May 10

Urgent is the Enemy of Important: Part Three

Categories:

Design Approaches to Innovation, Disruption in Higher Education, Leadership, Setting Priorities

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My last two posts were on the theme of “urgent is the enemy of important.”  I’ve used the phrase for a long time, but it isn’t original with me.  Google the phrase and you will find quite a few people making the point.  When I did so, the first item that came up on the page was from a blog post by Becki True, at beckitrue.com:  http://blog.beckitrue.com/http:/blog.beckitrue.com/2010/07/10/the-urgent-is-the-enemy-of-the-important-how-to-win-the-battle/ It’s a good post and worth reading.

According to True:

  • Urgent chokes out the important
  • Urgent is firefighting, important is building and improving
  • Urgent is a cost center, important reduces costs or increases revenues
  • Urgent is reactive, important is proactive
  • Urgent is stressful, important is managed

I like that a lot.  I suspect the phrase is a play on a Voltaire quote, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”  I like that phrase, as well, but most leaders have long since figured out that it often is not worth the time and energy to seek the very best solution, when you have one available that is good enough to meet your needs.

Still, please keep both in mind.  How you manage your time, in relation to the things that matter most, will determine your effectiveness as a leader.  Ideally, you already insist on a reasonable amount of time to invest in creating the future, but in some ways it may be more important to make sure that someone on your staff spends a majority of his or her time living in the future, exploring ideas, interacting with innovators, and experimenting with possibilities.

Learn about design approaches to innovation, and then create an innovation team within your organization.  Make sure that members can devote sufficient time to design work, because you want them to get up every day thinking about new directions, not getting bogged down in those Important-Urgent and Unimportant-Urgent parts of your organization.  Anything less means your institution will not thrive.  It simply will not thrive.

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May 03

Urgent is the Enemy of Important: Part Two

Categories:

Design Approaches to Innovation, Disruption in Higher Education, Innovation, Leadership, Setting Priorities

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It is much easier for me to see clearly now, when I am not responsible for whatever crisis-of-the-moment, comes down the pike.  It doesn’t follow that anyone else should care about what I see “clearly,” but I’ve been around awhile, so take it for what it’s worth.

I meet and talk to so many bright, energetic individuals, who truly want to make a difference for their institutions.  Unfortunately, almost to a person, they work long days without investing much time in the new programs and strategies that I believe are required to thrive in the future, and they lack enough capable staff members to whom they can delegate critical tasks.

These people, many of whom I count as friends, are trapped by a calendar full of ceremonies, trips, meetings and other conversations that are either Unimportant/Urgent, or legitimately Important/Urgent, but only in the context of current activities and expectations.  Unless they can spend more time on Important/Not Urgent work, they will fail to develop effective strategies for the future.  Interestingly, they seem to recognize the issue, but can’t seem to get on top of it.

Here is the number one problem I see:  Organizations are so focused on cost control that people are overworked, to the point of exhaustion and the impulsiveness that comes from excessive stress.  I always thought I was a conservative budget manager, but this situation has become foolish.

Understaffed organizations cannot make up productivity loss over the long-term.  Any of us can step up and carry extra load and hours for modest periods of time, but we cannot do that indefinitely.  The result is that too many important things do not get done, because everyone is responding to immediate demands.  Moreover, because excessive stress compromises good judgment, it is unlikely that many institutions have the capacity to make effective strategic decisions, anyway.

This, in a nutshell, is why existing organizations tend to lose out to upstarts that are not weighed down by the status quo.  Disruptive environments call for new strategies and tactics, but it is difficult to be innovative, at the same time one is expected to respond immediately to whatever the day brings.

Encouraging innovation in established institutions requires that some individuals get up every day, devoting their time and energy to challenges that are not urgent to most stakeholders, but are critical for future success.  The only way I know to do that is to appoint innovation teams, give them a significant level of independence, and protect members from too much distraction.  A design approach to innovation, as I’ve discussed before, can unfold quickly, if the team has the necessary experience and skills, but it is their focus that cannot be compromised, and a lack of focus on innovation is precisely what most institutions face.

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Apr 25

Urgent is the Enemy of Important

Categories:

Disruption in Higher Education, Innovation, Leadership, Setting Priorities

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Remember this well:  Urgent is the enemy of important.

Nearly everyone in a leadership role recognizes the need for innovation.  We live in a time when great leadership is even more important than usual, but if one is going to lead effectively, he or she needs to appreciate the difference between “important” and “urgent.”

