Month: May 2024

Getting Over the Hump: Activation Energy and Executive Time Management

I’m sure this isn’t so hard to do but imagine yourself staring at a mountain of tasks. You know you need to climb this mountain but taking that first step feels overwhelming. This mental hurdle is like the concept of activation energy in chemistry – the initial energy needed to start a reaction. In our daily lives, activation energy applies to getting started on tasks, especially those we find daunting.

For executives, this can be particularly true. Big decisions, complex projects, and endless to-do lists can create a high activation energy, making it difficult to even begin. This is where understanding activation energy becomes a powerful tool for time management.

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Leaders on Parade

One of the questions I’ve received over the years is whether a leader needs to be “on” all the time. When the question arises, it’s usually because the person is uncomfortable needing to be “on” when they are not officially on the job.

In a nutshell, yes, you need to be on. Like it or not, it’s almost like being “on parade” when others watch you from afar.

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Workplace Drama

How often does your staff create distractions with an avalanche of finger-pointing and accusations? “He said” this and “she did” that and “I don’t know anything about this” are expressions that pop up.

If you hear these types of phrases occasionally, it’s normal and controllable. But if these expressions occur regularly or increasingly over time, you may be a party to workplace drama.

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