Coming back after a festive
break, the year ahead may appear to be a long and windy one. There may be a
sense that there is a lot of time at your hands as people settle back to their
daily routines, rusty after the break. There could potentially be an ‘abundance
mentality’ when it comes to time. Deadlines seem far away, meetings are a bit
more relaxed and people are still catching up with what they were upto during
the break over coffees and lunch. But we also know that this is a very tiny
window in what would normally be a busy work life for us and the lull is not
going to last. Before that window closes down, it may be an opportunity to
pause and think of how you may want to organise the year ahead of you.
This is what I am thinking and
thought some of it may be relevant for the readers as well :
1.
Sharpen
the saw : This is a term that I have borrowed from one of Stephen
Covey’s books on leadership. He gives the example of a carpenter who ‘sharpens
the saw’ each day before he starts working on his orders, however busy he may
be, for he knows that the few minutes he devotes to doing so is an investment
to produce good quality stuff. For each one of us, sharpening the saw may mean
different things depending upon where we are in our careers and what we
identify as our learning and development needs, but it is worth thinking about
it for a few minutes at least every week and earlier on in the year, so that we
can plan out on achieving those. It could be the reading, the training, the
seminar, a change of career, a different role or indeed doing something new,
different and stretching.
2.
Set
your priorities : Many of us set objectives at some point
during the year, but I would recommend this one step before we do that. Think
of the question : What are the 2-3 things you would prioritise that you would
like to achieve or contribute to during the course of the year. This requires
some stepping back and would be around broader ‘goals’ on organisational
culture, leadership, profile rather than some very specific or tangible
objectives. If the priorities are clear, the objectives help in ensuring that
you progress towards delivering on your priorities.
3.
Control
your time : I believe that if we do not control our time, someone
else will, and that would be at the risk of not achieving what you would like
or are expected to achieve. There will always be demands on your time from
various quarters and you may feel the need to respond to those. Some of that is
inevitable, some of that is required, but you need to make sure that there is
enough time for what you are expected to deliver as that is your primary
accountability. This also extends to work-life balance so that you have enough
time for yourself. A colleague once told me, “Plan for only 80% of the time, as
there will always be something unpredictable coming your way”.
4.
Seek
feedback: Giving and receiving feedback is not easy for many
people. And receiving feedback which is challenging can be extremely difficult
and it requires lot of courage to be able to accept that and work on it. Not
all feedback will be objective or evidence based as many could be just
perceptions. One of my ex-trustees once said, “Even if it a perception, take it
seriously as it means someone believes it and before you realise, that may well
be the truth” ! It is quite normal to have periods of self-doubt as I have
often experienced. “Am I doing my job well ? Am I doing the right thing ? Am I
making a contribution ? Is there any impact of what I am doing ?” These are all
valid questions. Seeking feedback especially from those who know about your
work well, within and outside the organisation, can help with answering some of
those questions as they see you in a manner which is very different to how you
see yourself.
5.
Create
space for reflection : In a busy world, this can be very difficult.
I don’t think there is a set pattern for this. But many colleagues find
reflective spaces in away days, which may be once or twice a year. Others find
coaching or trainings very effective. Some find reading and writing a
reflective process. Some teams are good at creating spaces during each business
meeting, say, on a monthly basis. What works would be an individual or a team
preference, but the key is to create the space deliberately and use the space
creatively.
So, here is to a great 2019. A
final thought – if there is one thing that the experiences of the past couple
of years has taught us, be it around Brexit, regulations, trust in charities or
safeguarding, it is to expect the unexpected. As someone said, ‘Plan for the
worst and hope for the best’ !
(Originally published in the Third Sector, January 2019)