I picked up the distinction years ago, from Stephen Covey’s approach to time management.  The premise is that some things are important and others unimportant; some things are urgent and others are not.  Thus, we get four possible combinations:  Important/Urgent, Unimportant/Urgent, Important/Not Urgent, and Not Important/Not Urgent.  Keep in mind that importance can only be established in relation to goals or priorities, although one’s priorities can be influenced by, say, the boss, the government, or a looming deadline.

Clearly, if something is Not Important/Not Urgent, it is a waste of your time, in terms of goal attainment.  Watching situation comedies on television may be entertaining, but it won’t advance significant goals.  Put more positively, certain tasks, such as cleaning off your desk or dusting bookshelves may not directly advance your goals, but there are moments when you don’t feel like doing much, making a little time on “mindless tasks” the best you can do.

Changing categories, watch out for items or situations that seem urgent, but are unimportant.  Too often, in my experience, Unimportant/Urgent items may reflect someone’s attempt to turn his or her problem into yours.  Interruptions are a good example, as are meetings and phone calls that place an unwanted claim on your time, because someone else decided you had to be involved.

In fairness, Unimportant/Urgent items may be part of your job description.  A subordinate may need guidance or a colleague may need a sounding board.  All of us spend some time in this category, and not all of it is a waste of time.  Of course, if you are in a support role, the essence of your job may be to help people with whatever problems they are experiencing.  The issue may be important to you because it is important to them.

Tasks or situations that are Important/Urgent are easy to recognize, because they suggest a crisis or absolutely critical issue.  However, if your to-do list is full of urgently important items, then either you need help in understanding priorities, or your organization is in deep trouble.  No organization or leader thrives in a perpetual state of crisis.

More importantly, if you are unable to get past immediately pressing matters, you cannot hope to lead innovation.  You are trapped in the present (or the routine), probably unable to invest time and energy in new initiatives, and perhaps largely unaware of threats from new technology or a more alert competitor.  Unless you can invest a significant portion of your time on work that is Important/Not Urgent (i.e., not an immediate crisis), you are not and cannot be a leader of innovation and creativity.

Next time, more on how all of this can make your organization vulnerable.

 

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Apr 12

Positivity: At Least Partly a Choice

Categories:

Boomers, Coaching, Millennials, Positivity, Well-Being

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I’ve written before that I sometimes find it difficult to be positive.  The Losada Ratio, which suggests that people thrive when they maintain three positive experiences for every one negative, provides some reassurance.  Note the implication that negative experiences are approximately three times as powerful as positive, but at least I can take some specific actions to counter whatever negatives come my way.

However, more and more, I also simply refuse to engage with, or to be around, negative people and situations.  Obviously, I can’t always control what happens, but sometimes I can.  Similarly, I do not want to live in a fantasy world, but I reject the notion that there is something more realistic about cynicism and negative attitudes.  Cynics choose their worldview, and I choose not to share it.

To be sure, there are situations that deserve compassion and concern, in part because of their negative effects on people and communities, and I do not wish to ignore that reality.  I don’t believe that I’m obliged to engage in fighting all of the world’s problems, but I do try to help make some things better, including through my work as a coach and consultant.  I’m still wrestling with my choices, however, and I definitely don’t have all the answers.  I’ll just say that it is a personal decision to engage on specific issues, and our contributions are probably greatest, when we find an issue personally meaningful.

Recently, I came across several articles that were quite negative about Baby Boomers and about the so-called Millennials or Generation Y.  (That doesn’t leave much to like, because no one seems to say nice things about Generation X.)  What jumped out at me in these articles was their selective use of examples to paint a bleak picture, and although I’m no Freudian, I can’t help but think the articles told me more about the people who wrote them than the generations they criticized.

I found the articles sad and disappointing.  When we choose a positive frame, we also see possibilities, beyond any obstacles.  When we emphasize the obstacles, unfortunately, we frame our responses accordingly, create self-fulfilling prophecies, and select “data” that support our point of view.

Of course, the same thing happens when we choose to focus on positive opportunities.  So, if it is a choice to emphasize either a positive or a negative frame, why not at least experiment with the positive?  With so much evidence that positivity yields better physical and mental health, not to mention more effective organizations, I find it difficult to see the point of negativity.  When we know that people thrive on a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative experiences, it seems obvious that being positive is the way to go.

That’s my “Bird’s Eye View.”  And I count that as a positive, for today!

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Apr 04

Building Branch Campus and Online Enrollment

Categories:

Branch Campuses, Disruption in Higher Education, Distance Learning Strategies

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I maintain two blogs.  The older, “Branch Campus Life,” focuses on topics related to branch campuses of colleges and universities; the newer, “Creating the Future,” explores a wider range of topics related to my interest in innovation, positive psychology, and encore careers.  Links to both blogs can be found on my web site, www.drcharlesbird.com.

