Last month, I talked about my New Year’s resolution to decide what I do first thing each morning – Eat the Frog. Eat the Frog means doing the most challenging and important task first each day to get it out of the way. That works well for individuals wanting to increase productivity, but what about organizations? How do they prioritize their efforts to accomplish their goals and vision for the future? We help communities, specifically government officials, set priorities. Here are a handful of methods we’ve used with government elected officials and staff over the past 25 years to set priority action plans:
- Eisenhower Matrix: This method involves dividing tasks into four categories based on their urgency and importance.
- ABCDE Method: This method involves assigning a letter to each task based on its priority, with “A” being the most important and “E” being the least important. This can be complicated for individuals but especially for groups to agree to five levels of priorities.
- 2-List Strategy: This method involves creating two lists: one for urgent tasks and one for important tasks. You then prioritize the tasks on each list and focus on completing the most important and urgent tasks first.
- Time Multiplying Strategy: This method involves identifying actions that can be completed quickly but will have a significant impact on your productivity or goals.
- Ivy Lee Method: This method involves creating a list of six important actions and prioritizing them in order of importance. You can use this in your personal life by completing your daily tasks in order of importance. This is not the same as completing them in order of urgency, which is what most people do.
- Pareto Principle: This principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, suggests that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. By focusing on the 20% of actions that will have the greatest impact, you can maximize your productivity.
- Value vs. Effort Matrix: This matrix involves evaluating actions based on their value and the effort required to complete them. Actions that are high value and low effort should be prioritized first.
Different prioritization methods have different levels of simplicity, suitability, and applicability depending on the context and the number of tasks.
To choose a suitable prioritization method, consider the following factors:
- The number of tasks you need to prioritize
- The complexity of each task
- The urgency of each task
- The resources available to complete each task
- The goals you want to achieve
Engage the Community in Setting Priorities
Local governments play a crucial role in shaping the lives of their constituents, and one of the key aspects of their responsibility is setting priorities that directly impact the community. When local governments actively involve residents, businesses, and organizations in decision-making, they ensure that the priorities they establish align with the genuine needs and desires of the people they serve. This collaborative approach fosters transparency, accountability, and trust, as residents have a say in shaping policies and projects that affect their neighborhoods. It also leads to more effective and efficient allocation of resources, as local leaders gain valuable insights from their constituents. In essence, engaging the community in setting priorities empowers residents to have a direct hand in the development and improvement of their local areas, ultimately creating stronger, more vibrant, and resilient communities.