I want to thank everyone who participated in our inaugural Catapult Groups Webinar last week on “7 Methods for Maximum Performance.” My colleague, Doug Beckley, a Catapult Groups Leader, did an excellent job of outlining seven critical areas where CEOs can dramatically improve their performance and move their business forward.
In this blog post and those to follow, I will highlight some of Doug’s key points, starting with:
We all know men and women who set goals and meet them, and who have cracked the code on how to have a perfect work/life balance. For the rest of us, setting and meeting goals (let alone knowing how to make the best use of our time) is a constant struggle. We’re often in a reactive, rather than a proactive mode.
The hard truth is both types of leaders have exactly the same number of hours in a week. The difference between these two types is how they choose to manage their time.
Everyone is familiar with the Pareto Principle (also known as the “80-20 rule”), particularly in the context of sales: “80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients.” The same rule applies to how CEOs and business leaders make use of their time: 80% of your results will flow from 20% of your activities. These activities must be linked to your desired goals and outcomes; otherwise, they are a waste of your precious time.
What are your “high-payoff” activities? What activities do you engage in 20% of the time that generate the best results for you and your business? The secret is knowing how to organize your time and execute around these high-payoff activities. In his presentation, Doug challenged listeners to identify one or two such activities. I encourage you to do so here, as well.
Does this sound familiar? The minute we walk into our office, we automatically start reacting. We check emails, interact with people who “drop in” and allow our attention to be diverted to all the minor problems hurtling at us on a daily basis. In essence, we become slaves to circumstances.
Highly effective leaders take a different course. They know how to select a destination and focus their efforts on reaching that destination. They discipline themselves to be intentional, to truly be the author of their own lives. As soon as they walk into their office, they plan, organize, develop, communicate and focus on high-payoff activities that generate exceptional results.
As Doug says, this is the difference between winners and losers. Winners discipline themselves to do the things that losers refuse to do.
If you missed the Webinar or would like to hear Doug’s presentation again, I invite you to click here and learn more about how to maximize your performance as a business leader.