“I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back…”
- Maya Angelou, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Is it possible to manage workflow that comes to you from two, three or more bosses?
It can be done, but it can also be a challenge. Consider these words from a medical biller and coder who works for a small group of physicians:
“Each doctor thinks that his or her work is priority one,” she states. “And since I am not really in a position to say no to any of them, I feel like I am being pulled in all directions while my in-basket piles higher and higher.”
So, how can you manage workflow from multiple bosses? Here are some suggestions from a variety of experts.
Suggestion One: Let Your Bosses Decide what Comes First
Get conflicting bosses into one room and let them help set your priorities. But don’t use this tactic if both bosses are already fighting aggressively for your time – you could end up with an even bigger pile of work and no resolution.
Source: Adapted from the book Managing Multiple Bosses: How to Juggle Priorities, Personalities & Projects – and Make It Look Easy by Pat Nickerson (AMACOM books, 1998).
Suggestion Two: Keep a Time Log
Simply keep a calendar for three or four days where you log exactly what you worked on, in 15-minute increments. If certain bosses are claiming an unbalanced share of your time, your time log should provide documentation that things are not being handled fairly.
Source: Adapted from the book How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life by Alan Lakein (Signet, 1989).
Suggestion Three: Schedule Individual Meetings with Your Bosses
Schedule time with each one. Explain that you want to handle everyone’s work more effectively, explain the workload you are dealing with, and ask them to make suggestions. Asking for help in this way is more effective than saying no to new work.
Source: Management consultant Jennifer B. Kahnweiler writing on AMANET.com.
Suggestion Four: Ask Your Bosses to Assign a Number Priority to Each Piece of Work
If you get your bosses to assign a priority rank to each piece of work they give you, you then have a system in place that helps you first tackle the work they say is most important.
Source: Advice on Monster.com’s AdminSecret blog.
Suggestion Five: Make It All Visible
Set up a different inbox where each of your supervisors should place work that is being delegated to you. Make sure to set up this area so that all delegators can see how their demands compare to those of other delegators.
Source: Barry Lenson, contributing editor to this blog. Barry was senior editor at the National Institute of Business Management for more than 10 years.
And another tactic . . .
Saying “can you help me set priorities for the work you are giving me?” can be a subtle, yet effective, way to get your bosses to accept the fact that not every piece of work they give you is your #1 priority. As Maya Angelou implies in the quote that opens this post, you sometimes have to set up boundaries on the work that others give to you.
Medical Billing and Coding Blog is sponsored by Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA), a leading healthcare career school. UMA has campus locations in Tampa and Clearwater, Florida, as well as a national online program. For more information about UMA please visit our website at www.ultimatemedical.edu
“I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back…”
- - Maya Angelou, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Is it possible to manage workflow that comes to you from two, three or more bosses?
It can be done, but it can also be a challenge. Consider these words from a medical biller and coder who works for a small group of physicians:
“Each doctor thinks that his or her work is priority one,” she states. “And since I am not really in a position to say no to any of them, I feel like I am being pulled in all directions while my in-basket piles higher and higher.”
So, how can you manage workflow from multiple bosses? Here are some suggestions from a variety of experts.
Suggestion One: Let Your Bosses Decide what Comes First
Get conflicting bosses into one room and let them help set your priorities. But don’t use this tactic if both bosses are already fighting aggressively for your time – you could end up with an even bigger pile of work and no resolution.
Source: Adapted from the book Managing Multiple Bosses: How to Juggle Priorities, Personalities & Projects – and Make It Look Easy by Pat Nickerson (AMACOM books, 1998).
Suggestion Two: Keep a Time Log
Simply keep a calendar for three or four days where you log exactly what you worked on, in 15-minute increments. If certain bosses are claiming an unbalanced share of your time, your time log should provide documentation that things are not being handled fairly.
Source: Adapted from the book How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life by Alan Lakein (Signet, 1989).
Suggestion Three: Schedule Individual Meetings with Your Bosses
Schedule time with each one. Explain that you want to handle everyone’s work more effectively, explain the workload you are dealing with, and ask them to make suggestions. Asking for help in this way is more effective than saying no to new work.
Source: Management consultant Jennifer B. Kahnweiler writing on AMANET.COM.
Suggestion Four: Ask Your Bosses to Assign a Number Priority to Each Piece of Work
If you get your bosses to assign a priority rank to each piece of work they give you, you then have a system in place that helps you first tackle the work they say is most important.
Source: Advice on Monster.com’s AdminSecret blog.
Suggestion Five: Make It All Visible
Set up a different inbox where each of your supervisors should place work that is being delegated to you. Make sure to set up this area so that all delegators can see how their demands compare to those of other delegators.
Source: Barry Lenson, contributing editor to this blog. Barry was senior editor at the National Institute of Business Management for more than 10 years.
And another tactic . . .
Saying “can you help me set priorities for the work you are giving me?” can be a subtle, yet effective, way to get your bosses to accept the fact that not every piece of work they give you is your #1 priority. As Maya Angelou implies in the quote that opens this post, you sometimes have to set up boundaries on the work that others give to you.
I feel like medical billing is so far behind. We need to bring it up to date and use the latest technologies.
Thinking about your quote….
“Each doctor thinks that his or her work is priority one,” she states. “And since I am not really in a position to say no to any of them, I feel like I am being pulled in all directions while my in-basket piles higher and higher.”
… in the ends it’s a balance. Yes patients are important and doctors should focus on them. However, they also need to do their paperwork. Perhaps a portion of the day could be set aside just for billing reconciliation?
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Posted by neo | January 23, 2011, 4:42 amYour post is a big help. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by clint herman | February 14, 2011, 6:42 amThey say that most people’s frustration in the work place stem from not knowing the proper expectations. (to your point about letting bosses decide what comes first)
Good read.
Regards,
Bill
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Posted by New Orleans Saints Tickets and News | March 31, 2011, 10:03 pmThe multiple bosses advice applies not just to medical billing, but to pretty much any job! Great info, recommending trying out some of these tactics to my friends.
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Posted by como bajar de peso en una semana | May 3, 2011, 11:27 amI’ve had two bosses as well before in the same workplace. It’s difficult at times because conflicts naturally arise. Add to it the individual pride. This information would have been helpful to me at the time, but it’s still a valuable tip.
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Posted by brinkmann smoker grill | July 3, 2011, 6:47 pmI think the suggestions offered here are good one, particularly for a person who really feels they are “not in a position to say No.” However, that is the part I’m not too sure about what that means?
Seems to me an overloaded person always needs to know that “No” is an option. Albeit, not the only one, but certainly a viable one.
Posted by Paul W. Anderson, Ph.D. | July 21, 2011, 3:45 pmXOXOXO
Posted by un | July 27, 2011, 1:56 pm