Time wise and organized: Embracing enlightened efficiency

By: Tom Gegax

So many leaders have the efficiency equation half right. Take the business owner who’s enlightened but inefficient. He’s like the absent-minded preacher, late to the pulpit with lines of a great sermon running through his head — some written on scraps of paper in his pocket, the rest scattered around his office. His heartfelt attempts to inspire only confuse his flock. 

Then there’s the unenlightened but efficient boss man. He’s more like the world-class surgeon with arctic bedside manners. His skill would save more lives if he didn’t submarine his patient’s will to live by describing the progression of her disease like it were a mutual fund chart.

A leader who’s both enlightened and efficient is like a trusted family friend. He deeply cares about the personal education and well-being of people under his watch, while tirelessly challenging them to be productive and disciplined. To his fans, he’s like a double shot of espresso. 

Enlightened efficiency isn’t an end in itself. Without it, however, you stand little chance of achieving your goals and ultimately living out your mission. Steadily ratcheting up your efficiency lays the groundwork for handling future challenges. It’s the tipping point that can take you from frustration to fulfillment. As one of my favorite sayings goes: “The will to prepare to succeed is more important than the will to succeed.”

I can’t believe it’s not clutter

Shooting for efficiency without first getting organized is like trying to break the speed limit on a highway under construction. Potholes and roadblocks will fling you into a ditch before you get out of first gear.

Organization paves the way to enlightened efficiency and reaching your goals. Can you be productive with a messy desk and chaotic files? Sure, anything’s possible. But it’s easier to get it done without the clutter. Especially when you add a personal digital assistant (PDA) like a BlackBerry or Palm to the mix. They keep mission-critical data at your fingertips, conserving time and adrenaline.

I’d be lost without my BlackBerry. The wireless sync allows me and my office to update each other on the fly. I stay connected in an airport or doctor’s office through phone, Web access and e-mail. (Caveat: Prioritize people over PDAs when out with friends and family. I pocket my BlackBerry, otherwise I’d glance at it so often that I couldn’t follow a conversation. If you must check e-mail, take a trip to the rest room or step outside.)

I prefer a PDA to paper planners because it’s compact and reduces redundancy (plus, it’s a wireless wonder — when I update my calendar on my BlackBerry or PC, the other device automatically updates). But there are as many planning systems — digital and manual — as there are personalities. PDAs also help capture those firefly thoughts. A voice recorder or good old pen and paper also do the trick. Even if you’re driving, don’t let a good idea get away. In the car, paper and pencil are impractical (if not lethal), so I leave a voicemail for myself with my hands-free cell phone or pull over and tap on my BlackBerry.

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Related Topics: Gegax, time management, Tom Gegax

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