2-3-4 Friday: 20 Jan 2023

‘Seeking to spark the most potential within you per word of any online newsletter’

1 thought

I was recently at a talk with a Netflix Vice President (and no, I won’t say which one!), and she was asked about how she balanced between being a mother, and then having to lead a team.

Here I’m paraphrasing what she said,

I think it’s not possible to have balance, but what I do have are boundaries.

Often when we struggle because we are pulled between two different polarities, and those two poles do seem good, in and of themselves. We know them.

Family or work.

Work or leisure.

Should I choose between my boss, or my colleague’s interests?

We hear well meaning advice like,

you just need to learn how to balance the two.

And how do you?

Maybe it’s first important to recognise that you can’t.

And when you realise that, then you can start putting guardrails around the things you can’t control.

Let’s just talk about work.

In a new year, you may find yourself swamped. And often our most common response is to work harder. Find new productivity tools.

But maybe it would be helpful to just write down a qualification checklist of the work you can do, and the work you can’t do.

This is a concept from salespersons, who ‘qualify’ leads by asking through the BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Time) framework,

1. Does the person have the budget required?
2. Who is the decision maker?
3. What urgent needs are there?
4. What’s the timeframe?

Use those questions for yourself.

1. Do you have the financial budget for what’s required?
2. Do you have the decision-making power (often you find yourself being asked to do something that’s beyond your payscale to decide on)
3. What are your own needs at the moment?
4. Do you have the time to work on this?

Secondly, what Bruce Tulgan recommends in his book ‘The Art of Being Indispensable’ is that before you take on any ask, you should clarify the ask.

1. What exactly is being asked of you?
2. What is the scope of the task?
3. What is expected?
4. When should you finish it by?
5. What is not covered within this task?

By having better boundaries, you have better balance, ironically. 

1 talk

Make the ask better, before you take on any task.

1 tip

Here’s something to try.

Look back at your life.

Look at all the times at work you’ve struggled.

Write down all the tasks that you’ve struggled with.

For example,

1. I don’t handle details well.
2. I am slipshod with making sure people fill up forms.

You get the idea.

Put this list, as a never-do list.

You will be happier over time.

P.S. Want to think differently about a problem you're facing? Let’s chat (and no worries, there's no fee!)

John

Live Young, Live Well - Work Your Love