Colleagues,
MVP: Take advantage of people in your life with whom you can reflect. Following up on yesterday, here are two time-blocking examples from my own experience. Back in the early 2000’s I was the special education coordinator for the Putnam County Educational Service Center. I had the great privilege of working for Superintendent Dr. Jan Osborn. So much of who I am today is a result of Jan’s patient but insistent mentoring, teaching, and friendship. On many occasions I would meet with Jan late on Friday afternoon, after most others had left. He helped me unpack and learn from my week, but I was also a safe person for him to reflect with. We both grew from those times and I only wish that I had been better at making them a weekly pattern. Now, much of my work occurs in isolation. I begin each morning by reflecting in my morning pages. Mara and I also have a weekly call on Mondays and that facilitates the reflection process. Note that both these examples are imperfect and give yourself permission to be human. Happy coincidence - today is Friday! It is a perfect day for reflection. If you are finding this series of emails valuable, please consider letting me know what actions you have taken and/or what you have learned about yourself. Click here to reply. Cheers! Frederick
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Colleagues,
MVP: Without reflection, growth is a coincidence. Strategy 2: Block time for reflection Keys to reflection:
Ideally:
Alternate method:
Many readers begin their day with a cup of coffee and this email. It shouldn’t be your only growth strategy, but it is a minimally viable process (MVP). Take Action Now: Find a regular time to reflect. Block it off as a recurring event in your calendar. Start with a 15 to 30-minute block. Optional: schedule that time with a partner. Cheers! Frederick Colleagues, MVP: Urgency can be a feeling, so it exists even without a deadline. Strategy 1: Focus on Quadrant 2 (continued) One of the challenges in moving from a focus on quadrant 3 to quadrant 2 is there is not always a clear difference between quadrants 1 and 3. Often, it is a matter of degrees. Compounding that, sometimes urgency is more about how you feel than an actual deadline. When you are feeling anxious and frantic, that’s a good indication you are spending time in quadrant 3. We can also think of the overlapping of quadrants as addressing different functions (see diagram). Cheers!
Frederick Colleagues, MVP: Quadrant 2 is where we invest time to grow people. Strategy 1: Focus on Quadrant 2 The Eisenhower Matrix is based off a quote by the then president in 1954. The matrix has been popularized by Stephen Covey in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The matrix consists of four quadrants formed by the intersections of urgent/not urgent and important/not important: Urgent leaders spend most of their time in quadrants 1 and 3. However, most strategic work takes place in quadrant two. Strategic leaders consistently invest in quadrant 2 activity.
Notice the verbs – we spend time in quadrant 3, but we invest time in quadrant 2. This is because quadrant 2 activities lead to lasting improvements that pay back dividends over time. Take Action Now: Print this email, cut out the matrix, and put it in a prominent space. Check it multiple times each day and ask, “Have I invested in Quadrant 2 today?” Cheers! Frederick Colleagues,
MVP: If you improved your leadership by 10%, how would that impact your organization? Mara, who does so much work behind the scenes here at Strategic Leadership Consulting, turns 25 today! You can email her a birthday wish at this address: mara@frederickbuskey.com Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were restful and rich in family, friends, love, and laughter. If you don’t grow as a leader, is it reasonable to think your organization will grow stronger? What if you could improve your leadership by 10%? What if a 10% improvement in your own leadership translated into…
Over the next two weeks, we will look at five strategies for continually improving your leadership. The strategies can be used independent of each other, but we will also consider how to tie them together. If you think this year is going to be as crazy as last, just pick a couple of the strategies that work for you. If you are determined to invest time into your own development this year, then consider embracing the strategies in a more systematic way. Either way, this should be fun! Cheers! Frederick |
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