Lists
There is a chpater in my book Managing with Asperger Syndrome entitled "If You Meet that Person".
Its basically about a certain type of manager with whom someone with Asperger syndrome could never work.
The individual around which the chapter is based was the most difficult person I have ever encountered in a work environment. He was, in my opinion, a bully, morally hypocritical and completely unwilling to even try and engage in any conversation that didn't relate to what he wanted.
One of the things he did do was set targets for people to work to. I found these childish and condascending.
However, looking back on it I believe that they did focus me. Indeed, as someone with a tendency because of my condition [AS] to flick between tasks because of my lower concentration threshold, I have tended to start one project, stop, move onto another etc.
In the end I find that I do get things done. Howedver, the time spent switching between tasks has impacted negatively upon my productivity.
I am currently job searching and so working on a number of different projects. what I have started to do is force myself to concentrate on one project at a time solely and to not change or move on until I have completed the task that I have set myself. I have found that I am becoming a much better "starter/finisher".
Does anyone else find target setting beneficial?
Targets
I ran across from higher ups in my place who were real characters. I won't go into any details right now about these individuals. Most of these "characters" don't work at my college anymore which is good.
Most of the higher ups now tend to set targets, goals and deadlines for the main processes of the college. Sometimes in meetings we get these targets and etc. Some targets are met, some are not and some are changed and modified. Even in the current area I work for the new Registrar occasionally sets up certain targets and goals. I have mixed feelings about this. In a way they do help because they keep you focused, remind you of what has to be done and sometimes produce other ideas. In another way they are annoying, useless, pointless and pushy especially if the targets are impossible or are ones that everyone pushes at you.