Leadership Fire: How to Get Extraordinary Things Done Consistently…and Manage your Competing Priorities Developed and Prepared for: 2014 Northwest Clerks Institute –PD III Developed and Facilitated by: Jan Dwyer Bang, MBA, CSP

Overload Activity overload Change overload Choice overload Commitment overload Competition overload Debt overload Decision overload Information overload Expectation overload Fatigue overload People overload Technology overload Problem overload Work overload From Margin, Richard A. Swenson, M.D

What is your Biggest Time Barrier?

The Golden Circle Adapted from the book, Start with Why, Simon Sinek Why How What

Leadership – is what we do, not what position we hold. Leading is influencing others.

Leadership Self Assessment

Myths of Time/Life Management  Time can be managed.  More and faster is better.  People and circumstances can make us act in certain ways.

Life Management Principles  Time must be budgeted.  Your ability to make decisions on your use of time should be based on your life mission, goals, and responsibilities.  You need to understand your own limits.

Life Management Principles  You can seize time when you schedule it far in advance.  The ability to apply assertive communication and say “no” is critical to managing your schedule and your life.  You must know your own natural rhythms of maximum effectiveness.

Barriers  Paper  Priorities  People  Other

Leadership Fire Goals Planning Systems/Processes Accountability Follow-through

Laser Focused Goals Why do I want this goal? What will the goal look like when it is completed? How will I feel like when the goal is completed?

M=Measurable T= Time Bound GOALS

By October 28, my quarterly ezine and 20 Blog postings will be completed for editing and posting. SAMPLE GOALS

By writing on a continuous basis, my credibility will be enhanced, my message will become deeper, and more people will see me as an expert in the field of service, leadership, and human effectiveness. WHY?

Effectiveness vs. Efficiency

Effectiveness – Doing the things that get you closer to your goals. Efficiency – Performing a given task (whether important or not) in the most economic manner possible.

“Doing something unimportant well does not make it important. Requiring a lot of time does not make a task important…” -Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Work Week

Business Career Mental/Learning Physical Goals

Spiritual Emotional Relational Financial Goals

ACTION STEP On your index card or sticky note, write one MT goal that aligns with your WHY.

Plan Weekly Review your “why” Schedule your “big rocks” Schedule the week From First Things First, Dr. Stephen Covey

Weekly Review (David Allen) 1.Loose papers 2.Process your notes 3.Previous calendar data 4.Upcoming calendar 5.Empty your head 6.Review projects Lists 7.Review next actions lists 8.Review waiting for lists 9.Review someday/maybe lists 10.Review pending files

Plan Daily Check today’s appointments Make a realistic list Prioritize From First Things First, Dr. Stephen Covey

How to Prioritize Is this a High Value Activity? What am I doing this morning to reach my goal(s)? What am I doing this afternoon to reach my goal(s)?

Planning (By David Allen) 1.Define purpose and principles 2.Outcome visioning 3.Brainstorming 4.Organizing 5.Identifying next actions

ACTION STEP On your Index card or sticky note, choose one project that is new or stuck. Begin the planning process by thinking of your purpose. Think of what a successful outcome would be. Brainstorm potential steps. Decide on your next action. -David Allen, Getting Things Done

Systems

Accounting System Customer Follow up System Management Team Training System Organizing System

Systems Create a series of activities that you do on a daily/weekly basis Set up benchmarks that will help you reach your goals Tickler files (43 folders- 31 daily (1-31); and 12 more labeled with the months) Daily calendar/Daily tickler folder Action lists

ACTION STEP On your index card or sticky note, write down one system that you would like to implement in your business or job. Note: David Allen (Getting Things Done) is an excellent book for ideas on systems

Accountability: Actions toward or involving others that reflect the integrity of the person you want to be.

Follow-Through Just do it! Start now Set a timer Recognize your own barriers

ACTION STEP Write the name of one person that you are considering forming an accountability system with. (Or people you are considering to form a master mind group).

Follow through To press on in an activity or process; especially to a conclusion

Ideas for Just Doing it! 1.Kitchen timer 2.Delayed gratification 3.Be accountable to someone else 4.Use technology for reminders

Action Step Write down one step that you can take to follow through.

Action Steps

Where to Begin “If we want to make significant changes, we can’t just change attitudes, behaviors, methods, or techniques; we have to change the basic paradigms out of which they grow.” -Stephen R. Covey, First Things First

Purpose – Passion - Mission “Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.” – Reggie Leach Write a mission statement by asking yourself: –What’s most important? –What gives your life meaning? –What do you want to be and to do in your life? First Things First, Stephen Covey

“Whether the value is family, teamwork, hard work, or fun, the truest measure of what leaders deeply believe is how they spend their time.” -The Leadership Challenge, Kouzes & Posner

Quadrant 2 Living CrisisPreparation/True Recreation Interruptions?Trivia, busywork URGENTNOT URGENT IMPORTANT NOT IMPORTANT

Twelve Dimensions of Life/Self Management 1.Attitudes – Are you an internal or external thinker? 2.Goals – Top time masters develop clear goals and then focus on the activities that will achieve them. 3.Priorities – After setting your goals, then you determine what activities must be done to help you reach the goal. (Important vs. urgent) 4.Analyzing – No one can really master their time use until they know how they spend their time now. 5.Planning – Planning is the only way to break out of the reactive pattern. It is deciding what to do. 6.Scheduling – Is deciding when to do what you have decided to do.

Twelve Dimensions of Life/Self Management 7.Interruptions – Interruptions are a part of your job – accept the uncontrollable and control the controllable. 8.Meetings – Eliminate wasted time in meetings! 9.Written Communications – Learn to trim unnecessary parts and concentrate only on those things that help us achieve results. 10.Delegation – Horizontal and vertical 11.Procrastination – This is doing a low-priority action or task instead of high-priority ones. Things that are unpleasant/things that are difficult/things that involve tough decisions. (SELF-SABOTAGE) 12.Team Time – What’s the best use of OUR time? Respect and help others.

Action Steps