Time: Becoming more valuable and scarce

We all share one thing in common: A limited time on this earth. For many of us, we would like to use the occasion for a meaningful purpose. Many of us decided in our relative youth to embark on a profession which matched our abilities and interests and  could put them to good use through gainful employment, and hopefully make a difference. Many of us want to leave some sort of positive footprint somewhere or on someone before it is all over.

This was supposed to be the heralded season for humanity—the post modern period when we could use our intellect, communication skills, and the infrastructure of computers and Internet to more fully and easily realize our aspirations. Instead the opposite seems to be occurring. More of us struggle with home/work balance. We find belonging to a larger community more challenging. Satisfying relationships at work are harder. Most people focus on daily survival and not working on loftier goals. We have more educated people with seemingly fewer outlets to more fully use their capabilities.

The initial solutions to accomplishing more work related to effective time management. The thinking was that if we developed effective to-do lists, got monkeys off our back and focused more effectively, then we would be more successful. That worked for a long time. Then those who used those time management systems found they were insufficient. We crammed more into our time space by believing that we could multitask effectively. We sat in meetings and worked on computers and answered E-mail on Blackberries at the same time. That too worked—for a while, or so we thought.

The fast rate of change, shrinking corporate margins, and expansion of global employment centers create a more universal set of circumstances that exert pressure on markets, companies and ultimately employees. The pressures continued  on organizations to do more and change faster with fewer resources.

Historically dissatisfied people  sought work elsewhere. Working more efficiently, effectively, smarter, etc. are unlikely to lead to a satisfying result. The new economic realities created the realization for many people that the new organization, if they find another job, may have the same underlying maladies as their current situation.  More systemic approaches require by leaders to ameliorate the situation.

How to get out of the box

Step 1: Determine what is mission critical

Most leaders feel that they utilize their organization’s resources in an effective manner. Yet when there is a reduction of force, companies are able to re-organize, presumably cutting out less significant work, and still forge a strong future. I conclude that had  people been focused on more important, long-term critical work, there may not have been a need for the reduction in the first place.

The first line of offense is a determination of what is really important for organization success. What short term work can be eliminated to focus on a stronger longer term? What is truly critical to the success of the business?

Step 2. Pay attention

All living things need care and attention…dogs, plants, kids, and even employees. The better we consciously think about the care, the happy and more effective all of us can be. Sometimes it’s the little things such as asking about the family. At other times it is simply asking and then really listening how someone really is doing and feeling. It is helpful to address concerns of employees who feel stressed because of the workload. It may be helpful to offer advice how they might be more productive, delegate work, discontinue less value-added tasks and help them undertake work which may offer greater meaning and return.

Step 3. Move up one level

Ever notice how some of the major items on a strategic plan are never realized while the less important work continues in the background? Most organizations have a natural set of routines that make it easier to run the business…but over time hamper innovation. To help overcome the natural resistance to change work, leaders may need to coax their employees to drop some of the less important tasks in order to free up the time necessary to undertake higher level, more important work. Leaders may need to provide support and coaching to help employees focus on these more challenging tasks that are beyond the existing employee’s skill set or scope of work. Leaders may need to officially say, “We aren’t going to do that work anymore. I am freeing up Mary’s time to work on a longer-range, more critical issue. It’s O.K. if there are some short-term repercussions.”

Step 4. Make it safe to speak up

Many employees are hesitant to express their concerns because they feel that they will be viewed by their managers in a less than favorable light. In an economy with excess supply of labor, employees may feel vulnerable. So the role of the senior leader is to create a culture where speaking truth is understood as good for business. Those who appropriately raise concerns and create viable options are rewarded with higher-level work and opportunities for professional development. They need to find ways that mid-level managers understand that questioning the status quo is acceptable behavior.

Looking back at the pace of the 80’s and 90’s many of us wondered what we were doing with our time. What we thought was a fully packed day  in retrospect was a pleasure trip. There are no longer boundaries. You can work from anywhere, at anytime, with anyone. At one extreme we have people who are completely stressed out. At the other end, we have many in the both younger and older generations who are unemployed, underemployed, or under-challenged.

Warning

There is a tendency to over-rely on those few people who always seem to have enough time, ideas, and energy…no matter what is on their plate. This can ultimately lead to burnout and more critically, it tends to allow others not to have to participate.

My thought for improving international economics is to have each person be able to work one level higher than they now are. I believe that the boosts in creativity and morale would significantly boost productivity, innovation, and thus the welfare of the human race.

Your thoughts and reactions are welcome.

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