For the first time, I want to post the same entry on both blogs.  This is not something I expect to do very often, but I’d like to offer a few summary thoughts about building enrollment in online programs and on branch campuses.  I see a close relationship between the two, in terms of objectives and challenges.

First, although institutions have many reasons for supporting branch campuses and online programs, the most important, by far, is that they expand access and opportunity for otherwise underserved audiences.  I believe in the value of education and the significance of personal dreams.  Branches and online programs have enormous potential, still only partially realized, in that regard.

Second, these initiatives have the potential to generate significant revenue for institutions, in a time of disruptive change.  If they want to compete and thrive, most institutions should pay attention to their branch campuses and to the development of online options.

Third, to compete successfully, leaders of online and branch strategy need to understand and accept that the majority of their students care more about the cost of their education and the time it will take to earn their credential than anything else.  Individuals may have additional or more personal goals, but the audience served by branches and online programs is pragmatic.  Institutions will generate more revenue in the long run, if they understand the need to help students get to their goals more quickly and at less cost.

Fourth, I believe it makes sense for most institutions to create a strong link between their online programs and their branch campuses.  Some institutions may not pursue both, but branch campuses will struggle unless they offer online and hybrid options to their students.

Fifth, as a consultant, I find it surprising that most institutions have poor financial models for their branch campuses, and sometimes for their online programs.  Get revenue sharing right, or you will not create the necessary incentives to motivate deans, chairs, and administrative offices to support outreach.

Sixth, people need to understand what a deep, engaged partnership means.  Building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with other institutions, with employers, and with other units in your own institution is absolutely essential.  (I mention it, because most people I meet do not understand deep, engaged partnership.)

Finally, a point specific to online programs:  Online programs only make financial sense if they are scalable.  There are solid, high quality approaches for online delivery that make it possible to enroll hundreds, or even thousands of students in the same course.  At scale, the cost of course development and the cost of instruction approach zero, and the greatest share of operating expenses lie with marketing/recruitment and student support services.

All of these points have been addressed over time in both of my blogs.  These programs matter, because the students matter and because, to thrive in the future, most institutions need to attract enrollment through flexible, student-centered options.  Please, just think about it.

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Mar 29

Coaching, Consulting, and the Planting of Seeds

Categories:

Coaching, Positivity, Transitions, Well-Being

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Many of my ancestors were farmers, which I suppose is true for nearly all of us.  My grandfather was not a farmer, but he loved to garden, and he was serious about his work.  In fact, in preparation for retirement, he built a greenhouse and cleared some additional land, to support a truly large “garden.”  (Now, there’s an encore career, for a man who started as a pipefitter.)

I remember watching my grandfather wrestle with his Gravely tractor, on a West Virginia hillside, well into his 90s.  I also remember how he would plant seeds, especially for tomatoes, in the greenhouse, so that he had a major head start on the growing season.

I never found any pleasure in gardening, and I’ve wondered what would have become of me, if I had been born 50 or 100 years, earlier.  But I do like to plant seeds.

A friend reminded me of this, the other day.  I think I said something about not doing everything I should be doing, professionally, and she asked me if I’d like to hear a couple of stories about how I had planted seeds with her that had been helpful.  I, of course, said I would, and the examples lifted my spirits.  Reflecting on it, later, I realized she, also, was planting seeds, and often has done so, for me.

I love my work as a coach and consultant, and I suppose more than anything, I enjoy the inherent aspect of planting seeds.  Both coaching and consulting involve (among other things), deep listening, asking questions, offering information and options, and reflecting what one hears.  The process leads to reframing or reshaping perspectives, as seeds are planted and clients explore possibilities.

One of the things I like about coaching is that it is “action oriented” and driven by the client’s concerns.  As a result, most sessions yield meaningful progress, and I find that fascinating, compared to a lot of my work in academic administration.  Nevertheless, many times a client will tell me that something we discussed in the past came back to them, later, affecting his or her approach to a situation.  That feels good, as well.

The truth is that all of us plant seeds, and the impact may go beyond anything we can imagine.  At times, we may not even be aware that we are planting seeds, at all!  All the more reason to associate with positive people, who believe in possibilities and the power of dreams.

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Mar 22

Stress and “Not Feeling Bad About Feeling Bad”

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Coaching, Positivity, Transitions, Well-Being

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Here’s one more take on stress and the difficulties of life.  You probably are familiar with the quote, “I wept because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.”  It is a reminder that we should be grateful for our blessings, even in the face of difficult times.

