Your team is overwhelmed with multiple deadlines. How can you help them prioritize?

Your team members know their schedules and capacity the best. That's why it's important to involve them when setting priorities. You can't always have 100% clarity over what everyone else is up to, know matter how well you manage your calendars. Take a load off yourself by admitting that you don't have to. Check in with your team periodically to find out who has capacity to take on which tasks. Also, check with them to make sure the tasks they're assigned are aligned with their skills and preferences. Sam might have a task that takes them 30 minutes when it would take Jo 5. Could they trade tasks to improve efficiency and reduce capacity? You may not know if you don't ask.

Selecting a framework *AND* building a shared language can minimize the risk for misunderstanding. For example, the Eisenhower Matrix is a great tool, but is everyone on the project/team using the same definitions about what is urgent and important? I find that The Eisenhower Matrix is often used for an individual to self-manage. So, for groups using this framework, it's helpful to create a communication/decisionmaking scale to ensure everyone is on the same page. E.g. Identify a way for your team to determine "how urgent" a task is. And, maybe just as important, determine a scale to ensure that each person's "urgent" is weighted nearly the same. As my lawyer often tells her clients, "what is urgent to you may not be urgent for me."

use a kudo dboard or a channel in Teams / Slack that is dedicated for kudos. Ideally, this channel would be company-wide, or at least division-wide. Use it to shout-out accomplishments both big and small. Be specific. More than just "Great job," your kudos should include a specific example and state the impact. "Amir, thanks for taking over that client project at the last minute. Not only did you do a great job, you also helped free me up to prep for this huge meeting. I really appreciate your work."

In addition to the listed strategies, consider implementing a "Time-Blocking Challenge" where team members dedicate specific blocks of time exclusively to priority tasks, minimizing distractions. This approach fosters a collective commitment to focused work periods, enhancing overall productivity. Introduce a rotating responsibility for emergency response, empowering team members to address urgent matters swiftly. Furthermore, incorporate a "Reflect and Learn" session post-deadlines to gather insights and refine prioritization strategies collaboratively. This unique approach promotes a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability within the team, ensuring sustained effectiveness during periods of high workload.