The Front Page by BG
One of the most frequent issues that I encounter with senior leaders is that they are so inundated with information and meetings that they often are not paying attention to what is really important in their organizations. They are not having time to actually think, not enough time to actually talk with (listen to) the people in their organization.
This results in a few bad outcomes:
People feeling ignored
Poor communication resulting in unintended consequences
Lower quality decisions
Additional stress
This all results in poorer organizational performance
So, we need to reclaim control of our focus - our attention.
As Scott H. Young says - “. . .you pay attention to the things you choose to pay attention to.”
Stop the Meeting Madness - How to free up time for meaningful work
“. . .research show[s] that meetings have increased in length and frequency over the past 50 years, to the point where executives spend an average of nearly 23 hours a week in them, up from less than 10 hours in the 1960s. And that doesn’t even include all the impromptu gatherings that don’t make it onto the schedule.”
How often should you meet? Selecting the right meeting cadence for your team.
“A meeting cadence [sets] a pace that keeps a group pulling together fast enough to win the race, but not so fast that they wear out before they cross the finish line. If you go too long between meetings, work will suffer. Meet too often, and the team gets frustrated and worn down.”
**Enhancing Business Performance Through Improved Communications - a video from The McChrystal Group.
Fractional Executives - an interesting concept for another way that experienced executives can serve smaller organizations.
Fractional executives—usually with long experience in their fields—typically work with two or more clients at a time, often in positions such as chief financial officer or CMO. The part-time leadership positions take advantage of their expertise but avoid the 24/7 pressures of the typical executive role, giving seasoned professionals more autonomy in their lives. - from the WSJ.
Quotes for You:
You feel less pressure to work extra hours when you get your work done well, and in a calm, focused manner. You can feel good, rather than guilty, about your weekends and time off when you cultivate hobbies and activities that you find truly fun and fulfilling. Focus isn’t fundamentally about exertion, but about choice. - Scott H. Young
Your meetings are a bigger problem than you think they are.
As a focal point for team interactions, your meetings are a major channel through which employees experience organizational culture.
Meetings with regularly late arrivals tell employees the subject matter and their time isn’t important. In contrast, meetings that embrace healthy conflict drive a culture in which employees freely share lessons learned and innovative suggestions. Meetings in which teams don’t share information reinforce silos and build a culture of information hoarding. - Jennifer Keister of The McChrystal Group
Productivity isn’t about time management, it’s about attention management - Adam Grant
The Back Page by Lauren
Eudora Welty Digital Archives | Digital Archives MDAH (ms.gov)
The Eudora Welty Digital Archives features selections of correspondence, manuscripts, photographs, and other media related to Eudora Welty (1909-2001), master of the short story and acknowledged as one of America's greatest authors. Most are from the Eudora Welty Collection (1882-2001), the premier source for Welty materials in the world, totaling more than 230 cubic feet and encompassing her entire life.
Tired in the Morning? Try These Three Things (berkeley.edu)
I do know that when I follow a specific way of eating, I am much more alert in the morning and what I am also finding out is that I need a lot of sleep. 9-10 hours is when I feel the best. What about you?
The harmful legacy of poor nutrition - BBC Reel
This is absolutely incredible. This 4-minute video is worth a watch. “To put it simply, inadequate nutrition impairs our ability to think, reason, plan and regulate emotion. Nutrients don’t just help us feel more energized or fit. They are powerful modulators of gene activity and brain development. What we eat or don’t eat can have a huge impact on us and the generations after us.”
Lewis Capaldi - Everytime (Britney Spears cover) in the Live Lounge - YouTube
Everytime is my favorite song by Britney Spears. It such a pretty and heartbreaking song that really showcases Britney’s singing ability. Lewis does a beautiful cover of the song.
Three quotes that I need to memorize! I found them on Pinterest, without any citation unfortunately.
“Avoidance is just prolonged suffering disguised as safety.”
Discipline is about making choice after choice that’s aligned with our intentions. In any moment, we can make a choice that supports an intention; or we can make a choice that supports an old habit, a lack of intention or a fear.”
“Excuses make today easy, but tomorrow harder. Discipline makes today hard, but tomorrow easier.”
If you enjoyed this edition of Chattahoochee Driftwood, would you consider passing it on to others that will also enjoy it?
Until next time!
BG Allen and Lauren Allen