I think the idea is deeper than simply saying, “Things could be worse.”  It is a matter of acknowledging the positive events and relationships in our lives.  It is remembering to savor and revisit the high points; it is choosing to believe that we determine the outcomes of our lives and can draw positive perspective from those times when we are hurt, disappointed, lonely, frustrated, or confused.

With this, I circle back to the importance of high self-efficacy; a search for meaning, in the most difficult times; an openness to those angels with whom we connect; to being intentional about that 3:1 positivity ratio, when the random events in our lives are negative.

However, I want to make still another point.  I had a roommate in college who was a very special friend and a most interesting individual.  His name was Sid, and sadly, Sid’s life was cut short by illness, about 30 years ago.  Nevertheless, a number of things Sid said to me have stuck in my mind, and one of them is that “we should never feel bad about feeling bad.”

Sid made this comment at the very lowest time in my life.  He was telling me that it is okay to feel badly, if feeling badly is “where I’m at.”  I don’t need to compound the negativity by beating myself up for how I feel.  In the years since, I have seen many articles that included the advice that we may sometimes need to give ourselves permission to feel sad, perhaps for a specific amount of time (say, 30 minutes), then get on with life.  But Sid was there for me, at the right time, with the right comment.

So, what about, “I wept because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet”?  I understand the message, and we should recognize and appreciate the difference between our personal challenges and the extreme difficulties some people face.  (But to make a point, I am not giving up on the “man with no feet,” either.  His sense of self-efficacy and meaning matter, as well.)

Bottom line, asserting that some people are worse off doesn’t change the fact that we need shoes.  Our issues—our stresses—are our own, and we must wrestle with whatever demons, challenges, or disappointments come our way.  Let’s just not feel too badly about those bad times and experiences.  They are part of the experience, and so often, difficult times yield the most significant growth.

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Mar 15

Stress and the Encore Stage of Life

Categories:

Coaching, Encore Careers, Encore Dreams, Positivity, Transitions, Well-Being

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In my last post, “Managing Stress and Staying Positive,” I was thinking mostly of people I know who are mid-career and finding it difficult to maintain balance in their lives.  However, writing it also led me to revisit the challenges brought by the encore stage of life.

(Incidentally, I use the phrase “encore stage of life” to describe that time when people may move away from the roles or type of work they have done for many years, to explore new options and to rebalance the elements in their world.  That includes people who pursue a so-called encore career, but it also is meant to include people who choose to volunteer or engage in work that yields only modest income, as well as people who continue in the same career, but scale back their days and hours.  The point is that most of us still have the energy and interest to engage in meaningful work, but we can make choices that are quite different than would have been realistic in the past.)

I raise this topic, because the encore stage can bring its own stresses.  For example, I’ve found it challenging to adjust to the fact that I have little control over the consulting, speaking, or coaching opportunities that come my way.  The work is uneven and unpredictable, and I have to make an effort to create my own structure and personal goals, if I want to feel consistently engaged.

In addition, age brings health-related issues that one simply cannot avoid or control.  I maintain a relatively vigorous exercise habit, mostly jogging and lifting weights.  I enjoy working out, and my stamina is good.  Nevertheless, injuries take far too long to heal, and there are more aches and pains than there used to be.

For some people, family concerns create considerable stress, and the “sandwich generation” experience is all too real for a number of people I know.  Increasing life spans are great, in many ways, but they do imply difficult transitions for family relationships.  Extended life spans also contribute to the financial pressures that some people feel.  I recognize that some of my generational brothers and sisters are working because they need the money, not so much because they are pursuing a “career.”

Then, there’s the fellow I met the other evening, who recently retired from an executive position.  He was surprised to discover how quickly he was “out of the communications loop,” and he misses managing people and projects.  It will be interesting to see how he resolves his transition, but even though he has no regrets about retiring, he is experiencing stress as he seeks a new normal.

There are so many opportunities in the encore stage, but that doesn’t mean it comes without challenges.  For those who are concerned about making the transition, working with a qualified coach might be helpful, but there are many ways to create your future.  Take time to savor what is positive, to reflect on what has meant the most to you, and to experiment with new patterns.  We don’t know how long the encore stage will last, but we can explore, discover fresh meaning, and continue making a difference.

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Mar 08

Managing Stress and Staying Positive

Categories:

Coaching, Leadership, Positivity, Strengths-based Teams, Well-Being

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In my distant past, I presented a great many programs on stress management, ranging from brief luncheon or banquet programs to six-hour workshops.  I enjoyed the topic, and I think my presentations were well received, partly because I am not a clinician, and I came at the topic in a little different way than most.

