I expect those of you in the northern part of the USA are as happy as I am to see the forsythia, tulips, and daffodils finally blooming. As those little green things (including weeds) start to grow, I can't help but think of the word - PRIORITIES. What should I plant to brighten up a dreary, winter-beaten yard, and which seeds do I plant when?
This question is not just for our gardens of course. These are the same questions every leader must consider every day at work. Which seeds will you plant today to have the best chance of your endeavors and hard work bearing fruit? What will you prune? What will you nourish? What tools do you need?
You've probably heard the saying, "When everything's a priority, nothing's a priority." How true that is! Yet, we leaders fall into the same trap as gardeners; too often we try to make it ALL happen at once. Not such a good plan, is it? Patience and planning, in gardening and at work, is essential and pays big dividends.
I have worked with clients who say they are on the "cutting edge" all-the-time. Sometimes it's more like the "bleeding edge" but never mind. The cutting edge mentality can be exhilarating, challenging, innovative, and fun. It also can, and often does, create a chaotic work culture often described a times as "tyranny of the urgent." As a client of mine once said, "around here, it's like trying to fly a plane and repair it at the same time."
Yes, once in awhile there is an emergency - a real one - the place gets flooded, the customer is about to cancel a huge order, there's a strike. And, how often is that? Right! It is rare indeed when things we call urgent emergencies...are.
Stephen Covey reminded us how to look carefully at the ways we spend our time. I've included a sample for you to review in the
Read More section. Take a look at the kinds of activities in each of these quadrants. Then make the time to look at YOUR calendar to identify where you are spending your time. Are you working on things that are important or not important most of the time? If you find yourself in the "not important" arenas too often, it's time to ask yourself some tough questions.
A powerful reminder comes to us from poet and philosopher, Goethe. He said, "Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least."
Highly effective leaders carefully define the right priorities and then give themselves and their people the right resources, including time, to sow the seeds, nurture the growth, and finally, harvest the bounty.
Are you running on autopilot, jumping from garden plot to garden plot... or do you take the time and patience to truly consider the impact of your priority setting or lack of it on your business and your people? Everything cannot be a fire, an emergency, urgent, need it yesterday. The best work is done thoughtfully most of the time.
The most effective priorities are those that are advancing your vision, aligned to your mission, and in harmony with your values.
I've decided to stop going to garden stores and grabbing every blooming thing I see because I haven't the time or the energy to plant them all. This year, my garden may take a bit longer to be stunning, but both the garden and I will be a lot healthier for it, and the results will last longer.
