I’ve had a varied career. It has taken me from nonprofits, to healthcare, to the top 25 of the Fortune 500 list, and back again. I’ve gone from finance, to IT, to analytics, and back again.
At the moment, I report directly to a senior executive and my duties and expectations are nearly all-encompassing. I’m the exec’s whatever-needs-to-be-done person.
That means that in the course of a single week, my work will include project management, financial projections, administrative tasks, reporting and analysis, board-level presentations, external communication, and anything in between.
One of my biggest strengths is organization (thanks to some low-level OCD). It’s a vital skill to have when engaging with some many different initiatives and colleagues across various departments and levels. While there are plenty of apps that can do this for you — MS Project; Sharepoint; Monday.com; etc. — the best way I’ve found is a simple bullet list (it actually resembles an outline for one of my books).
Each Friday afternoon, I send the exec an email of everything I’m working on and what transpired over the course of the week. I put the date at the top, then each topic is bolded and underlined with a few bullets underneath that give the current status, updates on ongoing items, and any questions or FYIs that need attention. It’s not just for the projects I’m on — I also include all of the reporting and analysis I did, as well as a “Miscellaneous” section where I share anything else from the prior five days, such as mandatory trainings or other random items.
I don’t wait until Friday afternoon to write it, either. By then, it’s too late. I keep a draft open starting on Monday and update it accordingly as the week progresses. If something is still in process, I’ll keep it highlighted until it’s complete or the status is set for the week. That helps to identify what I still need to update and what’s already locked.
I know it sounds basic. You’re probably wondering why I even took the time to write about it, but the truth is that it’s a minor thing with major impact. It serves as the supplement to my weekly one-on-one meetings so he doesn’t have to wait a full week to get any updates, but I don’t do it only for my boss.
I do it for myself as well.
When you put down everything you’ve done — in writing — each week it helps to actualize the value that you bring to the organization on a regular basis. I also use it as a way to remind myself of everything I’ve done over the past month or even year. It’s amazing how many things I forget I did until I look back at my old status updates and suddenly remember everything I was working on at that time.
It’s also helpful if you need ammunition for a conversation about a promotion or a raise or even a conversation about your career path and opportunities.
Many people do their job — and do it well — but when the time comes, they can’t articulate what it is they do or what value they bring through their work.
So set yourself apart with a weekly status email. The results may shock you.
Christopher Pierznik is the worst-selling author of nine books. His work has appeared on XXL, Cuepoint, Business Insider, The Cauldron, Fatherly, Hip Hop Golden Age, and many more. Connect on Facebook. Please feel free to get in touch at CPierznik99@gmail.com.
The Passion of Christopher Pierznik 