Power Tool: Urgent vs. Important

A Coaching Power Tool created by Jerry Rajamoney
(Executive Coaching, INDIA)

1. Perspective:

Recently in my workplace I noticed that one of my friend and a good peer of mine is struggling with lot things happening around him. He is finding it so hard to bring them to an order. This results him staying late, not focusing on the important one, missing his dead lines, frustration, more stress, less happiness, less work satisfaction, etc…

Since I sit next to him, I understand a little bit of what is going on with him. When I realized that the things are going really out of control, I tried to help him to organize so that he focuses on urgent and important items first. This idea of focusing on the Urgent and Important one helped him a lot.

What I really did to him is the simple use of the four-quadrant matrix for importance and urgency. I have learnt about this from the book “First Things First” by Stephen Covey. This offers a beautiful time management approach.
After that, I realized that the proper use of this can be an excellent Powerful Tool for Coaches. Let’s look at the definition of Urgent and Important and then the four quadrants and their importance

2. Definitions:

Look at the dictionary definition of Urgent and Important to start with.

Urgent [Ur•gent] – adjective

1. Compelling or requiring immediate action or attention; imperative; pressing: an urgent matter.
2. Insistent or earnest in solicitation; importunate, as a person: an urgent pleader.

3. Expressed with insistence, as requests or appeals: an urgent tone of voice.

Important [im•por•tant] – adjective

1. Of much or great significance or consequence: an important event in world history.
2. Mattering much (usually followed by to): details important to a fair decision.
3. Entitled to more than ordinary consideration or notice: an important exception.
4. Four – Quadrant Matrix for Urgent and Important:

Let’s look at what these each quadrant mean: