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Time Management

“One of the greatest reasons people cannot mobilize themselves is that they try to accomplish great things. Most worthwhile achievements are the result of many little things done in a single direction.” 

– Nido Quebin.

Many people wear busyness like a badge of honor; each trying to one-up the next person on how full their schedules are.  I know that feeling cause I’ve worn that badge.  I’ve flashed it like a western sheriff pulling back his lapel.  After experiencing burnout a handful of times in my life, you would think I learned my lesson.  Not so much.  I complain, rub my head, vent a little frustration, and jump right back in.  I must be a glutton for punishment. 

Three years ago I left our last church after a decade of nonstop events, ministries, counseling, outreaches, sermon preparations, men’s groups, couple’s groups, father/son activities, and leadership seminars.  It was nearing Easter when I met with the pastor and told him I was leaving.  Interestingly, he mentioned that another pastor had told him, “You are burning Steve out. If you’re not careful, you’re going to lose him.”  Thing is, I’m an adult.  It isn’t his responsibility to ensure my work/ministry/family balance is in order.  It’s mine.  I took responsibility and then took some much-needed time off.

Less than one month later, we visited another church.  Wouldn’t you know, within sixty-days, I was right back in full ministry swing running retreats, promoting men’s groups, meeting with people, working with marriages, and planning leadership development opportunities.  My wife said, “Are you unable to just sit back and relax?  Why are you always in the middle of everything that goes on?”  Great question.  I don’t have a good answer short of, “I love the excitement and the challenge.”

I’m a gifted multi-tasker that approaches everything with passion and excitement.  Over the past two-to-three years, I’ve learned to better manage my time and more importantly, the value of saying “no.”  Entering the graduate MSLD program, I knew I would have to cut some activities and events from my schedule to leave time for reading, studying, and writing.  Fortunately, that has happened and although my schedule is still quite full, I’ve learned the value of quiet time and recreational time with family and friends.

The Time Management Assessment places me in the top quartile (110).  Of the twenty rules for efficient time management, there were a few that confirmed and strengthened my position as an “internal” and helps me take advantage of the time I have every day.  First, I make a list each morning of the things I would like to accomplish that day.  Things that I miss are moved onto the next day’s to-do list and circled.  I keep a Note Post-it with a list of to-dos with me all week.  Each day I review it for status.  Secondly, I am extremely well organized.  My desk is neat and short of diagnosed OCD behaviors, everything has a place and rarely am I left frantically looking for paperwork.  And thirdly, I prioritize my tasks well.  I understand what is urgent and what is important.  I do not allow the urgent issues of life to edge-out the important.

To minimize stress in my life through effective and efficient time management skills, I’ve identified three new ways to keep me focused and on task.  First, schedule personal time.  While I would like to spend a minimum of thirty minutes in the morning, my best time is when I arrive home from work.  My wife gives me time as soon as I get home to relax and do what I enjoy the most: read.  As soon as I get home, I spend time reading various leadership, self-improvement, or Christian books.  This allows me to wind down from the day and it helps me gain focus on what I’ve accomplished during the week and how I plan on spending the following day.

Secondly, thanks to cell phones, I do something productive while waiting.  Whether in line at the bank, sitting at a red light, or waiting in the car for my wife, I am reading and studying.  I was not always intentional with my personal growth and I believe I squandered a couple decades early on.  Therefore, I live with a passion to make use of every second that I have.  It motivates me to read, love, and live fully in every moment. 

And lastly, I have opened myself up to accountability.  There are a handful of close people in my life who know exactly what my schedule looks like. And, unlike three years ago, these men will ask me what my schedule looks like, what can I cut, and how much time have I been spending with my family?  Even though I am consciously aware of my schedule and my time, there are men in my life that keep me accountable to my commitments.  There are times when I feel myself accepting another task, an event, or a ministry and they will step in and shut it down before I agree to tackle it.  All good things are not great things.

