Never really took the time or had the chance to tell my dad that he was one of my leadership heroes. Was not the right time or I thought he would always be around to tell.
The one unwavering leadership characteristic that my dad modeled consistently was work ethic. When there was work to be done, he did it. Day of week, time of day, personal plans; none of that mattered. The work had to be done. You could never guarantee the work would be there tomorrow. Used a mantra about crops in the field. I use that to this day.
Please don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating becoming a workaholic or anything close. As a kid, I resented my dad not being around much and missing much of life. It probably contributed significantly to his demise. What I am advocating is a single-mindedness of purpose and focus towards significant work events and projects. That passionate application of purpose and vocation is a powerful force when connected to life balance and understanding of the need for overall health (physical, mental, spiritual and emotional).
Effective and successful leaders in the modern working environment share this singularity of focus and purpose. They work a project and push things until they are done. There is no giving up. There is no calling it a day. There is the recognition that tomorrow might not bring the same opportunity and that there is a crop in the field. If you have ever seen the face of someone fire walking, you have seen the face of singular focus and drive to completion.
This focus and passionate pursuit can also not be sustained indefinitely. Rest, fun, personal balance, attention to learning, self-examination and soul restoring activities must also be mixed in but effective leaders will do so gracefully and without much thought. It is a part of their routine and their being as a leader.
To create higher levels of the Git Er Done type of focus and work ethic, consider:
- Removing, eliminating and delegating routine tasks that don’t mean much to the overall success of the organization.
Challenge your own commitment level to the mission, vision and values of the organization. - Reconcile how your project or other work products contribute to your legacy as a leader or team member.
- Build systems of task shifting (30 minute changeovers) to insure freshness and passion renewal.
- Watch your work, life, emotional, spiritual, physical and mental balance. Listen to your mind, body and heart for signals that you need to walk away for a bit.