As a company we have begun to create short videos to help organizations identify and begin to work on common issues that disrupt organizational effectiveness. We are currently working on a video for the following post, but have observed this behavior so much recently I felt the need to discuss it in this manner until the video is finished. The problem – Time.
Time is one of the largest scapegoats of leadership that I have come across. Time is blamed for everything that goes wrong – I didn’t have enough time, I need more time, I don’t have the time. The fact of the matter is that if you don’t use your time effectively, you will fall behind and never catch up because; you guessed it, you won’t have enough time.
One of our team members, Mr. Jack Frank often uses this analogy for use of time:
One mans observes another cutting wood.
He is amazed at the rate this man is cutting wood, but notices that his saw is getting more dull with every cut.
So he approaches the man and says, “You are amazing at cutting wood, but you should sharpen the saw, and I bet you would go even faster. You are almost running out of daylight.”
The man responds, “Thank you for the complement, but I don’t have time to sharpen the saw. If I stop now I will never get done before dark.”
I find this story a perfect example of what leaders often face within their organization. If they are not careful, the leader can become so fixed on the task, and the process they use, they in fact loose site of the necessary time to reflect and try to improve. Without scheduling time for professional reflection, a leader will quickly become a manager of time, who never has enough time to sharpen the organization’s saw.
On behalf of the team at EII Consulting remember – Continue to lead, continue to be great, and we will be here to help you be the best version of yourself possible.
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