Your Time, Your Future

I am struck by the number of conversations I have with C Suite executives where they bemoan just how little private time they can find to stand back and think about themselves and their careers. And increasingly as a pressurised executive, it is important to find that extra marginal time so you don’t end up in a position where you are disadvantaged simply as a result of lack of time to think and plan.

The challenge of being a C Suite executive in today’s febrile business world can be an extremely onerous and stress-inducing experience; the demands on your time are numerous. Despite the rewards of a senior position, it can easily soak up any available marginal time for yourself.

But does it have to be like this? Well, tough though it will be to make some changes, there is little doubt that salvation from time encroachment is not only very possible but also with the application of some simple techniques and discipline, can lead to some early improvements. Sadly, of course, there is no single formula that will magically fix the problem. But some carefully chosen and practised behaviours along with a determined shift in attitude can make a big difference very quickly.                                                                

So what are these practical approaches that can help you grab back some important marginal time to focus more on yourself and thinking about your own future. These are the main successful practices that can be observed in those leaders who regularly create such space for themselves:

Little But Often - practice a ‘little but often” approach to your own career development and planning. Trying to carve out large chunks of time to devote to yourself during a busy working week is probably doomed to failure given the other demands on your time. Treat career reflection and planning as like going to the gym to get back into shape. Pick a small chunk of time each week and red-ring this time as your own. Pick an issue (just one) that you most want to focus on and give it a whirl. 

Protect Your Time – adopt the attitude that this protected time cannot and should not be violated by anyone – and this “anyone“ should include yourself. Once you are tempted to give this time over to something and someone else you are on the slippery slope of losing control of this valuable marginal time. Importantly take into your confidence anyone around you who has the ability to influence your diary – perhaps an assistant , a number two or a full PA. Seek their help to protect your red-ringed time. 

Create a Career Agenda – identify the critical questions you most urgently and importantly need and want to answer in your protected time slots so that you create a clear focus for yourself.  A good place to start might be with three very fundamental questions i.e. 

1. What do I really (really) want to do next in my career and my wider life?

2. What am I really, really good at that makes me stand out and so effective?

3. What are my very strong preferences about the type of work I value, where I want  to do it and when I think I will be ready to enact my next move. And if you do not intend to plan a move then ask how you can use the additional time created to improve your quality and performance in your current role.

Seek Out Coaching Support – having an experienced career coach to work with you can help you make efficient use of your time. For a relatively small investment, a coach can act as a mirror to challenge your own thinking and question your assumptions. The coach may also be able to take away time-consuming tasks such as refreshing your CV and LinkedIn Profile to speed up your readiness and support your narrative. And if you are stuck in your thinking about what next, a career coach can help you identify potential options for the future.

Double Down on Delegation - use the need to create more time for yourself to extend delegation opportunities to other colleagues; the pressure of time on a C Suite Executive can often cause the executive to curtail delegation on the basis that if you want something done to the right standard and to meet a deadline then it is quicker and less risky to do it yourself. This is a wrong-headed strategy as, apart from soaking up lots of your time, you will miss a valuable opportunity to build the capabilities of the people around you. Micro-management is invariably a bad habit and a major reason why executives have little time to focus on their own development issues.

None of the above practices and behaviours are particularly complicated or difficult to enact. So why not give them a try in the interests of freeing up some important marginal time all for yourself and …

If you want to have a conversation re the value of working with a career coach then please just drop me an email and/or …

If you would prefer some self-help guidance to stimulate your thinking in your newly found marginal time, then  please download our recent publication “Navigating Your Future” by following this link https://www.brosna-consulting.com/products/navigating-your-future-1

Thank you for your attention.

Tim Chapman

Managing Director

Brosna Career Consulting Ltd

tim@brosna-consulting.com

October 2022