Going forward I know there are still areas that I need to improve upon.  For starters, here are a few: Go to bed earlier.  My wife and I are night owls.  We stay up too late and struggle in the morning.  Jerry Seinfeld said, “Night guy always screws morning guy.”  We laugh because it is true! If I ever hope to increase efficiency in my work/ministry production, I must ensure that I am getting at least seven hours of sleep each night.  The current six hours has exposed me to a decreased immune system and early morning dullness.

Secondly, by identifying my core values and mission statement, I will be better aware of the “good” things that I must turn down to save room and energy for the “great” things.  In the past, because I was involved in so many different activities, I was doing them all functionally but not professionally.  By cutting some of the superfluous activities, I will be able to invest more energy into a few things and make them even better.  Moreover, it will allow others to step up and lead.  I’ve recently done this with the bimonthly men’s group.  While I may oversee the 25-35 men that come on Saturday, I’ve created a small leadership team to lead the messages and work set-up. This has freed me to concentrate more on leadership development.

And lastly, I am making a list of my current activities and commitments.  By writing them down (and giving copies to my accountability partners), I can clearly see where my energies should be focused.  There are a multitude of needs and expectations that surround us.  They swirl around us at work, at church, and at home.  By clearly identifying and prioritizing my commitments, I will avoid overextending myself and letting others down. 

I spoke at a funeral last week.  I stood before the congregation and looked in the faces of those wondering, “How much time do I have?” I told them I could not answer that question.  However, what I do know is every person has right now.  I said, “You have today. This moment. You will never have another like it.”  

I left them with this: “Death has the potential to awaken life.  It reminds us to not waste what we’ve been given. Live every moment to the fullest and you will not end up at the end of your life with any regrets.” That's the best time management advice there is.

Steve

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Self-Awareness: Five Core Aspects and the Path to Great Leadership

Sir Isaac Newton’s Law of Motion states, “Things that are still stay still and things that are moving keep moving with a steady speed unless a force of some kind pushes or pulls on them” (Woodford, 2013).  Too many people are paralyzed to pursue their purpose for fear of making the wrong choice.  Unsure of the details and afraid of ending-up at a place not of their choosing, they ask me, “What if I am wrong?”  To use Newton’s insight I often tell them, get moving towards your dreams and make course corrections along the way.  It’s easier to change directions than to initiate movement from a static position.

I began to feel the call to pursue additional education in the fall of 2011.  I considered a doctoral program; however, in the end, based on costs and time requirements, I enrolled in the M.S. in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM).  One of the reasons for pursuing this curriculum was it would provide me with more marketability in my current profession.  Obtaining an M.S. in SCM along with an MBA achieved in 2004 would provide me the resume punch needed should I my current contractual position be eliminated.  And then something began to change.

It’s no surprise that graduate work takes an incredible amount of energy, time, and discipline.  Halfway through my fourth class I began to lose steam and felt I made a mistake in pursuing another degree.  Part of me loved the learning but another part was searching for the passion necessary to call up the discipline needed for late nights and long hours.  Then, while leading a men’s group on a Saturday morning, my dilemma was addressed.  As I was speaking to the men about faith, I stated, “We often make decisions out of fear, e.g., fear of failure or fear of losing our security.”  And then, a small voice inside me said, “That’s what you did.”  Literally, as I was speaking to the men, I felt addressed that I had fallen prey to the very same thing I was warning them against.  After men's group, I pulled my son-in-law aside and told him what had happened.  I was conflicted, uncertain, and yet humbled by the moment. 

It was less than a week when I realized, yes, I was driven and called to go back to school; however, I chose the SCM program out of fear.  I thought, “If I lose my job, firms will have to hire me with these credentials.”  At the same time, I looked at the Embry-Riddle site and noticed they just initiated a Leadership curriculum.  The moment I saw it my heart came alive!  The more I read about it, the more excited I became.  After speaking to my wife about changing majors, I called my employer and the university and “changed course.”  Two of the four classes transferred and now I am two classes form completing this curriculum.  Throughout the program, my family has commented on the light in my countenance and the love I express for the material.  They contrast the two programs and can easily discern that I made the right choice.

