Time Management With Eagles, Robins, Turkeys

By Marcia Zidle on June 7, 2011

If you have a bad apple on your team, is it better to try and salvage the person or just get rid of that person?

Clearly, if the person can do the job and just isn’t goofing off, you want to put some energy into coaching that individual to improve his or her performance. Others think it’s their job, as supervisor, to try to “save” everyone – hoping that they will become  better performers.  But is that wise?

Not according to a successful CEO of a health care company. “The top commodity a manager has is his or her time. And if you waste too much of it on a lost cause, you’re turning yourself into overhead – costing the company money rather than a profit center – contributing to the profitability of the organization.”

How Do You Spend Your Time?

He suggests dividing your employees into three categories and then look at where you spend the majority of your time and resources. Is it with the:

  • Eagles: Top performers who fly and soar?
  • Robins: Those who come to work and get the job done, but who don’t rise to the top?
  • Turkeys: They need to get better – or else?

Management Success Tip:

Nine out of 10 managers will say the lion’s share goes to the turkeys – and that’s not good! The better approach is to spend most of your time encouraging the eagles to keep soaring and developing the robins to become eagles. If you have a turkey on your team, then quickly decide whether it’s worth your time to salvage that person. Remember, your time is your most valuable resource. Don’t squander it. Manage it well!

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?