Stacey Belanger
Supply Chain Innovation Manager
Kellogg Company 

 

 

More from Stacey


As a mother of five “highly active” children under the age of 10, Stacey has to be flexible to make it all work. 


“My boss in Corporate Quality realized that I was traveling too much in that position and not spending enough time with my family, so he suggested I move into a different group. I loved what I was doing and didn’t want to leave that job. I remember thinking: this is my career, here! Apparently, he saw something that I didn’t at the time. I moved into Consumer Affairs, a totally different department. It allowed me to be home more often and be there for my kids. My husband who also works for Kellogg travels most of the time, and it’s important to have at least one parent whose schedule is stable and consistent.”

 




Stacey's Insights
 

On keeping sane: 
“One of the tools that I’ve learned is a homeward bound framework. I use my 30-minute commute to recap my day at work and make mental notes for follow-up. With my family’s busy schedule, I often reflect on a checklist of activities that need to get accomplished for the evening.”


On time management for kids:
“It is important to me that my kids don’t feel rushed or stressed even if our evening activities are hectic. To accomplish this I let them help plan their nightly routines. I lay out the tasks that need to happen such as homework, sports practices, their baths and even downtime. Some of my children prefer their downtime when they first get home and others like to relax just before bedtime.”


On her favorite role model: 
“I had parents who always believed in me. My father has been a major role model in my life. I used to work at his insurance agency during summers, even through college. Watching him and other employees helped me develop a solid work ethic which has helped me throughout my career.”


On making the most of her time:
“I have limited time and have to find ways to be creative with it. My day starts at 4:45 a.m. I wake up and take 25 minutes to work out—it’s a great way to start my day. My coworkers laugh because I do a couple loads of laundry before going to work, but it’s a necessity; if the kids don’t have clean clothes, everyone will be angry!”

Strategy For Success


Operation: Time Management

Submitted by admin on Fri, 07/16/2010 - 10:11

February 2011

From growing up as an only child and now having five children of her own, Stacey Belanger has had to take a crash course in time management. Between colleagues, vendors and a demanding family life, this über busy manager steers through multiple schedules, handling 30-40 work projects at once, and still arrives at her daughter’s dance rehearsals on time. Here Stacey shares her strategies for effectively—and sanely—getting through a day.


Limit Multi-Tasking

“When I manage multiple projects, I tend to receive lots of emails at one time. If I’m in the middle of working on something, I keep a running list of the messages that come in, so that I remain focused on the task at hand. When I’m finished, I take care of what is pending; otherwise, I wouldn’t get anything done. When scheduling meetings, I make sure clear, defined goals are outlined on the agenda. My meeting notices include the timeline for each topic to be discussed.”

Stop The Useless Chatter

“When a team encounters a challenge, sometimes the focus of the discussion turns to ‘how did we get here’ with members looking to find blame. I use forward-focused questions that keep our mind-set on the positive and get us moving in the right direction. Examples would be: Do we have the correct resources in place to help us overcome our obstacles? How can we resolve this issue and still meet our deadline?”

In Your Sight, In Your Mind

“I write down key milestones on post-its or labels and stick them to folders to track projects as they progress. They are a visual reminder of where I stand on each. I also use my calendar to the fullest extent. I schedule 15-minute meetings with myself weeks in advance to handle tasks that are pending and prepare for approaching deadlines. At home I have a monthly calendar that is color-coded by kid and activity. That’s the way I manage their schedules—they’re busier than I am!”

Get Others On Your Team

“I spend a great deal of time making sure that I am giving positive feedback to my group members, especially when they do something that’s above and beyond. Not only do I reply to them, but I copy their bosses to let them know their efforts are appreciated. I also try to connect with people on a personal level by asking about their families and anything else they have going on outside of work. Having that connection will make them value you as a person and be more willing to cooperate when you need information. People are also likely to complete tasks and be held accountable when you recognize their strengths.” 

Be Seen When You're Not Present

“There’s always that old school of thought that suggests you have to be visible in order to be productive, but when I’m off site I copy my bosses on all major documents I send out so they know I’m getting the work done. If you establish a solid working relationship with your boss, it will be easier to talk about uncomfortable matters when they come up. If you are requesting a more flexible schedule, you want to go to your boss with a proposal on how you will manage your day.”

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