I share that story to show that the level of my self-awareness began before taking my first class in the MSLD program and has deepened ever since.  From my first MSLD class Organizational Leadership; I knew I was on a journey unlike any I’ve ever pursued.  Each course has challenged me to evaluate my self-identity and motivations.  They have encouraged me to look at my past and its affect on my present decisions.  Interestingly, from the outset, many would think this curriculum is about “looking outwardly” and leading others.  And while that is true, I believe it is trumped by the leadership axiom, “The first person you should lead is yourself.”  In the light of that perspective, this program recognizes that we can only take people as far as we’re willing to go ourselves.  The deeper we are willing to look inside of ourselves, the further we can look to lead others.  

In Building Below The Waterline, Gordon MacDonald (2011) referenced “having a keen self-knowledge” as one of the traits of a leader.  He said, “If we don’t know ourselves and what shaped us, what neutralizes us, and what our limits are, we invite disaster.  Many men and women in leadership positions are insecure.  Some struggle with large unresolved areas from the past.  Unless the past can be resolved, it often becomes an Achilles’ heel in leadership” (p. 7).  The five core aspects of self-awareness are the primary principles expressed through every course of this curriculum.  Decision-making, teamwork, ethics, and change are woven throughout these qualities.  They highlight and define us individually and lead and guide us collectively. 

Over the next few minutes, I’d like to provide a short summary of each aspect; its meaning, and how it has been strengthened in my life as a result of this curriculum.

Emotional Intelligence

On June 5^th, 2011 I purchased Daniel Goleman’s groundbreaking book Emotional Intelligence.  It provided me with countless insights and strengthened my resolve to improve my relationships and influence.  Goleman (1995) said, “Handling emotions in someone else—the fine art of relationships—requires the ripeness of two other emotional skills, self-management and empathy.  These social abilities allow one to shape an encounter, to mobilize and inspire others, to thrive in intimate relationships, to persuade and to influence, and to put others at ease” (p. 113). 

Without the slightest doubt, my emotional intelligence has matured and developed.  Goleman breaks his emotional intelligence into four quadrants: Self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.  Each of these quadrants has been thoroughly strengthened by the MSLD course material and discussions.  For starters, it has encouraged me hold my tongue and listen intently to what people are saying rather than seek to solve problems with my first opinion or suggestion.  And, it goes without saying that one of the greatest leadership traits lacking in so many leader is the art of listening.

                          Personal Values

Whetten & Cameron (2011) said, “Becoming more mature in values development requires that individuals develop a set of internalized principles by which they can govern their behavior” (p. 72).  Much of the disappointment we see in our leaders today is a result of values infractions.  Bad decisions made from a good heart are much more palatable than good decisions made from a bad heart. 

The MSLD program has taught me three significant keys in living and leading from my values.  First, write them down.  We have an inherent value system that guides our decisions on a daily basis; however, writing them down and looking at them further solidify their importance in one’s identity.  Secondly, understand how your values may conflict with other people’s value systems.  Education is a great path to diversity and acceptance.  While we can disagree about our beliefs, we do not need to be disagreeable and judgmental.  And lastly, every profession, whether corporate or non-profit, requires leaders to stand upon principle and core values.  This curriculum has continued to enforce the importance of upholding the values of honesty, integrity, transparency, humility, compassion, and courage.  Gini & Green (2013) said, “The moral quality of leadership is summed up in the understanding that real leaders are ethical and possess both virtue and character” (p. 9).

Cognitive Style

Whetten & Cameron (2011) define cognitive style as, “the inclination each of us has to perceive, interpret, and respond to information in a certain way” (p. 74).  Each of us view the world—both input and output—through a series of frames; references built from our personal experiences, education, and expectations.  These frames help us evaluate and interpret and respond accordingly (as defined above).  While they help us organize information they can also act as an inhibitor.  Our frames can cause us to misinterpret, judge wrongly, and miss potential benefits.  The MSLD curriculum—along with my daily devotions and faith—continue to enrich my ability to “see life from another’s perspective.”

People unconsciously process millions of bits of data all day long.  The MSLD path has encouraged me to operate with a greater intentionality on the three learning styles: knowing, planning, and creating.  Though we all vary in each of these, as leaders, we will be called upon to operate within each realm.  Awareness and adaptability of these traits has improved not only the decisions I make, but also how and why I make them.

