The Decision Between Important Vs Urgent

I am blessed with strong friends who remind me that we all can learn from our mistakes. Sort of like a 12-step program, I have recently tried to correct my leadership errors when possible. I’ve been going back and apologize to those I have led incorrectly, if I did something either intentional or unintentional to a fellow leader, I’ve tried to make it right, and I’m trying to improve how I move forward daily.

A very dear and respected colleague of mine, Lakesha Washington, shared an article with me she was given by a mentor and it was titled “Important Vs Urgent”. Obviously, this is the genesis thought of this blog and title. The author, Army Col Mark Blum, talks about how if he had to do some of his career over again, he would divide more of his daily life into important things to do versus urgent things that need to be done. The article was well done and it inspired me to think again about my life as a leader.

As you begin your day, which is started by working on a myriad of issues undone from the past day, or days or weeks, there are times I feel overwhelmed and underperforming. At the same time there are other requirements of life which are demanding my attention. A daughter needing a ride to work, balancing your finances, picking up some groceries, having a “life lesson” with a son for talking back to his mom, the yard work which needs done, devoting time to my wife, church, civic responsibilities, and professional organizations…all looking for your time and attention. Your life requirements could be different but you understand the attention these issues demand from you.

How do you determine what is important and what is urgent?

Then there is the unending demand on mine, and your time, from our jobs. Bosses with a never ending appetite for my time, followers needing attention, taskers which take two days to complete but your told you are lucky you get 2 hours to work on it (over your lunch time), bureaucratic processes which need fed, and organizations who build their strategic plans of “doing more with less.” I am finding it more difficult to accomplish my task list and every day it seems to grow. And EVERYTHING is top priority.

I have learned as I have progressed in leadership that many senior leaders cannot determine which of their taskers are of higher priority. In their minds, all of them are and as such, they provide little to no guidance on a priority in which to organize your work and those you lead. This dizzying spiral of “leaderlessness” creates a huge stress on work environments.

So how do you determine what is important and what is urgent?

I wish I can share with you 10 magical steps to make this all easy for you. There are some things you can do to help organize your day and work which will make it smoother. But the more philosophical question to you as a leader is when do you stop running on that train…today? The work, your boss, the organizational culture all will be there the next morning and the chaos will begin again.

One of the challenges is to determine what is important and what is urgent. We can pretty much tell the stuff required of us, put on our plates, and directed down to us is important. But is it all urgent. If you answer that it is all urgent, then you do have a challenge ahead of you for not everything given to you should be urgent. Shocker as that may come to some, the distinction is paramount. We all have important work, but making everything urgent will waste all your energy, and most times makes you more inefficient.

Leaders at times start this insidious creep of importance of their work or position. And everyone one wants a leaders input, direction, or decision. Leaders feel the need to make every decision in their organization, to take on everyone’s roles. Some do it because they enjoy the power or have the inaccurate belief they have to control every aspect. These leaders tend to burn out or run their staff into the ground. Neither is good for the leader, follower, or organization.

Maintaining a healthy balance between your work and home life is crucial for leaders who want to be around to be influential in their organization. Are you able to “finish” your day and go home? If not, what message are you sending to your followers? What message are you sending to those followers you are trying to recruit to your position? If you say, well this is how I got here this is how you should get here…then you really need some leadership development in mentoring, professional development, and personal responsibility.

You need to set limits on your work or it will set limits on what is “important” to you outside work life. Accomplishing today what is needed today is important. But so is making it home for dinner. Meeting deadlines is crucial to organizations success. So is making time to personally develop yourself and to take some down time. Balance is the key.

So, what are you doing to determine what is urgent and what is important? Here are a few things to do to get you on that track:

1. A good mentor: your mentor should have your trust to tell you when you are out of balance. They should be cleared hot to tell you when you are acting the tyrant versus the ideal leader. That can be a thin line. Do you have a good balance of work life and home life?
2. A good non work mentor: A spouse, a significant other, a pet…any of these are key to keeping you balanced. Ask them how you are at managing getting your work done and getting “home” to do other things.
3. A personal development plan: Take time to develop yourself outside work. Too many times leaders get caught up in work, and work, and work and don’t bother to grow in other areas or to develop other areas. You as the leader should be setting the example of stepping out and growing other areas of your life.
4. A hobby: And multi-tasking is not it. Find something outside work which you enjoy and just do it. Garden, bike, bake, photography, dancing, or reading to children, just find something. Just do it.

My friend Lakesha kept me grounded and kept me focus on doing my mission, but she also stressed taking care of myself as well. She would be the first to point out I was not going home on time or that I was taking on too much at work and not delegating enough. At times, she delegated for me. She inquired about my outside activities and encouraged our family times. She really did understand and advocate for what is urgent and what is important.

Now I am sharing her wisdom with you.

Leading with you.

Dean

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