September 20, 2013

Taking Our Own Advice

I've run into more and more people suffering the fate of the cobbler. Something we all have to manage. It's the story of the shoemaker who works hard but has no time to make shoes for his own children.

It's also the story of us. It's the story of how we feel the need to constantly keep up, have more meetings, be on more channels, do more stuff, tweet, meet, check email, and keep busy busy. One hundred years ago, there was the same number of hours in the calendar week yet we foolishly think we can cram more into it and still be efficient.

Take a Number

Customers were waiting for their orders so the cobbler will have to wait until tomorrow to fix his children's tattered boots. There's a meeting at 10 that conflicts with a conference call at 10:30, but you can't move it to 11 because there's a client coming in, so your 1:30 will have to be changed to tomorrow because the boss is going over every single client file which will take well over three hours to resolve nothing. But you answer four more emails on your way to grab a coffee before the meeting.

The shoemaker has one more order then he may finally make a pair for himself this time. But the familiar bell rings on the shop front door and those shoes will have to wait. You know indistinctly those meetings could be half as long to give you more time to help your team and clear your head yet you go headlong into another day full of them.

Maybe there will be time tomorrow.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

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