As humans, we feel naturally attuned to organization within our lives so we openly accept a daily routine in our day to day activities. However, when your boss is having difficulty managing his time in an orderly manner, the office can soon turn into organised chaos.

We look to our superiors for guidance, support and stability but when these needs are not being met, we find ourselves coping with large amounts of added pressure, something many of us would have avoided if this had been outlined in the job description. Unexpected deadlines may be thrust upon us and we may find ourselves being left alone for long spells whilst the manager haphazardly attends meetings which run over time or should never have received priority. We will still be expected to keep up with our normal workload along with constant interruptions from a manager who is demanding too much of our time. If the pressure is reaching boiling point, we need to tactfully pull in the reins and show the boss how straightforward life can be with a little time management.

Now this may seem like a tall order and akin to giving God advice but with a little tact and diplomacy, you really can show your boss how efficient and cool headed you can be when dealing with problems and managing time effectively in a proactive and positive manner. Your manager will respect your ability to delegate and use your initiative. In fact, he/she may be testing you to see how well you can cope with problems and uncertainties. So learn to ask the right questions at the right time so as mistakes or misunderstandings do not cause time delays. By asking questions, you show your boss that you appreciate his training, advice and experience.

Although delegation is a time saving tool which all bosses should practice, poorly delegated tasks cause the largest spillage of time waste. This trickles down from the boss through to his subordinates. This can also have the detrimental effect of impacting staff performance, stinting personal development within the company and thwarting further career opportunities.

There are three aspects to delegation which need to be properly implemented.

Responsibility
Authority
Accountability

These core areas can be conveyed to your boss via means of asking and clarifying duties, tasks or requests.

Responsibility - You need to take responsibility for the assignments which have been designated to you. If the instructions are unclear, the desired results will not be achieved and the project will extend in time.

Here are a couple of questions you could put to your boss:

1) Would you like me to contact all of our clients or just the ones in Group A?
2) I would love to benefit from your experience and was wondering if you could explain the advantages to discontinuing this line completely rather than just slowly phasing it out.
3) You said that you wanted as many units as possible, what is the minimum amount that you will accept?

Authority - you need to be aware of the resources that are available for you to complete a task. If you are unsure about the company's budget, stock, dates for completion; do not set yourself up for criticism by over-using resources or assigning staff to duties which they are untrained for. Alternatively, do not produce poor results simply because you underspent or did not take advantage of the resources which were available.

Some example questions to clear up ambiguities about the management of a set task:

1) You mentioned that the company has an adequate budget. How much is this in total and do you have a spending threshold on these items?
2) You said as soon as possible - would Friday the 23rd be acceptable?
3) I think that Julie should cope with the graphics and Adrian could work on the sales pitch; does that sound okay?

Accountability - complex assignments may require routine reporting to your boss and extensive decision making on both your parts. There may be milestones which need to be reached and unexpected events which will need to be resolved. This may require regular meetings and discussions with your boss with regards to ways for proceeding forward. Don't try to go it alone, you will need the input of your manager who will have his thoughts and opinions. Don't try to imagine what he would say, ask him. This is your career and you will be the one accountable for it. Leave nothing to chance by asking questions. For example:

1) How often would you like me to keep you informed of progress and would you like me to present you with a report in written form, as a one page summary or verbally?

Use this feedback to run through every stage of events so as you and your boss work as an effective team. At the end of the day, when an assignment has been duly completed, you would like a well earned pat on the back for its successful outcome.

Logical questions such as the ones above teach your boss to be clear and concise when giving out instructions. He will soon discover that if he does not present information in such a manner, you will be asking the relevant questions necessary. This, in turn will encourage him to give more detailed instructions in future and you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that every task and assignment will be completed to your boss's requirements, in a timely manner.

Time management allows you to enjoy a good future by not wasting the present.