This past week every single CEO in my Executive Coaching 121s started the conversation with the words "I'm on overload." This is not new for sure but it jumped out at me. Maybe, it was the universality, consistency or just the use of the same words. Could it be that they were merely reflecting back my own condition?
Let's face it nobody is going around saying "I'm not busy" or "I just have too much time on my hands." Well, you get the point. On a segment on last Friday's CEO Hour Radio Show I explored some basic tools about how to handle "overload." I talked briefly about the importance of clarity of purpose, focus, priorities, and creating space.
The work of Steven Covey (Seven Habits), David Allen (Getting Things Done) and others provide some nice "tools." Exercise, Meditation, and Personal Retreats also come to mind.
My personal favorite I mentioned in a prior blog post is keeping track or score of "Promises Made Promise Kept."
Please take a few minutes from your personal "Overload" to listen in to the podcast. And would you contribute your answers to the following questions:
1. What do you do to avoid getting into "overload"?
2. What do you do to get out of "overload" when you are in?
We will explore further on our next show.
Let's face it nobody is going around saying "I'm not busy" or "I just have too much time on my hands." Well, you get the point. On a segment on last Friday's CEO Hour Radio Show I explored some basic tools about how to handle "overload." I talked briefly about the importance of clarity of purpose, focus, priorities, and creating space.
The work of Steven Covey (Seven Habits), David Allen (Getting Things Done) and others provide some nice "tools." Exercise, Meditation, and Personal Retreats also come to mind.
My personal favorite I mentioned in a prior blog post is keeping track or score of "Promises Made Promise Kept."
Please take a few minutes from your personal "Overload" to listen in to the podcast. And would you contribute your answers to the following questions:
1. What do you do to avoid getting into "overload"?
2. What do you do to get out of "overload" when you are in?
We will explore further on our next show.
I used to find myself with much more on the to-do list, then on the is-done list. Lots of reasons; I didn’t like to say 'no' when someone has a need; I enjoyed challenges; My work required my personal attention (or so I though); My aging family needed my help; and more. It is somewhat better but takes constant attention. Some tips that have helped, both big ones and small ones are:
- Only answer the phone when it is convenient. Hey... no one calls when they are late to a meeting or have an appointment. They call when it is convenient for them. It's okay to answer only when it is convenient for you.
- Prioritize what is urgent and critical to be done for that day and do ONLY those first. Get out of the habit of doing something because it will 'only take a minute'.
- Delegate, delegate, delegate. Don’t overload your staff, but be sure they are challenged. And remember.... you only care that you get from A to D. Don’t get caught up as to the order in between... only worry if they get to H by way of M. We are not as indispensable as we sometimes think.
- Practice learning to 'say no, without guilt, to preserve your happiness and your sanity'. If you asked someone to do something and they were unable do so due being in overload, you would likely be fine with that. Extend yourself the same courtesy.
Oh. One more tip. Read the old, but still valuable book The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey by Ken Blanchard. And it's short. Buy a few for your staff as well.
Posted by: Janet Nelson | June 27, 2010 at 04:31 PM
Although I am an admitted "Serial Entrepreneur” with a penchant toward using ADHD as a normal mode of operating I have found that my "overloaded moments" are mainly self inflicted. By trying to maintain a high standard of achievement with equally high levels of contact spanning multiple issues I tend to feel as if I have offered a disservice to them all. The most effective resolution I have found is to prioritize the top 5 issues I am facing and delegate the rest to trusted associates. In all likelihood you are not the only one who can deal effectively with any given issue yet at times we all feel obligated as the "responsible party" to do so. By passing along other important but possibly lower priority issues to a trusted associate you will be instilling confidence, fostering a sense of trust and allowing others around you an opportunity to shine and attain a level of their own accomplishment.
Posted by: R. John Gaudu | June 07, 2010 at 08:34 AM
Let us know how it works out. Remember that it takes time to change habits and implement new ones.
On today's radio show we talked again about the need for clarity of purpose and roles.
Another tool in the leadership(yourself and others) is a "Personal Retreat". We'll blog
on this later this week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: Bruce Peters | June 04, 2010 at 11:50 AM
I am guilty of believing I am in constant overload (or chronic overload) however you want to look at it. I am just starting to read Verne Harnish's book, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits. Establishing a planning context for my top 5 and top 1 of 5 is the rule he espouses. I am going to test his theories and will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the recommendation Bruce!
Posted by: Mary Coombs | June 04, 2010 at 08:38 AM