Week 21.42 Say Yes To Less
Last Tuesday was an amazingly productive day for me. I was going from ZOOM call to ZOOM call, fully committed to each meeting, quickly checking email in between, never even thinking of multitasking. I was focused and determined, in the zone. It was so much more efficient than the pre-pandemic days when I had to commute to work, or lunch, or meetings. Then it hit me, I was not efficient, I was overcommitted. For almost 8 hours, I had forgotten to stand up! I quickly assessed my situation and came up with three quick fixes to rebalance what was quickly getting out of control.
Stand up and walk around at least every hour, even better every half hour. I don't know why I find this so hard, but when I am looking at a screen, I find it hard to even think about moving. At the movies, this used to be a good thing. Binge-watching television, not so much. But where it is really getting me is work when I can stay connected without even stopping for lunch. I am working on solutions but it is tough. I try alarms and timers... they seem to interrupt me at the wrong time. I am trying to build time in between calls, but the calls seem to run long without the hard stop of another call. I know I have to do something - if you have suggestions, please help me!
Create safe spaces. It is hard enough to take a break from work without the sirens' call pulling me back again. To the best of my ability, I create safe spaces for each task. I work at my desk. Read in the chair. Eat at the table. By moving into another space, I am supporting my first goal of moving more. By changing my environment, I shake up my thinking, give my eyes a rest from the screen, give my brain a rest from thinking in two dimensions. I am going to try to schedule these trips to other spaces into my day so I force a little activity and move some muscles other than my brain and fingers. If I am brave I will take a walk. If I am really brave it will be without my cell phone. (just kidding, I don't think I'm ready for that.
Say yes to less. It is so easy to squeeze in another call between two calls. It's even easier to work on five projects or have five priorities. Steve Jobs famously said focus is about saying no to the hundreds of good ideas... 1,000 things. I see that problem all around me and within me. It is so easy to think that we can juggle many projects, and pursue many ideas. They are all great; we believe in them all; they all make us happy. But we can't do them all well, not at the same time. I need to pick what the most important idea is, what I need to move that idea forward, and how I can make progress today. Pick the destination. Map the course. Walk the path.
I still remember when walking around was a normal part of my day when I would eat at my desk and I thought anything was possible. The new efficiency of working remotely has revealed to me how wrong this was. I am committed to free-range eggs and have been working like a caged chicken. Less is more... more time, more health, more balance. I am going to experiment with my new protocol: stand every 30 minutes, move into safe spaces and say yes to less.
Week 46 of 52 Weeks of Giving: Soles4Souls
One of the tangible ways I am going to say yes to less is finally getting rid of old shoes and clothing. I've been meaning to do this for years, and with my commitment to saying yes 2 less, it's a good time to get it done. Let's face it, we don't wear old sneakers and shoes after we buy new ones. If we can avoid sending them to the landfill, and perhaps get them to someone who can use them, that would be ideal! A great way to provide relief for those in need is through donations. Soles4Souls and Zappos for Good want to make it easy for you to donate your new and lightly used shoes and clothing to support those that may have been affected by this health and economic crisis. Put them in any box, print out the label, and they ship for free by UPS. Soles4Souls x Zappos for Good | Zappos.com
From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn launches this week!
The book gives founders and CEOs of a great start-up, the knowledge, and experience that executive coach Alisa Cohn has gained from helping companies such as Etsy, Foursquare, InVision, and The Wirecutter become headline names. Growth of your company begins with growth within you. The book provides you with effective and practical ways of maximizing your strengths, defusing your triggers, controlling your self-doubt, and building on your motivators. With these self-management tools, you can then turn your attention to managing your team by ensuring the flow of communication and finding the joy of delegation and the soul in meetings. Finally, you gain practical tools for managing the company and ensuring the overall effectiveness of your team and strategy, using specific scripts you need to have delicate or difficult conversations. Amazon.com: From Start-Up to Grown-Up: Grow Your Leadership to Grow Your Business eBook : Cohn, Alisa: Kindle Store
The Chief Executive Podcast: Mark Thompson with Alan Mulally
In this week's episode, Mark Thompson is joined by an incredible leader, Alan Mulally, former CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Ford Motor Company, and named No. 3 on Fortune’s “World’s Greatest Leaders” list. As a globally recognized top CEO, Alan's humility, compassion, and excellent leadership are evident in the way he talks about growing his companies and enriching the lives of his team and employees. Learn more about Alan's Working Together principles and the secrets to how he made huge turnarounds, pivoted strategies, and led his companies to success, all while helping his company culture thrive. The Chief Executive Podcast: Alan Mulally | Boeing & Ford on Apple Podcasts
5 Reasons Not to Quit Your Job (Yet) by Amii Batnard- Bahn
Whether you call it “The Great WorkQuake,” The Great Resignation,” or “The Great Reset,” up to 41% of employees are thinking about changing careers right now. There are a lot of reasons for them to consider leaving. A strong labor market is pushing up wages and benefits, and companies are offering additional perks to attract new talent. But before drafting your resignation letter, take a hard look at whether quitting is the best way to achieve your long-term career goals. Mass departures and a reshuffling of the organizational chart mean unprecedented levels of opportunity for employees at all levels. To decide whether staying at your current company might be the better decision for you, here are five key factors to consider 5 Reasons Not to Quit Your Job (Yet) (hbr.org)
Darcy Verhun spoke to John Baldoni...
...about themes of the new book he edited--Freedom of Constraints: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities. The book contains contributions from more than 25 members of 100 Coaches. Darcy also spoke about what it takes to lead a growing organization in times of crisis.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Alisa Cohn Oct 20
And, as always, thank you, Marshall, for making all of this possible.
With love and gratitude
Scott