The Jack of All... Is the King of None

• ASK. When I'm given a ton of tasks to complete, I've gotten comfortable enough ask leadership to prioritize which are the most important, because to expect me to complete all of them within the said deadline is unrealistic. Many times, because we don't want to seem incompetent, we turn into 'YES MEN/WOMEN'... working late, spreading ourselves extremly thin... but getting all of it done. 'Done' is a subjective term, because usually we have to cut corners to meet deadlines, which translates to "C" level work instead of the "A" and "B" level that we are capable of. This sets an unfair and unsustainable precedent, because working at that capicity, in leadership's mind, is doable and becomes the new norm... or worse, you get an unfair reputation as a "C" level employee.

• NO...AND WHY. Although it is difficult for most, saying no and explaining why, is a powerful tool. This directly correlates to being a YES MAN/WOMAN. Explaining to leadership that you simply do not have the capacity to take on something else given what is currently on your plate is ok - especially if you ask them to re-prioritize for you so you can focus on what's most important at any given time. Getting confirmation from them that THIS can wait versus THAT is effective communication and is the building block to establishing a strong supervisor/subordinate relationship with employees and honing your leadership skills for the future.

• START STRONG, FINISH STRONG. When we commute to work, most of the time we get into our cars, and before we know it, we are parked in front of our jobs. This doesn't happen only because our brains are programmed to get us from A to B almost as an afterthought, but a lot of the time, we are thinking about what we plan to get done that day. But, what usually happens, is as soon as we walk in, we open our e-mails and see a slew of new things being asked of us that are 'priorities' and it ruins our game plan. By the end of the day, not one thing we set out to accomplish gets completed, and it's dejecting. I challenge you to start strong by take the first 30 minutes of your day to ignore any new e-mails, and focus on the 2-3 things that are most important for you to complete. If it's an emergency, trust me... someone will call you or come to your office, so don't invite the distractions or interruptions by opening your e-mail or looking at new ones. Also, finish strong by looking at the lower level priority things that you can complete in a few minutes and knock those out in the last 30 minutes of your day. Now, you may only be able to realistically start strong and finish strong a few times a week, but over time, it helps with the log jam and converts the corner cutting and "C" level work to "B" and "A" level work that you are capable of.

CEO and Founder of The Bernard Group, Gregory Bernard is a Director for Alumni Relations at the University of Connecticut, specializing in alumni leadership development, volunteer cultivation, affinity group management, and program logistics/execution.

With over 10 years of experience in student and alumni affairs combined, Gregory has sat on the ‘Crossroads in Communication’ panel hosted by Southern Connecticut State University, on several occasions, and received certification in Conflict Resolution and Mediation Training at the annual Donald D. Gehrig Competency Seminar at ASCA (Academy for Student Conduct Administrators).

He has been a featured speaker for seminars on leadership, diversity, advanced communication techniques, and career preparation.

Gregory earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Organizational Communication and Management from Southern Connecticut State University and Central Connecticut State University, respectively.