By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination. – Christopher Columbus
There is a story that I came across involving Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at the time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves.
The teams were playing in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his teammates on the one hand, and distract the Milwaukee batters on the other.
As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi tried to distract him by saying, “Henry, you’re holding the bat wrong. You’re supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark.” Aaron didn’t say anything, but when the next pitch came he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After running the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi and said, “I didn’t come up here to read.”
Office distractions are all around us. In an American Express Open Forum column, Mike Michalowicz identifies the six biggest office distractions as: the talker, the e-mail cc, noise with names, temperature troubles, sitting setbacks (not having a comfortable chair), and hunger issues. What distractions are on your list?
The truth is, unless you manage your distractions they are going to manage you. Distractions will cost you time, productivity, and if they abound, the performance of your team will falter. A good leader understands the negative consequences of distractions. A good leader will also promote good practices to create a healthy work environment. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Protect your space. Your office, cubicle, or designated work area is just that- yours. Your level of productivity is best determined by fostering an environment in which you can thrive. When you govern this space wisely it can be a place that allows you not to be busy, but productive. A little organization goes a long way in producing great outcomes.
Purge and prune. Overwhelmed by your inbox? A few minutes each day purging and responding to e-mails will not only keep you on task, but will keep you in the loop. What about all those old files and outdated folders? Toss ‘em.
Schedule and screen. Jim Rohn said, “Either you run the say or the day runs you.” He’s right. Unless you want the day to run you then take control of your schedule and stick to it. A well scheduled day will go a long way in preventing distractions that would otherwise rob you of your productivity. The best call-screener or “drop-in” visitor deterrent you have is a well maintained schedule. It will keep you from succumbing to the “tyranny of the urgent” and focused on your goals.
Flex and bend. Now for some reality– you will have distractions. How you handle distractions that come your way is up to you. Depending on what the distraction is you can choose to see it in one of three ways: a setback, an interruption, or as an opportunity.
When Thomas Edison was at a breakthrough point in his career a tragic event took place that under any other circumstance and with any other person would have been career ending. A devastating fire tore through his lab and destroyed his work. The next morning Edison surveyed the remains of the destructive fire and said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.” Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver his first phonograph.
Not every distraction is useful, and often they come at inconvenient times. Smart leaders have learned that there is wisdom in being flexible and can see opportunities when all that others see are setbacks.
Managing distractions is a matter or priority while flexibility is a matter of practicality. Be smart in your planning and practical in your application. Before long you will notice a profound difference and your leadership will rise.
© 2012 Doug Dickerson
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