MAKING PAPERWORK COUNT


	The satisfaction of reading or writing something that really
matters is sublime.  But that sweet feeling is easy to lose in a
wilderness of paperwork.  To make sure your reading and writing
time is spent on significant subjects, consider these tips from Clean
Up Your Act:  Effective Ways to Organize Paperwork -- and Get It Out
of Your Life  by Dianna Booher (Warner Books, 1992).

	RESIST THE URGE TO EDIT.  Many managers with strong writing
styles feel impelled to revise their people's documents for them.  But
much of that editing is unnecessary, even stifling.  To get your hands
off that paper, skip the full-scale re-writes.  Instead, pencil in brief
notes, such as, "Is this detailed explanation really necessary?" or
"Please expand this section to include our marketing plans."   That
way, your people will get useful feedback, and you'll be using your
time better.

	SEND ONLY AS MUCH PAPER AS OTHER PEOPLE NEED.  You may
be producing documents that wind up on the mezzanine of other
people's skyscraping in-baskets.  To prevent needless paper-piling,
try affixing the following note to regularly produced documents:  "If
you still need this information from us, please let us know."  If you
don't hear back from an addressee, remove the receiver from your
distribution list.  And if no one replies:  that's one less piece of
paperwork for you to produce.

	BE WILLING TO ACCEPT BAD NEWS IN PERSON.  If people feel
they have to bury bad news in the back of reports or at the bottom
of confusing memos, you'll add to your paperwork and decrease your
effectiveness.   By removing the messenger's fear of shooting, you'll
get information faster and straighter, and probably be able to deal
with it more effectively.

	RECOGNIZE ACHIEVEMENTS that aren't documented on paper.
Show your people they don't have to put everything in a memo to get your
attention.  Compliment employees for handling angry
customers on the phone.    Salute a salesperson for taking time to
build goodwill with a customer, even if it doesn't show  up in the
current period's sales report.    Praise a staff member for facilitating
a meeting that leads to an excellent problem resolution.  By showing
you value non-written accomplishments, you'll reduce the volume of
"for your review" notices on your desktop.

	Finally, remember that more isn't necessarily better --
especially when it comes to paperwork.  The less you have, and the
less you give others, the more reading, insight, and impact you'll all
enjoy.

Does that help? YES or NO