Grawe Gazette Executive Leadership – New Year, New You

The Grawe Gazette – Executive Leadership

New Year, New You 
By Gary Randall, The Grawe Group, LLC, December 2020 

It is that time of year again, December 31st is looming on the horizon.  A time for reflection.  A time to take inventory of our professional shortcomings after one of the most challenging years in recent memory.  A time to erase, and never repeat, those shortcomings with one swift action – the annual New Year’s Resolution. 

We all do it. 

Most of the time we fail. 

We fail because too often we treat our resolution as a thought not an activity.  Work activities are scheduled events.     

Our work schedule coordinates our activities.  It can fluctuate from hour to hour, day to day, week to week, and month to month.  We spend most of our time on activities that fit into one of two categories.  NICE TO DO and NEED TO DO.  It takes discipline to tend to our NEED TO DO activities first.  Although they have the greatest impact on our results, they might not be as much “fun” as our NICE TO DO activities are.  We stray from them and our shortcomings continue, our resolutions fail.      

Our work schedule should include time assigned for a START OF DAY – MIDDAY – END OF DAY period. 

What are the activities that you need to start your day with?… check progress on by midday?… and need to be finished before the day can conclude?  

They are the fundamentals of your job.  They make–up your NEED TO DO’s.  Consistent attention on your schedule to these fundamental activities will lead to improved results.  

Sounds too simple, right?  Don’t underestimate the benefits that a disciplined schedule can provide.  Taking the same approach to your week, month, and quarter can lead to sustainable success in your key metrics and in your big projects.  Sustainable success is the opposite of another failed New Year’s resolution. 

Good Luck. 

Happy New Year! – Happy New You!