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How often have you heard yourself say, ”I’ve got so many
balls in the air I don’t know how I can possibly keep track
of them all”.
We may be managing to keep the balls in motion, but how
good is our juggling performance really? Are our movements
controlled and rhythmic? Or are we merely gritting our teeth
and hoping to catch the next ball before it falls on the
ground?
Recently I was speaking with a colleague (we'll call him
Craig) who is a high achievement-oriented and well-regarded
senior manager. He was overwhelmed by how much was on his
plate. In addition to handling his high-pressure career,
he had begun pursuing a post-graduate degree while he was
already enrolled in another certificate program. Furthermore,
several projects at home also competed for his attention.
In the midst of all this, Craig said that he was hoping
to be able to continue to stick it out with the post-graduate
degree, even though the workload was much more than he'd
anticipated. To do anything other than persevere would be
so out of character that it was inconceivable to him. In
Craig's words, "it would mean giving up".
As we talked, I asked Craig whether there might be a more
positive way of viewing the choices facing him. Rather than
seeing the decision NOT to do something as GIVING UP…how
could the decision be re-framed as CHOOSING TO FULFILL other
important goals? Such a decision might mean choosing successful
completion of a few key goals, rather than struggling to
keep all the balls in motion.
In Craig's situation, family commitments were at the top
of his priority list. Instead of "giving up", postponing
the post-graduate degree meant that he could choose to successfully
meet his family priorities, while completing his certificate
program and performing effectively at work.
In trying to do it all right now, we can run the risk of
not meeting our most critical goals and being out of synch
with our core values.
As with many challenges in the business world, useful analogies
can be drawn from nature. For example, a slowly meandering
brook that enters a more narrow passage will eventually
transform into a surging current. By narrowing the path,
the energy of the water is channelled and results in greater
momentum and power. Focus can provide the same effect for
us in our work and our everyday lives.
Coach’s
Question #1:
How are you diluting your focus and compromising your
impact?
Somehow
it can be easier for us to recognize this challenge at the
organization level. When organizations stray too far from
their core competencies, all too often they flounder and
fail.
At
the personal level this dynamic seems more difficult to
acknowledge. There is something in our business culture
than has difficulty with "less is more". There seems to
be an unwritten competition for the longest job description
and most extensive "to do" list. We need to take a hard
look at how this serves our effectiveness.
In my Coaching practice, I've noticed that the importance
of focus is particularly critical when someone first moves
into a new job or joins a new organization. It is tempting
to want to immediately meet the needs of all stakeholders
and attend to as much of the long-list of demands as possible.
Yet, it has been observed that failure to generate a small
list of early successes is a leading contributor to derailment
of executives soon after they join a new organization. In
fact, some enlightened companies dedicate resources to ensuring
that new leaders determine these priorities quickly, establishing
their list of 3 key wins as a formal action plan during
an Onboarding Coaching process.
So
how do you narrow down what you are going to address? Clearly
determining the needs of your organization, your manager
and your team is a critical step. Equally, if not more important,
is doing an honest self-assessment of where it makes most
sense for you, given your individual strengths, to spend
your time.
Like many entrepreneurs, in running my own business I am
constantly facing this Focus challenge. Being your own Finance,
IT, Purchasing and Sales departments, as well as administrative
assistant, can greatly dilute one's efforts. Aligning myself
with a team of individuals whom I can relay on for specific
support is critical to ensuring I can keep my eye on my
core business. It is very alluring to fall-back on the old
adage "if I do it myself, I know it will get done", but
this of course can be a very limiting belief to growing
your business.
I was recently challenged by my Coach (yes, conscientious
coaches ensure that they also benefit from the power of
coaching!) to look at ways I could enhance my focus
by maximizing the time spent leveraging my strengths. Attending
to detailed administration, for example, does not tap into
my core passions to say the least. The outcome? I took the
plunge and have hired a Virtual Assistant, Cindy, (her real
name) who is a whiz at areas that are an inordinate burden
for me. I can't tell you how my shoulders lifted when I
received my first email outlining all the tasks that Cindy
would be handling for me. The momentum created by this decision
is invaluable for me!
Coach’s
Question #2:
How could your strengths guide your decisions as to
what to focus on?
So, I leave you with an assignment…
OVER TO YOU…
What one thing could you stop doing today and in doing
so, enhance your impact?
I'm interested in hearing about your reactions and learning
pertaining to Focus. What have you recently stopped doing
at work and how has this impacted how you are viewed by
others? Send me an email with your feedback or questions
to info@development-by-design.com
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