All you need is a calendar

... and not just for meetings and appointments!

One of the best purchases you can make is to buy the biggest wall calendar that you can find and post it up on the wall when you and everyone in your team can see it every day.

I’m sure that you have worked out your plans for next year and set out specific timings for each one. You might have put these in your on-line diary, but it’s pretty difficult to see the whole picture and it’s even harder to engage your team. E-versions are handy but calendars in my mind still need to be on the wall – visible, interactive and engaging.

If you are anything like me then you probably only have the current week or month open in your calendar, subconsciously forcing us to focus only on the short term.

A calendar is your new best friend because:

1. Use it as a planning tool
2. Have one central place where all the key dates are recorded.

• • Regular items such as newsletters
  • Project stages
  • Exhibitions, events
  • New product launches
  • Board meetings, strategic reviews, re-forecasts etc.
  • Tax payments, VAT periods etc.

1. Use it as a progress report and to do list
2. What’s slipping backwards and why? Are you hitting your targets? What do you need to start work on now in order to hit your deadline? When you have completed an item it’s time to do the wash up report – what can you do better next time?
3. Use it for resource planning
4. Use it to understand when you need to spend money
5. Use it as a management tool
6. Use it to highlight key events and dates

Related Information: 3 Pieces of Paper Planning