Sometimes, in the wake of defeat, an athlete will say they didn’t really lose the game… they just ran out of time.
How do you run out of time? Time is non-negotiable, a second now is precisely the length of a second tomorrow and the day after and the day after…
The terms of the sporting event didn’t change. Whatever the scoreboard showed after 60 minutes of game time in hockey or 48 minutes in basketball… that’s the only number that matters.
There is only one category of people who run out of time: dead people… yet they are the one cohort not complaining about it.
When leaders bring up the topic of time, it’s usually to express frustration that they don’t have enough of it and yet when we dig deeper, getting more of it (even if that were actually possible) doesn’t address the root cause of their time frustrations.
The real asset is attention. Time goes where attention goes.
If you find time to be a stressor (and who doesn’t) ask these five questions:
- When I planned my week, was I clear in my own mind (and heart) about what deserved my attention (and therefore my time)?
- Did I follow though and direct my attention to those tasks that deserve my attention?
- How did I respond in those moments when my attention was distracted, and my focus disrupted?
- If I redirected my attention to something unplanned, was it a conscious choice to do so?
- How can I use these observations to better my performance next week?
Remember time is not a variable. Attention is that variable.
Along with attention, I believe that energy management is critical for accomplishing projects and tasks within or regardless of a set timeframe. Time management is a myth.
Hi Patricia – I wholeheartedly agree and also believe that attention and energy are related. When energy wanes, attention is more likely to get hijacked.
Hi Liza – In addition I believe that authority and accountability is/are given to the team member/s so that the task is completed efficiently and timely.
Hi Jerry – Thanks for commenting. Yes, I agree. Authority must go along with accountability. Without the authority to make decisions one would be hard pressed to deliver on accountabilities, no matter how much time one had.