Orientation Toward Change

In Change or Die, Alan Deutschman (2007) said, “Change is a paradoxical process, and trying to change your own life means opening yourself up to new ideas and practices that may seem illogical or even insane to you, at least until you’ve experienced them for long enough to develop a new understanding” (p. 151).  There is no avoiding it or ignoring it.  One rarely fully understands it or appreciates it.  But, like no other element in leadership—change—with all its troubles and opportunities, our personal approach to it can make or break our ability to lead others.  Whetten & Cameron segment change orientations into two dimensions: tolerance for ambiguity and locus of control.  Both have shown me my strengths and inclinations.  Throughout this curriculum, I’ve been forced to manage both aspects whether in school, at work, with my family, or in ministry.  Approaching ambiguity with a better sense of confidence and operating as a strong “internal” has allowed me to learn from each situation and make the best decision going forward.

Core Self-Evaluation

Whetten & Cameron (2011) define core self-evaluation as “the fundamental evaluation each person has developed about himself or herself” (p. 80).  The past two years have made me more confident and courageous.  It has strengthened my resolve to help others and to lead with compassion and energy.  With only two courses left before graduation, I can clearly demonstrate a greater ability to promote teamwork, cast vision, articulate goals, and lead by example.  I am a better leader today than before beginning on this journey.  Not because I know more but because I have become more.  As Whetten & Cameron (2011) clearly articulated, “People with high core self-evaluation scores have also been found to have higher levels of life satisfaction and personal happiness and lower levels of personal stress” (p. 81).

One of my favorite leadership books is The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes & Posner.  They (2007) said, “Leaders must keep hope alive, even in the most difficult of times.  Without hope there can be no courage—and this is not the time or place for the timid.  This is the time and place for optimism, imagination, and enthusiasm” (p. 349).   The five core aspects of self-awareness continue to refine my ability to lead with courage.  There is no better time in history to be a leader than today.  And rather than pursuing the masses and standing on stage to lead thousands, it is just as important and effective to lead one at a time.  One person can make a difference.  And, the beautiful thing about that strategy is everyone knows at least one person.

Steve

References

Deutschman, A. (2007). Change or die. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Gini, A., & Green, R.M. (2013). 10 virtues of outstanding leaders. Malden, MA: John

Wiley & Sons.

Goleman, D. (1994). Emotional intelligence. New York, NY: Bantam Dell.

Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2007). The leadership challenge. San Francisco, CA: John

Wiley & Sons.

MacDonald, G. (2011). Building below the waterline. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson

Publishers Marketing.

Whetten, D.A., & Cameron, K.S. (2011). Developing management skills. Upper Saddle

            River, NJ: Pearson.

Woodford, C. (2013). Motion. Retrieved from

http://www.explainthatstuff.com/motion.html

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Self-Awareness: The Road to Life Improvement

I want to be a better man.  One of my key motivations is to strengthen my role as husband, father, friend, and employee.  And, the moment I stop pursuing higher awareness and deeper character is when I am headed for trouble.  From Ken Lay to Eliot Spitzer and Ted Haggard to Eddie Long, none of these gentlemen (and scores like them) ever woke up one morning and thought, “Today, I am going to make illegal financial transactions,” or, Today I hope to embarrass my family and constituents, or “Today I am going to throw away my ministry and hurt my family.” And yet, it happens more than we would care to count.  “I’m sorry,” “I didn’t know what I was thinking” and “I am ashamed of my actions” litter the media headlines as leader after leader falls prey to hubris and power.

In Die Empty, Todd Henry (2013) said, “Knowing yourself will help you counter self-delusion and pursue the unique contribution you are alone are capable of making” (p. 106).  I lead a men’s group that meets the second and fourth Saturday of every month.  What started as a handful of men in my living room has grown to a roster of nearly 50 men.  Last Saturday, I spoke on our propensity to settle for a mediocre life.  Henry said mediocrity is “a negotiation between the drive to excel and the biological urge to settle for the most comfortable option” (p. 36).  Before you know where you want to go, you first must know where you are.  This recent self-awareness assignment is perfectly designed to lead individuals on a journey to a place many choose to ignore.  The inner self. 

