This article begins a four-part series helping leaders accomplish more without needing to work more.

Fifteen years ago, I was maxed out. I couldn’t believe how busy I was. I had so much to get done, so much that I needed to accomplish, and so little time or resources to get it all done. I was so stressed, it actually became a medical condition. My throat would constrict. I had a hard time breathing. My heart was racing. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t turn off.

So, I did the obvious thing. The thing that most leaders do: I stepped on the gas and pushed harder. I knew if I just dug my way out from under this one mountain, everything would finally get easier. But instead of digging my way out from under the mountain, I was just digging a deeper hole.

I was afraid that if I didn’t keep trying to just work harder, everything would come crashing down.

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The Underdeveloped Skill of Focusing On What Is Important

Yesterday, I had a busy schedule of coaching conversations. Every one of these leaders is respected, dedicated, and hard-working. But they aren’t experiencing the kind of success that they would like and, in fact, should be experiencing.

In every single conversation, the same issue came up: “I was too busy last week to (work on the things that would really make a difference).”

I now know not to accept that statement at face value. We dug into what was taking up their time and attention. In no time flat, we discovered the following patterns:

• Starting the work-day focusing on “busy” work – not important work
• Doing other people’s jobs
• Not delegating effectively
• Waiting for the most demanding issue to direct their day for them
• Not planning for foreseeable “crunch times”
• Not working – but socializing, running errands, etc.

Essentially, these leaders weren’t leading themselves through their day. They were allowing the events and urgencies of the day to lead them. They were working. They all put in long hours. There is no critique deserved or needed about their effort.

Just their direction.

As an old Air Force veteran once told me, they were, “all thrust and no vector.”

They complained (and genuinely felt the stress and pressure) of not having enough time to get everything done. But as we looked at where their time was spent – it was mostly spent on things that felt like work, could be called work, might look like work – but it wasn’t helping to get their work done.

If the way you are working isn’t working for you it’s common sense to stop working that way. Instead, the typical response is to double down and put in more effort doing the wrong work.

There is a nearly automatic defensiveness that emerges from leaders who claim they are working hard, working more than they want, don’t have the time they want, aren’t getting the results that they want – but don’t believe there is anything they should change.

What?

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Making Important Things Important Again

What is really important to you?

Most leaders can tell me about the pressing issues in their organizations, their goals, their vision, etc. Most leaders love to talk about their big picture. Most leaders are frustrated that they aren’t making the progress that they’d like towards that big picture.

However, when you look at their calendars or review an average day, you rarely see intentional time set aside to focus on important work. The important work that will move them and their organization forward. The important work that only they can accomplish.

Instead, they are doing almost anything else.

What is really important to you?

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How You Spend Your Time Reflects Your Priorities

If a priority is genuinely a priority (as opposed to a wish), then how you spend your time will reflect it.

You do, in fact, spend your time on what is most important to you. Everyone does. You don’t have to teach people to pursue their impulses. That comes naturally.

Get honest about what is most important to you.

Think of your stated vision or big picture goals. Think about those objectives that, if accomplished, would move everything forward. The differences that would really make a difference.

Now think about how you generally spend your time.

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Focus Is Faster

I get it. I had to see a doctor due to my self-induced stress caused by trying too hard to accomplish too little.

What finally led to freedom? I stopped. I stopped doing a lot of things. An enormous amount of things. I started to just focus on a few things. The important things.

What happened? My world didn’t fall apart. In fact, it grew. And it continues to grow.

Focusing on the important things makes them grow faster. And makes them easier to manage.

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Learning To Be Ruthless

I learned that I have to be ruthless. I didn’t want to be ruthless. I wanted to be liked. To be accepted (to be hired!).

I had the mistaken belief that telling someone, “No” or “Not now” would be the death knell of respect or a relationship.

Learning to say, “No” has been and continues to be one of my most important tools for growth.

I can’t do it all. You can’t do it all. But you can accomplish a lot more if you are willing to do less. And you have to be ruthless about that.

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Six Questions To Help You Lead Yourself

If you want to accomplish more and lead your own schedule, begin by answering the following 6 questions:

• What is the most important thing for you to accomplish in this next “season” of life or work?
• What makes that important? What is the cost of not accomplishing this?
• How much effort or time are you willing to dedicate to this accomplishment? If you aren’t willing to give it much effort or time – how important is this to you really?
• When is the best time for you to set aside time for you to focus on what is really important?
• Will you set aside that time?
• What do you need to say “No” or “Not now” to make this happen or protect this time?

I won’t suggest that answering these questions is necessarily easy. But when you follow through, you can anticipate the following:

• Your world won’t fall apart
• People won’t hate you
• You will feel more focused and “on-purpose” each day
• You will make consistent and measurable progress towards your goals
• You will discover that you have even more time available – to use for what you feel is most important
• People will follow your lead. Because you are providing this focus and direction, everyone else will become more focused and productive as well
• You are now actively leading others, not reacting to them

I’ve walked hundreds of clients through this process and the results are consistent. I’d love to hear how this works for you.

Take good care,

Christian

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Would you like my help for yourself, your team or board to get a clear vision of 2020?  Don’t leave it to chance. Give me a call 907-522-7200 or e-mail me.

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THE LEADERSHIP COACH Podcast

Check out my new podcast, THE LEADERSHIP COACH, where we explore effective, high impact and enjoyable leadership. We talk about personal development and the attributes that all effective leaders possess. I interview other leadership experts who share their knowledge and tips to help you build the confidence to lead and learn the habits of good decision-making. A special bonus episode is available now, Bonus Interview – Dealing with Burnout and Finding Your Flow with Tony Litster.

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Opportunities

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