Priorities… We all have them. They’re what we place first and foremost in our lives. Typically, most of us will have the four main priorities of Faith, Family, Health, and Finances (your order of these may be different). Beyond this, we all have secondary priorities which define who we really are within these four main areas. When you hear key phrases like, “I’m too busy”, “I don’t have time”, “It’s different in our department (or town, or team, etc.)”, to name just a few, you might be looking at a person with the wrong priorities. If you are battling with time management on a daily basis, you might have the wrong priorities. If work keeps getting in the way of personal todo’s while at work, something is certainly amiss. Listed below are three areas we’ve seen that drive people’s priorities at work.
- Personal Agenda Driven: Do your priorities match or filter through your organization’s priorities? Too often, employees (even leaders and managers) will have a different priority. We define those people as personal agenda driven. Their agenda doesn’t quite fit the organization’s agenda. They, of course, know best and proceed accordingly. The energy spent by employees managing their personal agenda and creating a subculture in the organization will eliminate the time and ability for that employee to do anything positive for their company. If you can’t support, it’s time to depart.
- Me Driven: Do your personal priorities outweigh your work? What we mean by this is when you’re at work, do personal priorities consistently outweigh work responsibilities. Surfing on the net or socializing on Facebook instead of working. Showing up late and leaving early for personal “emergencies”. Calling the spouse or significant other, 5, 10 or more times a day. When at work, the least you owe your employer is your best. Anything less, in our opinion, is theft. Most employers are reasonable when allowing personal things to be handled during work hours. Be reasonable in respecting the organization as well.
- LCS (Lazy, Crazy, Stupid) Driven: Do your priorities focus on the right people? Too many employees spend too much time with their worst or most difficult customers instead of developing their best customers into advocates. The vast majority of managers spend most of their time with the weakest employees. Remember from a past blog, “You Can’t Fix Lazy, Crazy, and Stupid”. Most managers actually think they can. Start focusing on the best employees and customers. Let go of those who consistently drain your time with little gained. You’ll be amazed at the free time you now have. You might even begin to enjoy your work again.
If any of these three drives you, then it’s time to adjust your priorities. All of us from time to time may need to make minor adjustments. Choose not to change them and you’ll eventually be driven to a different place of employment. Make the changes and you’ll begin to see a world of less stress, more happiness and a fulfilling career.
