the end of the piece, along with contract information, and preferably, a photo. We'll happily supply a 5x7 black and white or color photo if you can use it.