Stress is what happens when you don't focus

You probably have heard it said that managers do things right and leaders do the right things. The first statement speaks to efficiency, and the latter refers to effectiveness. It is easy to be busy but hard to work on the right things.

You as a leader should focus on doing the right things — those things that matter most to the success of your department, organization and/or company. In short, to be effective you must drive the focus of the organization. You must channel your time, talent, energy and resources into making an earnest effort to focus on the key priorities and goals of your organization. Keep your focus by constantly asking yourself, “What’s Important Now (WIN)?”

In today’s dynamic, technology-connected world, it’s easy for us to lose track of what is most important to our business. We too often get caught up in the day-to-day minutia and distractions (e-mail, voice- mail, cell phones, PDAs, etc.) that must be re- directed, re-focused and re-oriented continually.

Our employees are no exception. As an owner/leader, you need to share your focus and vision for your business or organization with your employees. If you ignore this critical focus, the possibility of wasted energy, time, talent and resources on trivial matters will keep them from attaining the company’s vision and its mission-critical priorities.

Why not consider focusing the team’s attention and concentration on these six primary areas:

1. Satisfying your customers/clients
2. Becoming outcome driven; expecting results, not excuses
3. Learning and continuous improvement
4. Maintaining and driving profits
5. Letting them know you are in it for the long run
6. Having fun
   

I'll be glad to help you reduce your stress, become more focused, more strategic and more profitable, giving you more free time!