Manager time-and-energy portfolio

The decision it supports

Use the manager time-and-energy portfolio to compare unlike items without forcing them into one undifferentiated ranking. The working view makes importance, urgency, and effort visible so discussion can move from general opinion to a specific action or decision.

When to map the portfolio

Use the manager time-and-energy portfolio when a list in personal leadership contains materially different cases that should not receive the same response. The matrix is useful only when the anchors for importance, urgency, and effort can be supported with evidence.

How the matrix works

The manager time-and-energy portfolio is a two-dimensional comparison that gives different positions different management responses. Its core working elements are importance, urgency, effort, and energy. Those elements belong together because each changes how the others should be interpreted or acted on.

Axes and responses

Importance

Capture importance only at the level needed to answer: How should a manager allocate work by importance, urgency, difficulty, and energy effect? Use observable evidence, name any unresolved judgment, and state what action or choice this entry can change. Within the manager time-and-energy portfolio, connect this entry to urgency so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Urgency

Use explicit criteria rather than intuition alone, and preserve the reason that one item ranks above another. Within the manager time-and-energy portfolio, connect this entry to effort so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Effort

Capture effort only at the level needed to answer: How should a manager allocate work by importance, urgency, difficulty, and energy effect? Use observable evidence, name any unresolved judgment, and state what action or choice this entry can change. Within the manager time-and-energy portfolio, connect this entry to energy so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Energy

Capture energy only at the level needed to answer: How should a manager allocate work by importance, urgency, difficulty, and energy effect? Use observable evidence, name any unresolved judgment, and state what action or choice this entry can change. Within the manager time-and-energy portfolio, connect this entry to unique ownership so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Unique ownership

Assign one accountable owner and distinguish final accountability from contributors, reviewers, and people who must be informed. Within the manager time-and-energy portfolio, connect this entry to schedule so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Schedule

Capture schedule only at the level needed to answer: How should a manager allocate work by importance, urgency, difficulty, and energy effect? Use observable evidence, name any unresolved judgment, and state what action or choice this entry can change. Within the manager time-and-energy portfolio, connect this entry to delegate so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Delegate

Capture delegate only at the level needed to answer: How should a manager allocate work by importance, urgency, difficulty, and energy effect? Use observable evidence, name any unresolved judgment, and state what action or choice this entry can change. Within the manager time-and-energy portfolio, connect this entry to stop so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Stop

Capture stop only at the level needed to answer: How should a manager allocate work by importance, urgency, difficulty, and energy effect? Use observable evidence, name any unresolved judgment, and state what action or choice this entry can change. Within the manager time-and-energy portfolio, connect this entry to delegate so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.