You've become successful in business because you're able to manage your own time effectively – but have you passed those skills on to the people around you? Your organization is only as successful as the time management skills of your team. The tips below from Brian Tracy's book Eat That Frog will teach the individuals in your organization to manage their own time as well as you do.

Start with motivation.

Why do you undertake the tough tasks you handle each day? You might say because it's necessary to the business – and while that's true, it also points to the real underlying reason: you have your eye on the prize.

You started your business because you wanted to accomplish something. You wanted to help make the world a better place, or to improve your life and the lives of the people you love, or just to make a lot of money, or maybe all the above. The point is that you had a clear goal in mind.

Many of the people you hired since then might not share your particular goal. They might share your vision for the company, but they're working toward their own goals, too. That's why it's crucial to harness their desires to your vision for your business; a vision that will benefit them, too.

Motivation means expectation of a reward. That doesn't mean you have to dangle prizes in front of your employees all the time. What it does mean is that you havet to help your employees fit their actions into context. Make sure they know why they're working on the tough tasks they've been assigned and how each of those tasks will translate into benefits for the company, and for them.

Make your employees do the hard things first.

The title of Brian Tracy's book Eat That Frog comes from its central concept of “eating your frogs first” – tackling the hardest task in your day right away. You've already learned that when you put off hard tasks, they just grow bigger and scarier in your mind; not all your employees know this yet. It's up to you to teach it to them.

Call an office meeting and explain this concept; it should only take a few moments. The concept may provoke some groans – out loud or silent, or both – and that's where motivation comes in.

Starting today, applaud anyone who you catch eating their frog first thing in the morning. Be careful, though, the worst thing you can do is to start poking your head over cubicles, asking, “Have you eaten your frog today?” That might make you the most unpopular boss in the world. Focus on offering positive feedback and support.

And most importantly, lead by example. Let your people see you preparing to eat your frog each morning. Let them see you in your office at the beginning of each day, eating that frog. Make sure they see how relaxed and motivated you look after you've eaten it. As you provide this example, day after day, people will start to imitate you, and more people will imitate them.

In the next two articles in this series, we'll get into even more ways to teach your people time management, straight from Brian Tracy's book Eat That Frog.

A FocalPoint Business Coach can provide you with tips like these, along with others which you will find throughout the FocalPoint Business Coaching and Training website. Our professional global Business Coaches will assist with making your customers and employees into passionate supporters of your business. All it takes is a little kindness, and a lot of attention to detail. Contact a FocalPoint Business Coach today.