Priority Management is critical. Time Blocking is a great tool taught to me by Building Champions. This article in Fast Company simply reinforces the use of that tool.
“If you don’t manage your priorities and time, everyone and everything else will!” – Coach Raymond Gleason
In a Nascar race, an average efficient pit stop that consists of the changing of all four tires and a full tank of fuel can take anywhere between 13 and 15 seconds. The amount of pit stops during a race vary because of numerous factors — race length, caution flags, fuel mileage, tire wear and pit strategy to name a few.
In Leadership, it is necessary to take regular ‘pit stops’ so that you can keep your engine running. In today’s economy, it sometimes can feel so important to continue to run around the track at 200 miles an hour and not have time for a ‘pit stop’. We all know that if we don’t come in and ‘re-fuel’, replace the tires, and adjust the suspension, we will not be able to cross the finish line.
Recently, I completed an overnight ‘pit stop’ where my wife, Chris, and I were able to get away for an evening…just the two of us…to re-fuel and prepare to get back out on the track again. This opportunity was refreshing and got me thinking how important it is to take time away to refuel. You see, re-fueling doesn’t mean to shut it down completely, but rather, a brief moment to ensure all the systems are ‘go’. And, it isn’t enough just to do this for a vacation annually. It has to be planned as daily, weekly, quarterly, and annual down time to recharge. Mark Sanborn tweeted recently a post that touched me completely about the need for weekly ‘down time’. He asked if Sunday was a ‘day of rest, or a day to catch-up’. Too often, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is seen as the norm, and I don’t want to allow myself to fall into that trap.
So, I am committing to the following ‘pit-stop’ schedule for myself.
During this time, I will take my foot off the gas and re-fuel the engine. I know it will benefit me. It is important to set boundaries around this time as well. No email…No PDA…Minimize the distractions. My wife needs this time, too. Rarely do stay-at-home moms get the benefit of pit stops and I need to honor her time.
So, are you taking ‘pit stops’ to re-fuel? What do you need to do to ensure that your motor is running at the end of the race and that your down time is rest time and not catch-up time?
In the midst of one of the historic winters in Roanoke, VA, (with regards to snowfall) it has been a CHALLENGE to manage my attitude each time I have to go out and shovel the snow off of our driveway. Perspective is important. So, as I was shoveling our driveway for the 3rd time in a 24-hour period just the other day, I found myself thinking about how this could POSSIBLY relate to leadership and it actually was relatively easy.
Continuous improvement – I am always trying to find the ‘least waste way’ to do things and shoveling a 3,000 square foot driveway is no different. How can I improve upon my methods to reduce the time that it takes? Probably one of the many things that drives Chris crazy about me, but it is just how I am wired. (No comments from the Peanut gallery about buying a snow blower. That is another story in itself!)
Relationships – I was able invest time with Chris as we talked about a future vacation, sitting on the beach, and being WARM! We had about 3 hours of time with no TV, no distractions, except for the scraping of the shovel over the asphalt. It was almost peaceful.
Discipline- It was a great workout. Not a whole lot better core workout than shoveling about 4,5000 cubic feet(yes, I calculated it!) of heavy wet snow. Great cardio, too. Thus, I did not have to go to the gym (could not have gotten there, anyway!)
Attitude – Rather than it being WORK, it is time to reflect, think, be grateful…Grateful for the time with Chris, for the beauty of the snow falling, etc.
So, next time you get frustrated or angry with the shoveling of the snow (or some other project), view it as a time to grow personally….make a game out of it…consider it your exercise…It really helps to reduce the stress of it. (this DOESN’T mean that I am hoping for several more inches of show 
)
So, what project do you think you HATE to do that if you were to take a different approach, would make it a positive experience?
I posted this question recently on my Facebook page: “Is it more important to be ‘fair’ or ‘consistent’? I received several responses like the ones below:
Some thought it was a trick question. It was not, but I was curious.
As a parent (you can substitute the word LEADER anywhere I put parent), one of the statements I sometimes hear is “That’s not fair!” Are there any parents out there who have NOT heard this? If so, please let me know your secret.
In any event, I believe the answer to whether it is more important to be fair or consistent lies in BOUNDARIES. What boundaries have you set up front? Allow me to use one example that I use with my sons, Brendan and Joseph. We have set boundaries for being ready for school, giving the kids freedom to wake up when they want. They each have their own alarm clock, BUT we have set up boundaries. They MUST be downstairs and prepared to go to school by 7:15. Prepared means bed made, dirty clothes taken to laundry, teeth brushed and deodorant on, dressed, and school supplies packed. If they are not down by 7:15, they lose TV privileges for the evening. If they come down ready at 7:16, is it ‘fair’ that they are not allowed to watch TV that evening? It might not seem fair, right? “But, dad, I am only one minute late”. You can insert your own response here! Then, as a parent (leader) you must follow through with the consequence, or the consistency goes away and it no longer IS fair. This is an overly simple example that describes my response to the question.
If I set the boundaries up front, am consistent with disciplining to those boundaries – giving you the freedom to make it happen – then, I am doing my part as a parent/leader. I think it is more important to be ‘consistent’ to ensure ‘fair’ness. AND, it really does remind me of another statement my mom would make to me – “Life’s not fair.” So true.
Have a great week.
So, do you have a story about fair or consistent you would like to share? Please comment below.
