Making a "To Do" List

Originally posted 05/10/09

In a start-up environment, there are many things to be done by a limited number of people, and tasks and responsibilities are often poorly defined.  Start-up management must decide what needs to be done, and execute quickly.  This contrasts sharply with established enterprises, where employees are generally expected to execute on a defined set of tasks.

Dealing with the challenge of what should be on a start-up’s “to do” list is a real challenge even for experienced entrepreneurs.  There is no easy answer how to get this right.  A few things to think about:

• Recognize that there is an extensive list of things that need to be done, and be appropriately paranoid that you are missing things;
• Talk to people with experience to help you identify the holes;
• Prioritize identified tasks based upon both urgency and importance, and don’t waste time on things that are neither urgent nor important; and
• Make sure that priority tasks have a person responsible for them, a defined timeline and appropriate resources.