Alex Gay (2/6/2013)
I've had managers ask for "Everything, Now" in the past. I keep a written list of all my tasks, and if it gets too much just ask "Which are your top 3 for me to work on, and in which order?"Once armed with this, the next thing that I am asked to do "As top priority" I can point to the list and say "Just tell me which of my top 3 it replaces and I'll get to it." They then have to decide if it is more important than the other important things.
I'm now left alone to manage my own workload. 😎
Alex, I absolutely agree with you in theory. However, alot of managers (particularly micromanagers) tend to work in what I call "firehose" mode or "crisis management" mode. Your top 3 change daily and those tend to be verbal only. These type of managers don't like an email trail that demonstrates they don't have a good handle on their priorities. What they should be saying to you in reality is "This is your Top 3 for Tuesday, tomorrow, who knows?" Believe me, been there done that. Working for a micromanager can one of the most frustrating and demoralizing forces in the workplace., They tend to remind me of a person whose car is stuck in the mud. They spin their wheels like crazy producing all kinds of smoke and mess for everyone around them, but they don't really go anywhere. 😀
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"