by Gayle Lantz
“I need to take some time off during the holidays, but I’ll probably be in the office to get some real work done while things are quiet.”
I hear this often from clients during this time of year. If doing real work now, what kind of work have they been doing the rest of the year?
Isn’t it interesting that people tend to get in the way of work being done? Working with and through other people is required in any business, but you’ll experience more headaches than productivity when those relationships are dysfunctional.
The key to being more productive in your work isn’t isolating yourself from others, but learning how to work more effectively with them.
If you’re like many other leaders or executives, meetings become obstacles, co-workers become distractions or one customer or client can derail you for the day…if you let them.
What’s the most important work you’ll do during the holiday season?
Now is the time of year to do some of the most difficult work. The work is challenging because it requires being still.
It involves contemplation, reflection, imagination and discipline. It’s called strategic thinking. However, it can also energize you as you envision new possibilities for your business, practice or firm.
Smart companies will capitalize on the opportunity to hit the ground running in the New Year. They’ll take advantage of potential downtime during the holiday season by challenging their thinking, not just doing the work. How?
Here are some possibilities:
- Gather your team. Ask team members to identify the top three opportunities they see for the coming year. Opportunities can be in the form of potential new client markets, new needs to serve, new competitive areas to exploit. It will help the team’s attitude.
- Strengthen a work relationship. If you’ve experienced consistent frustration, for whatever reason, trying to work with another person on your team or in the business, don’t tolerate it going into the New Year. Commit to doing something about it. Open the dialogue by saying, “Let’s figure out how we can work best together going forward.” If you’re the leader, it’s your responsibility to make it work.
- Start from scratch. On your own or with your team, erase everything you’ve done in the past, and determine what you would do if starting the business or team from scratch. What would you do differently? What will you do differently? Adjust your plan accordingly.
- Assess yourself. Put yourself under the microscope to assess your own personal effectiveness. What are you doing that might be hindering progress? Commit to specific actions or habits to make the personal improvement that will impact business results. Change in the business often starts with change in your own mindset and behaviors.
- Brainstorm ideas. Ask “What if” questions. Increase the flow of creative ideas. Reward the most outrageous ideas. Implement the ones that make sense. They may not be mutually exclusive.
As a leader, invest thinking time in your work during the holidays to build your momentum.
Don’t let workers go through the “doing” motions this season simply to maintain. Do the real work that matters instead.
On the Lighter Side
I fell asleep reading a dull book and dreamed I kept on reading, so I awoke from sheer boredom.
~ Heinrich Heine
Leadership Resource
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