|
 By
now, some of you may be questioning the New Year's resolutions
you had established so enthusiastically over the holiday
season. Perhaps they've been more challenging to keep
than you'd anticipated. Or, your work circumstances may
have shifted and the personal goals you had set no longer
seem realistic or even appropriate.
Whatever the reason, at one time or another, most of us
have experienced a loss of momentum in making our resolutions
a reality. This particularly seems to be the case for
resolutions that are related to taking better care of
ourselves or spending more time with family and friends.
Work often seems to relegate such goals to the back burner.
Ironically, I have observed that when my coaching clients
set clear parameters at work to enable them to achieve
what they perceive to be personal goals, there is a profoundly
positive impact on their focus, productivity and satisfaction
at work.
One leader whom I coach (we'll call him Brian) has recently
achieved fantastic improvements in his clarity and effectiveness
at work. He started by simply making one small personal
commitment. Brian decided that one day a week he would
commit to taking his daughter to an after-school activity
that was very important to her. He began to structure
his work day in such a way that he would be set-up for
success in meeting this commitment. Being someone who
is highly responsible to others, this led to keeping commitments
to finish initiatives at work in time to leave the office.
He found himself working in a more focused way. He was
energized by knowing that he would be meeting a commitment
to his family, instead of wasting energy worrying about
whether he should stay at work or attend the after-school
activity. For one day each week, the decision had already
been made. This became the parameter and work simply had
to fit in to the time allotted for that one day a week.
Interestingly enough, the effect of this one small personal
commitment rapidly began to spread.
In no time, Brian could see that in meeting his commitment
to his family and keeping this workday defined instead
of open-ended, he became more efficient. His employer
benefited, not just his family. His confidence strengthened
as he began to redefine himself as someone who makes and
keeps commitments both to himself and others, instead
of as someone who is stretches himself to meet everyone
else's requests and can end up letting others down.
In our heads, we know that work always expands to fill
the time allotted. As a society we seek to do more with
less and are uncomfortable setting limits. My clients
have taught me that it is often not until we set limits
that we can become truly LIMITLESS in the impact that
we can have.
Coach’s
Question #1:
What parameters do you need to set to ensure you are
meeting personal commitments AND remaining effective
at work?
When
their jobs can accommodate, many people I know have achieved
great productivity by blocking off certain times as "no
meeting hours", or "email time" or "focused time for strategic
projects". They use their self-awareness about their own
energy levels at various times of the day to design their
ideal schedule. For example, some people tend to operate
in "strategic" mode in the morning and "tactical" mode
in the afternoon. Consequently, they schedule their daily
activities accordingly; client meetings and project development
time in the morning and "email time" in the afternoon.
In doing so, they are setting parameters.
I've
known people that block off a few hours every week to
work at home or in another environment where there are
no distractions or interruptions. Others schedule in their
fitness sessions and personal commitments as if they were
work appointments, to ensure that these times are respected.
Again, they are setting parameters.
Another client of mine (we'll call him Bernard) leads
a global team in various time zones and travels the world
extensively. He has an office near his home in Canada
and a second office at the company's headquarters in the
U.S. Like Brian, he also values his family highly. When
he accepted the global leadership responsibility, he was
concerned about setting parameters to make the arrangement
suitable for himself and his family. He began with small
steps. When Bernard needs to go the head office in the
U.S. through the week, whenever possible he commits to
working in his hometown on Fridays and Mondays. This way
he has a 4-day opportunity to reconnect with the family.
He's now looking at commiting to one full week stretch
at home per month to ensure that he has time to "get into
the rhythm" of family life for at least this week each
month.
As
his coach, it is clear to me that it won't just be Bernard
and his family that will benefit from this parameter.
When he's working at his home office, Bernard will have
a chance to rejuvenate. When he is away, he will not be
distracted by wondering when he will be able to reconnect
with the family again. His energy will be freed up when
he is not worrying about whether he is compromising his
most important values.
Coach’s
Question #2:
What personal values do you need to consider in establishing
parameters at work?
I am confident that setting clear parameters at work
will not restrict you; they will enable you to live consistently
with your values and will free up your energy to produce
your best work, while living your best life.
So, I leave you with an assignment…
OVER TO YOU…
What one small commitment can you make to yourself this
week that may well create a snowball effect that lasts
well past the winter season?
I'm interested in hearing about the hearing about parameters
that you have established and how this has impacted your
achievement of personal resolutions as well as your effectiveness
at work. Send me an email with your feedback or questions
to info@development-by-design.com
Susan Edwards is President of Development by Design,
a Business & Leadership Coaching and Human Resources Consulting
form. Her Coaching clients are high potential leaders
and profitable business owners who are redefining the
terms of their success and taking their impact to a new
level. She consults to Fortune 500 companies and smaller
entreprenurial organizations who are also committed to
creating extraodinary impact with their customers, employees
and shareholders. One of the niches of her practice is
supporting new leaders and senior professionals in successfully
transitioning into new organizations and "clearing the
90-day hurdle". She is authoring a self-coaching workbook
to support people in effectively navigating this transition
and is featured in the monthly Lock & Associates column,
Coach's Counsel, at http://www.lock-associates.com/newsletter.htm.
|
