The Message of LeadershipSýnishorn

LIVING FULLY ALIVE

"Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focused effort."
-Paul Meyer

A wise man once pointed out to me that the most active animal in the barnyard is a chicken that has just had its head cut off. Merely generating a lot of activity is not necessarily a sign of life. From time to time I have been confused on this point, and I let others dictate to me how I should conduct myself. They made me believe that if I was not very busy, I was not capable of being productive. What is true success? How do we get it? How do we maintain it?

Let’s start by coming up with a new model for success that does not necessarily equate activity with productivity. While it is true that you will never accomplish anything without doing something, it is also true that too much busyness can actually blur our ability to think strategically and use your resources to their greatest advantage.

Learn how to say “NO.” Be thoughtful about the tasks you undertake and use your skills and gifts effectively to accomplish what only you may be able to do while letting others do what they can do. Leadership sometimes means slowing down and being strategic in activity.

I have often had responsibility for running large events. The first thing I try to do is assess my resources and determine how to leverage them to the greatest advantage. Time is often your most limited resource. Look at the time available to accomplish the task. Decide how to best use your effort in the available time and work backward from the deadlines to the present situation. Stop and think so you can think of stopping.

If you want to build something that has a real life of its own, focus on your true objective and breathe life into your effort through strategic planning.

Essential Insight 21: Mere activity is not necessarily a sign of life.