2-Minute Warning
I don’t live in the largest of cities…Corpus Christi,Texas has approximately 330,000 residents. Not very large compared to otherplaces I’ve spent a significant amount of time; Washington DC, San Francisco,Tokyo, San Antonio to name a few, but it does have its challenges when it comesto congestion. The city isn’t necessarily designed for efficient flow oftraffic.
For instance, if I leave my house prior to 7:00, let’ssay 6:58, I enjoy a pretty swift 20-minute commute to work in the morning. If Idepart at 7:00 or any timeafter, I’m met with the flashing lights of school zones, city busestransporting passengers, and the other 329,999 residents making their way to theirdestinations. My commute jumps up from 20 minutes to roughly 45. That’s almosta half-hour increase in travel time and a blow to my morning work routines. As you can see, the difference 2-minutesmakes is a big deal.
I prefer toget to work early. In most cases before the sun comes up, but more importantlybefore most of my staff and co-workers arrive. This quiet time alone in themorning allows me to review schedules, mentally prepare for any workshops I’mpresenting that day, and generally allows me to strategize the use of my time.
The latteris an area I believe most of the workforce suffers in. Instead of beingintentional with our time, we allow work to dictate the direction of the day,rather than the other way around. Before we get too deep, please don’t considerthis article to be a lesson on time management, I know we’ve all heard those100’s of times before. Instead, the intent of this article is to generate thoughts on using our time to makean impact, especially in the lives of those we lead.
Take amoment and think back on some NFL games you’ve watched. If the game is acomplete blowout, the last few minutes on the clock feel like a waste of time.The outcome has been determined and there isn’t really much reason to watch.Now think about those exciting games where a team is down by just a few pointson the scoreboard, or even more thrilling--the game is tied! As the game clockapproaches 2:00 minutes, we prepare to witness some of the most strategicfootball ever played. Each down is critical. Each play can make or break thegame, and in some cases, the entire season. Coaching staff will utilize everytrick in the book to effectively manage the clock and utilize the remainingtime to make the most impact. Pass plays Vs. run plays…Do we use a timeout ortry to get the ball out of bounds?... Do we go for the field goal now or are weleaving too much time on the clock? Hurry up offense…2-minute drill…Whateveryou want to call it, each team has placed a great deal of time, energy, and strategicplanning into the final 120 seconds of the game. Yes…that’s right….120 seconds.
One of the greatest challengesfacing leaders is determining where our time is best allocated. Often, we find ourselves moving frommeetings to conference calls, to drafting and responding to e-mails, to reviewingreports and updating policies. Before you know it, the day has passed by andwe’ve had very little to no interaction with our team. We’ve spent the entireday with others at our level in the organizational hierarchy or stuck in ouroffices behind closed door completing “our” work. Other than the occasionale-mail, we may find that we don’t communicate at all. This is digitalleadership at its finest, or at its worst depending on how you look at it. We’ve given ourselves a pass on gettingto know our folks. We justify the occasional e-mail as ‘good enough’ forrecognizing performance or passing on critical information because our schedules are just so hectic.
There’s nodenying we are in a living in a digital age and advances in technology aid usin our everyday lives like never before. However, effective leadership is stillindividually centered and requires strong personal connections. Face-to-faceconversations allow for the full communication experience to unfold. Allparties are able to experience the tone, non-verbal, and physical gesturing thatcome with an in-person dialogue. Simplyput, they feel more meaningful and authentic. I don’t know about you, but Ipersonally prefer to witness a person light up and smile when praising theirwork versus receiving a bland “Thank You” in an e-mail response. These short,simple interactions have a way of boosting morale and motivation in anindividual and even an entire department.
Earlier I mentioned my desire to get to work early. Well, besides beating the traffic, and planning and preparing for the day, I also get to be the first person members of my team see in the morning. I’m often the first person they get to interact and communicate with. I’m able to use this time, before the “work” has begun to get a pulse on how their doing. I get to greet them with high-fives, ask about their Memorial Day cookouts, and how their families are doing? These short, often less than 2-minute interactions help set a positive, uplifting tone for the day. You may not even realize it, but the truth is they mean more to your team than you’ll ever know. They show how much you value them as players on your team. They demonstrate that you are a leader who makes them a priority.
So, maybe it’s about time we update our playbook? As leaders we must ask ourselves, “Do we have a 2-minute drill? What plays are in our hurry up offense?” The meetings and conferences calls will not ever cease. The pile of documents and policies requiring your review and signature may not get any smaller. But we must understand that the people who make it possible for the machine to run are just as important, if not more to our responsibilities as a leader. It’s time to be deliberate, strategic, and intentional with your play calling. How are you going to use your 120 seconds? Time’s ticking and the ref is ready to blow the whistle.
Editor’sNote: W. Scott Greeneis the co-founder of Llama Leadership, an Air Force veteran, adjunct collegeprofessor, and leads workforce and organizational development programs for a non-profitagency in South Texas.