Leadership Thought #391 – Pace Yourself
You need to pace yourself. You can’t operate at top gear all the time. Even “Type A” people need some downtime, or they will eventually burn out. I watch people push themselves to the limit all the time. You can see it in their eyes and read it in their body language when they’re exhausted. Tired people tend to underperform, make less than optimal decisions, allow their people skills to slip, and, if they are not careful, begin to resent their work. Leaders need to learn to pace themselves and set a positive example for others to follow.
The leaders I most admire can flex up or down their energy levels as needed. They are adept at reading situations and assessing what’s required of them and others. It is hard to rattle them. They are good at discerning the difference between what’s urgent and what’s not. They work hard and love what they do, but they also strive for a balanced life. They tend to manage their time and activities very effectively. They realize there is more to life than work; however, when at work, they take immense pride in what they are doing and consistently put forth their best effort. They know their strengths and weaknesses and surround themselves with people who complement and supplement them accordingly.
We’ve all heard the saying applied in many different situations: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” While I like this metaphor for life, I prefer to view leadership as requiring the skills of a decathlete. The decathlon has ten separate events requiring different combinations of skill, strength, speed, endurance, agility, and focus. The competition lasts two weeks, and many believe it is the ultimate test of athletic prowess. If a decathlete tried to win every single event all the time, he wouldn’t even finish the competition. The physical and emotional toll would be too much. What’s required is an innate understanding of his abilities so that he can best leverage his talents and minimize his vulnerabilities. It’s as much strategy as effort. Pacing is everything. The ultimate result is an aggregate ranking in all the events so that the person with the best combination of scores over time wins. Interestingly enough, the top decathletes mainly compete with themselves rather than getting caught up in the frenzy of peer-to-peer competition for each event. It is fascinating to watch.
Leaders need to be keenly self-aware and consistent in their efforts. They need to master context and hone their perspective. If you push the body or your organization too hard all the time, it will inevitably break down. There will be times when you must run flat out or operate in a crisis mode, but this should be the exception, not the rule. You also don’t have to wage every war and win every battle. If everything is important, then nothing truly is. Do your best, but pace yourself and stay focused on your game plan and the ultimate objective.
