Time, Energy and Flexibility
By LeAnna J. Carey | Aug 19, 2011
John Quincy Adams said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." I thought of this historical quote today after reading an insightful article in Smartbrief on Rajeev Peshawar, the CEO of the ICLIF Leadership and Governance Centre, and the author of "Too Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders" when he was quoted, "we spend a huge amount of time and money trying to teach something that cannot be taught. True leadership is about having the lasting energy to create a better future-that's not something that you learn in a classroom or training module." He continues by saying that the first step of a leader is to "discover their personal source of energy ... then align the energy of others toward a shared purpose."
These are wise words, simple and understandable. When I think of true leaders, I don't necessarily picture all the trappings, rather their ability to think and to do so beyond their own perspective. Today, we encounter complexities that did not exist two years ago, and as a result, work life balance has taken on a whole new meaning. To stay on top of their industries, leaders, especially today, need to be able to think clearly and the challenge is finding the time, energy, and flexibility.
Consider looking at the time that is available to you and match it up against your goals. You will feel more in control of your life if you identify goals that are not progressing, apply some flexibility, and consider what might be more personally satisfying. Yes, alternate goals - like more balance in your schedule. The current economic environment seems willing to stay and linger for a bit; we can't control that, but we can control how we respond to these complexities. We can start by carving out time to think!