1). Why is information overload a growing problem for many entrepreneurs, managers and employees?
Because people are so overwhelmed with information each day, and the fact that even a short interruption in a workflow can disrupt total production by 25 % is leading to time being wasted. Not just the amount of content is to blame either. Having to search and not being able to find things when needed, finding too much content and being pulled in several different directions at once are the largest culprits.
2). How does each of the four entrepreneurs profiled in the case manage information overload?
The four deal with it in different ways: the first (Grigsby) choreographs and structures her days, beginning at 6am going through emails. She feels comfortable in multi-tasking, but she also works to keep in touch with her various business ventures and employees. The second (Mothner) uses prioritization to make it through his busy day. After taking on a second business, he underestimated how difficult it would be dealing with so many people. He had to learn to prioritize each email, and deal with the most pressing issues first.
The third (Hamilton), uses delegation to make his business ventures work. Having two companies in two different industries stretched his organizational management skills to the breaking point. He soon realized that he needed help and began to bring in other people to help him run the two companies and a daily basis, while he concentrates on growing what he already has. The fourth( Holstein), uses a four step organizational plan to run his company. As an organizer, he relishes keeping things simplistic and orderly. If it is not on his desk as a current project, then it is either in one of four places; handled, filed, delegated or discarded. He does best when focusing on one project at a time
3). What are the pros and cons to each of their approaches?
The pros are the fact that each of the four seems to be able to wrap their heads...