Todd Ordal //March 19, 2014//
A cynic says time is short. I don’t buy that. It is, however, predictable and constant.
Perhaps when you were younger, you worked somewhere where you just “put in your eight hours.” You were likely not engaged and frankly not providing much value to the organization. Hopefully that phase of your work life didn’t last long. Eight hours of nonengaging work that provides little value can feel like an eternity.
If you found some spark internally or discovered an organization with a vision that fully engaged you, you might have risen through the ranks and became a senior level person. I’ve yet to meet a senior executive or business owner who just puts in his or her eight hours. At that level, the question should be, “How much value can I add in the shortest amount of time?” (Frankly, in a well-run organization, that’s the question people at all levels should ask!) That question means you must become doggedly focused on the right activities and on using time as effectively as possible.
Here’s a list of behaviors I’ve observed in the most successful executives I’ve encountered in my many years as an executive, consultant and coach:
Your time is the greatest asset you have as an executive. You’d never purchase a large asset in your business and let it run at half capacity, would you? If you employ the practices outlined above, you’ll be way ahead of the pack!