Back in the day, I remember people coming up to me after my programs and saying something like, “Stress management sure is a hot topic, these days.”  I’d smile and say, “Stress management has been a hot topic for years.”  The simple truth is that we all experience stress in our lives, and from time to time we benefit from a reminder about its causes and how we can manage excessive levels.

Simply put, stress is caused by uncertainty or inconsistency.  At moderate levels that don’t last too long, stress can be a good thing:  Our energy levels increase, our attention becomes focused, and performance may be enhanced.  A life without stress implies a life without challenge, and that would be boring, indeed.

However, when stress levels are too high for too long, bad things happen.  For example, unpredictable relationships can be exhausting and leave us feeling anxious or confused.  Stressful work environments interfere with productivity; increase the likelihood of mistakes and accidents; and lead to increased absenteeism, turnover, and health-related expenses.

Even decades ago, we understood that chronic stress is problematic.  That’s why stress management programs were “hot.”  Today, however, we also have mountains of research and huge numbers of case studies documenting the advantages of positive work environments, strengths-based teams, and empowering leadership.

For those who feel as if their stress is overwhelming, I encourage you to revisit the concept of flourishing, as articulated by Martin Seligman.  Both individuals and organizations flourish, when they experience the elements of well-being:  positive emotions, engagement, meaning, positive relationships, and accomplishment.  Putting that into a single statement, people do well when they feel engaged in meaningful work, with people they enjoy and respect, and when their efforts yield a sense of accomplishment.

None of this is mysterious or open to serious challenge.  Certainly, there are times when work will be stressful, when the combination of difficult life and work experiences undermine any effort to remain positive.  Surely, however, we can recognize these situations and take steps to reduce the impact.  It is important that employers address unhealthy practices, and that they understand employees can step up for reasonable periods of time, but organizations cannot thrive under unhealthy levels of stress.  Over time, the best employees will have options, and they will take steps to regain control over their lives, some of which may directly harm that precious bottom line.

We all should remember Stephen Covey’s concept of sharpening the saw:  When stress levels are high, be sure to take time to exercise, eat well, get enough sleep, and have some fun.  I’m pleased that more people are insisting on a better-balanced life; I applaud those companies and leaders who understand why it matters.

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Mar 01

Tacit Knowledge and the Development of Strengths

Categories:

Innovation, Leadership, Positivity, Strengths-based Teams, Uncategorized, Well-Being

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I was fortunate to be in graduate school, back in the mid-1970s.  Cognitive psychology was beginning to take the stage, but we also were well schooled in traditional learning theory and behavioral psychology.  I believe it contributed to my generalist approach to psychology, but it also meant that there were remarkable new ideas emerging to challenge our assumptions, methods, and general perspective on mind.

One of the books that made a big impression on me was The Tacit Dimension, by Michael Polanyi.  Based on lectures he gave in 1962, this little book builds from the premise that we know more than we can explain or verbalize.  Unexpressed and largely unconscious, tacit knowledge directs a scientist’s attention toward promising questions for study, allows an experienced manager to quickly assess a work situation, and helps a physician to connect the dots among symptoms to yield a diagnosis.

You may be familiar with the notion that it takes 10,000 hours to become expert at almost any complex task.  Across those hours, a pianist, computer scientist, basketball player, or business leader acquires the tacit knowledge required to distinguish an expert from anyone else.  This also explains the need for apprenticeships, which support the development of tacit knowledge through experience and observation.  For the most part, the process cannot be speeded up, at least in a total time sense, because those from whom we learn also act from knowledge they cannot fully articulate.

People in the same area of knowledge share a lot of tacit knowledge, but each of us also develops unique insights.  What we think of as intuition may simply represent the application of tacit knowledge.  We may not be able to explain an intuitive leap, but there is experience and knowledge behind it.  Of course, individual differences in inexpressible knowledge lead to conflict, at times, but also to rich and positive relationships, when we take time to appreciate one another’s perspective.

As an advocate for distance learning programs, I admit that the importance of tacit knowledge gives me pause.  However, I think the type of course or program makes a difference, and the most creative work in distance education encourages exploration and engagement, which contribute to the development of tacit knowledge.

I celebrate tacit knowledge and what it means in our lives.  Our individual strengths, for example, benefit from tacit knowledge and support acquiring new depths of knowing.  Strengths-based teams bring together the set of experiences necessary to their work, but even more importantly, they bring together deep knowledge that, when combined, yields creativity.  Sometimes we don’t know why we know what we know, but we do know that we know it!

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