Not Just for Fridays
Problems don’t only happen on Fridays. It only seems like more of them do. That’s probably because what we’re looking for is a clean desk and a walk out to the weekend.
Instead what often happens is that folks stop by to hand us an issue that “just can’t wait,” and suddenly a Friday seems like it is piling higher and higher in front of that door that says ESCAPE.
Here ‘s a rule I use to keep control of my Fridays, Thursdays, Wednesdays — actually every day — come to think of it.
The Monkey Rule
You know how it happens. Someone comes to you with a monkey — a problem that needs to be dealt with. He or she wants to give it to you. It’s not unusual for folks to delegate monkeys up or sideways. That’s why I use the Monkey Rule. I don’t know where I learned it. I read it somewhere in the last decade, but I’ve been using it ever since.
The Monkey Rule is simple — anyone who leaves a monkey with me also must take a monkey as they go.
The Monkey rule is easy to communicate just say something like this, “Ooh, let me think a minute . . . I’d be happy to work on your problem, but in order to get my own work done, I’d need to have you work on this. Could you do that for me? Otherwise, we could take a few minutes and brainstorm some solutions. . . .”
It’s fun to watch a visitor’s face, when he or she realizes that there is a price for my time. About half of the folks who come by decide on their own that I’m too busy. I guess their monkey looks nicer than the monkey I have to offer. Sometimes it is; sometimes it’s not. Sometimes I tell them straight out about The Monkey Rule. Sometimes I keep it to myself.
Try the Monkey Rule. Your time is valuable. Folks that you are helping out should also be helping you.
–ME “Liz Strauss
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Liz,
I wish I’d known about the Monkey Rule about 4 years back. I used to get monkeys thrown at me all the time that sucked up bunches of my productivity. I’m using this one from now on.
It’s a great rule. Isn’t it? The name works wonders. It makes people laugh when you tell them. ‘”Uh, uh, uh, you’re not leaving without a monkey of your own.” 🙂
Liz,
Yeah, I remember getting quite a lot of monkeys that don’t belong to me. I help them (my other co-employees) tie their monkeys down, but when I need help in rangling down mine–these folks were nowhere to be found.
Thanks for the idea. I’ll definitely use this.
Hey, Taorist,
Happy to help. You keep those monkeys in line now!
Liz,
Well, I was going to post about this on my website, but the people who work for me would monkey me back! Hard to delegate this way.
But, my favorite use for this will be for those times when I’m literally ready to run out the door and my manager gives me five more things to do with no time to write them down and enough guilt to carry through the night/weekend. I really don’t like it when he does that.
The monkey is going back. Trust me.
Scot
What I found is that some of the people who worked for me got really good at trying to delegate UP. They would bring monkey’s to my door. So I would give them a monkey to take with them as they left. 🙂
Good idea for an overloading manager too. Sure I’ll do that if you take these monkeys here.
If you try to think outside the box,
you are stepping into another.
There is no inside,
or outside,
nor box.
You are perceptive and real, Travis. Sometimes, however, one must use the language of others to carry the message. . . . or they won’t hear what you’re saying. 🙂
Hey Liz,
thats a great idea, I am sure its going to make my office life much simpler because with my complicated problems there would be less ppl to bug me;-)
But you always seems to help others without sharing any of your problems(i mean monkey) 😀
I guess you are just smart cos if liz can find solution to other’s problem then she definately can find solution to hers. 🙂
Jack,
You’ve figured me out! I just look at everyone else’s problems and fix them and then I don’t have any either. We all have the same problems. Don’t we? 🙂
This is much more easily fixed. Don’t work in a zoo.
Anthony,
Your 30,000 foot view always comes in and add clarity just when we need. What the heck was I thinking?
I just chased all of the monkeys out. I pointed them in the direction of your blog. I thought they might have some Half Arsed Ideas.
Thanks for that. I’ve put them into my internship program to work on a novel that looks at the struggles of a 20 something anglo-saxon guy who has 12 years of private school education and 6 years of uni study under his belt. It’ll be a pedestrian sort of read but you know I have to keep the monkeys busy otherwise they’ll trash the place.
Sounds like a real page turner. I’m wondering if you have room for me in your internship program?
The monkeys said no. Sorry. If it was up to me it’d be different but now I’m part of a team it had go to a vote. I haven’t noticed this but apparently you’re to maverick. The monkeys say if you lay off Wikipedia, Technorati and Congress they’ll think about it.
I love Technorati and I’m not really on Congress. I’m just recording the minutes of what’s going on there. But Wikipedia, I should have known. The monkeys wrote it didn’t they?
Don’t say things you can’t take back.
Unless you can prove it with evidence of poor quality topic editing at Wikipedia then I don’t want you spreading untruths about the monkeys.
I didn’t say anything about the quality of Wikipedia, no. In fact, I only asked a question.
I guess I’ll get the alligators out of my office too. Woud you be wanting to have them as well?
The monkeys said no.
Dems some tought monkeys. Hope they let you keep control of your blog. 🙂