            The following five questions are a summary of my journey (test results were added at the end of my blog):

What do you notice in your results?

            I recently took the MBTI and a Management Assessment Profile (MA) through NextSteps Research.  The diagnostic survey from the Whetten & Cameron textbook confirmed the findings from the MA.  Identified by the MA as a “highly confident, highly extraverted and tactical leader” is displayed in the Self-Assessment as well.  

            Whetten & Cameron (2011) said, “Management skills are developable. Performance can improve” (p. 11).  As I stated earlier, self-improvement is a core goal of mine.  The results of this self-assessment identified my strengths and the areas where I may be inclined to choose another path than the best way forward.  While my highest score was found in the self-assessment test (top quartile), three of the other tests all scored me within the “third quartile.”  Obviously, this means I answered the questions as truthfully as possible because there is a commonality through the entire test.

How much of this rang true for you?

            As stated above, I took the MBTI recently and was astonished at its accuracy.  My family was so amazed that they all took it after dinner.  The self-assessment was much more detailed and specific than the generalized MBTI.  However, it certainly pinpointed certain inclinations of mine. 

What did you see that you were expecting in the results?

            The high self-awareness and the high core self-evaluation scale were two areas that I scored what I would have previously considered.  However, in reference to the men’s group discussed earlier, I often tell them men, “Be careful with deceit.  We are often to believe we are much more advanced in relationships, our marriage, and our character than may be true.”  While this test confirmed much of what I believed about my leadership, it also highlighted areas that I was unaware.

What were the surprises?

            For starters, the extremely low locus of control score.  My score of 2 identified a significantly low external locus of control; which means, I am a strong internal.  Whetten & Cameron (2011) said, “people with an internal locus of control are more likely to (1) be attentive to aspects of the environment that provide information for the future, (2) engage in actions to improve their environment, (3) place greater emphasis on striving for achievement, (4) be more inclined to develop their own skills, (5) ask more questions, and (6) remember more information that people with an external locus of control” (p. 78).

           Being an internal was not surprising as I regularly tell people they can make decisions today that completely alter their life.  They can choose to be different.  However, scoring so highly as an internal was slightly surprising.

How will you make use of this information?

            The goal of our course, Management Skills for Leaders is to “develop a foundation of management skills for emerging leaders.”  This self-assessment diagnostic is a great tool of enlightenment.  Like Whetten & Cameron (2011) said, “By knowing your scores, you will be able to choose situations in which you are more likely to feel comfortable, perform effectively, and understand the point of view of those whose perspectives are different from yours.” And then, most importantly, they said, “Self-understanding is a prerequisite to self-improvement and change” (p. 79).

            This is my tenth class within the ERAU Leadership curriculum (MSLD).  I have another MBA (2004) from a credible online institution.  This curriculum has been one of the most pleasant experiences of my adult life.  I told a friend the other day, “The textbook for this class is like reading a book that I would have bought myself.”  With only two classes left after this one, it is imperative that I continue to shed light on the things that I do well and those that I am more challenged with.  The information gleaned from this diagnostic will lead me to succeeding in my opening statement.

Leaders look inside before they ever look outside.

Steve

Results from pre-test:
1.     Self-awareness – 56 (top quartile)
2.     EQ – 65 (3^rd quartile)
3.     Defining Issues (stage of moral development)
4.     Cognitive Style Indicator
      a.     Knowing – 3.0 (m = 4.06)
      b.     Planning – 3.78 (m = 3.81)
      c.     Creating – 3.42 (m = 4.16)
5.     Locus of Control Scale – 2 (low external locus of control)
6.     Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale – 60 (3^rd quartile)
7.     Core Self-Evaluation Scale – 4.1 (3^rd quartile)
 

References:

Henry, T. (2013). Die empty. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Whetten, D.A., & Cameron, K.S. (2011). Developing Management Skills. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.