The Key to Greater Impact
As I wrote this title, I wondered, “Is this true? Is there really a single “key” to greater impact? Should I choose different language?” Here’s what I know: I’ve been looking for ways to better steward my leadership for almost four decades. Some days I feel I get it right, other times I feel I’ve failed miserably. Through it all, this one idea surfaces again and again.
Before I share my perspective on “the key,” I challenge you to think about the value of greater impact in the areas in which you lead. What would happen if you had more influence and greater impact at home, or school, on your team, or at the office? What goals could you accomplish? What mountains could you climb? What dragons could you slay?
The key to greater impact lies in how we use our time. Yes, I know, this is not very sexy and perhaps not even believable at face value. You may be asking: where’s the insight in that statement? None of this makes it less true.
How we invest our time has many implications…
- Signals our priorities
- Lends our support
- Closes gaps
- Infuses energy
- Fosters growth in others
- Models desired behaviors
For the reasons above and more, how we invest our time ultimately determines our level of effectiveness and impact.
How are you doing on this issue? Here are a few questions to help you evaluate the use of your time…
Does your calendar reflect your stated priorities? Certainly, it reflects your real priorities. However, a gap between the two erodes your moral authority to lead. Regardless of how well we do what we do, we get no credit for doing the wrong things well.
Are you investing your time with the right people? If we are not careful, we can drift, or be pulled, to spend time with the wrong people. Who are your future leaders? How much of your time do they get verses your problem people? Who can help you carry the load?
How much time do you invest on self-leadership? Many leaders, myself included, can falsely assume our role is to serve at our own expense. This strategy is shortsighted. We must put on our own oxygen mask first if we hope to serve over the long haul. This includes rest, recreation, personal growth and more. What we do in private has a huge impact on our public effectiveness.
How much time do you devote to the future? Many leaders are ineffective because they have succumbed to the management of today rather than the creation of tomorrow. The future demands time on your calendar. Don’t let today push out tomorrow. If you do, you’ve given away more than your time – you’ve given away your leadership.
Does your use of time increase others’ confidence in you as a leader? Do you use your time like a leader should? Are you seen mostly in reactionary mode or proactive role? Are you purposeful? Are you strategic with your time? Do people associate your decisions regarding your time with what a leader should do?
Are you investing your time on your biggest problems? One of my favorite moments in any consulting engagement involves two questions:
1) What is your biggest problem?
2) How much time did you invest on that issue last week? Leaders invest their time strategically.
A leader’s time is his or her greatest asset. Only when we steward it well, can we reach our full potential.
Idea for Action: Keep a time log for two weeks, in 15-minute increments, and see what you can learn.
Meet The Author, Mark Miller
Mark Miller’s passion is serving leaders. He has traveled to dozens of countries around the world in an effort to fulfill his calling. Whether speaking to global audiences or individual leaders, his message is consistent and pragmatic: Lead Every Day.
His career at Chick-fil-A began over 40 years ago as an hourly team member in one of the local
restaurants. Shortly after that, he became Chick-fil-A’s 16th corporate employee. Since that day, he
has worked all across the business but recently retired as the Vice President of High-Performance
Leadership, where he was a principal architect in building Chick-fil-A’s renowned high-performance
leadership culture
For the last twenty-five years, he focused much of his time on helping the organization grow its
leadership capacity. Mark and his team at Chick-fil-A invested a quarter century and tens of millions
of dollars searching for and validating ideas that work. Over the years, they focused on numerous
topics, including High-Performance Teams, High-Performance Organizations, Employee Engagement, Execution, Personal Leadership Effectiveness, and, most recently, Culture. These projects have each culminated in globally acclaimed books. Today, over one million copies of Mark’s books are available in 25+ translations, including national bestsellers and a Wall Street Journal Bestseller. His approach to writing and speaking has always been to find what is true in principle and apply it to the real world. Because of this, Mark is best known for his ability to unlock the full potential of executives and teams to create High-Performance leaders and organizations.
When not practicing or studying leadership, Mark is an avid photographer. His expeditions have taken him to some of the world’s most difficult-to-reach destinations. He has photographed silverback gorillas in the jungles of Rwanda, the icebergs of Antarctica, the Maasai warriors in East Africa, Nepalese culture at Everest Base Camp, and much more. More adventures are in the works.
Mark is married to Donna, his high school sweetheart. They recently celebrated their 40th wedding
anniversary. Mark and Donna have two sons, Justin and David. Justin is married to Lindsey and they have three children: Addie, Logan and Finn. If you are a follower of Mark on social media, you will likely see them make a debut on his Instagram feed.
Learn more about Mark: LeadEveryDay.com
