Five years ago, a friend asked me what time it was just before he noticed a clock on the wall behind me. I said, “It’s 3pm.” Jeff asked, “Are you sure? The clock behind you says 2:55.” I replied, “I set my watch five minutes fast to ensure I’m on time.” Jeff said, “That’s weird Preston. Why don’t you just set your watch to the correct time and simply show up when you’re supposed to?”
That day, nothing made quite as much sense as his comment.
I going to offer you three invitations:
- Consider “time management” is an oxymoron
- We don’t understand the real challenges we have with time
- Using just three leadership tools will change your relationship with time
Invitation #1 – Time Management is an oxymoron. Management is the oversight of already established processes and making sure the moving parts follow those processes. This is useful in running the operations of a business. But in regard to time, not so much. In other words, if you’re already on the Titanic (i.e. your current relationship with time), does it really matter how efficiently you operate the boat?
What is it about our relationship to time? We have thousands of books on the “best” strategies and tactics that will allow us to get more done in less time.
So why is it that we still show up late? Why is it that we continue to break our agreements to start and end meetings and presentations on time?
When I Google the term “time management strategies”, I get 21 million results. Here’s a list I found from one of the recent search results:
- Don’t waste time
- Carry a notebook
- Keep a calendar
- Work everywhere and anywhere
- Break all tasks into small bits
- Learn to say “no”
Like so many of the well-intentioned suggestions, the first five are 100% useless. The only one that holds any merit is number 6: “learn to say ‘no’.”
Invitation #2 – With so many potential solutions that fail to produce results, what’s the real challenge? Although there are many, the following three seem to be the most common:
- We make up a story that time is the thing to be fixed. In other words, we put the responsibility of remedying our whacky relationship to time on a particular strategy or tactic; on something outside of ourselves. In doing this, we effectively wash our hands of our responsibility to change our behavior. If you show up late to a meeting, it’s much easier to blame your Crackberry than admit you overbooked yourself.
- We consistently and reliably measure our self-worth and value by how much we do. Most organizations uphold a culture I call “Let’s reward them for physical labor.” It’s as if the one who trades the most amount of time for his paycheck, wins. How often have you heard someone lament about how busy he is? Give me a break; nothing of value comes from agonizing and complaining.
- We make the tragic mistake of asking “how to” rather than “why?” When we ask “how to”, it’s as if we’ve been walking blindfolded and then find our hand has fallen off the shoulder of the person in front of us. “How to” insists we find a solution to a problem which automatically puts us in a defensive or reactive stance. On the other hand, asking “why” has us define where we are in relationship to our commitment. It invites us to clarify our intention and purpose. Asking “how to” is a default question of a follower. Asking “why” is a default question of a leader.
Invitation #3 – Three Leadership tools to use regarding time:
- Give up the crippling story that keeps you small and scared; the story called “I need to get an ‘A’ in order to succeed” (I need to be perfect). This is the story you’ve been taught by Mom & Dad and by twelve or more years of school. This is the story called “you must follow the instructions in order to succeed”. Why is this a losing story? You’ve learned to value your worth by following an instruction manual. Rather go be a creative artist who follows his or her passion and commitment.
- Have the courage to say “yes” or “no” – then stick with your choice. It’s like the story of the father, the son and the donkey walking through a village. They keep switching positions based on feedback from the villagers. Eventually, the donkey slips out of father’s hands while on the bridge and drowns. They avoided sticking with their choice. The moral of story = if you fail to choose and stick with your choice, you’ll lose your #%&.
- Use a Top Six Checklist and Plan Tomorrow Today. “To-do” lists are 100% useless. You may complete five tasks today, but you’ll add ten more as well – a prison sentence for sure. Instead, list the six most important things you want to accomplish tomorrow, and complete that list the day before. You will probably not get all six done, and tomorrow’s six will likely be different. Accomplishing all six isn’t the point. The power of this tool is that it invites you to identify what your six most important commitments are, then take action only on those. “To-Do” lists are for prisoners. A Top Six Checklist is for leaders. If you’d like a copy of my Top Six Checklist, please email me at preston@prestontrue.com and request a copy for me to send.
Please remember just this one thing: The real solutions I’ve outlined are NEVER based in content or subject matter. They are ALWAYS based in context, or the lens through which we see and interact with our world. Our job is to identify what our current lens is, then choose to change it or not.
Remember, trying to manage time is like rearranging the deck furniture on the Titanic… although it might look better it’s still going to sink.
Time Leadership is about changing boats.
Happy Boating,
- Coach Preston
