Leadership Thought #472 – To Those Who Expect Much, Major Effort Is Required
Leadership is about embracing personal responsibility and putting in the necessary effort to achieve success.
Recently, I have been having numerous conversations with my clients about work-life balance and the importance of setting boundaries. I am always sympathetic to their need to live a fuller life. I also try to remind them that they chose the path of a business entrepreneur and/or CEO. By its nature, this role is more demanding than the average work situation.
There is a substantial difference between being an employer and an employee. When you run a company, the typical work boundaries do not apply. You will often have to work late or show up early. There will be many problems or decisions only you can make, and they rarely happen within the confines of a 40-hour workweek. This is why it’s essential to embrace your leadership responsibilities, because the position will require more time and effort than expected.
I have always liked the saying, “To whom much is given, much should be expected.” I would restate it to make a different point: “To those who expect much, major effort is required.” Some people hit the lottery or find unique shortcuts to financial and business success, but their numbers are small. We enjoy reading about them and fantasize that our own lives will follow a similar path. The truth is that such an event probably won’t happen to you. If you choose to pursue business leadership and the associated rewards, you will need to put in more effort and work harder, not just smarter, than your competitors. There will be early mornings, late nights, unexpected travel, missed family events, and demanding clients who aren’t concerned about your need for work-life balance.
There is a reason that just under 9% of American families make over $250,000 per year, and less than 1% exceed $500,000 per year. If you focus solely on small business owners, the numbers are even more telling, as only about 1.4% of them make more than $200,000 per year. I am not quoting these percentages to imply that everyone else is lazy, because I know many hard-working people who struggle to make ends meet. I am using these numbers to illustrate the challenges of climbing the economic ladder in our society. Yes, some individuals inherit wealth and enjoy an easier life. However, if you factor their numbers into this data, then this further illustrates the point.
Please do not interpret these thoughts as a justification for having no work-life balance whatsoever. There exists a threshold beyond which further exertion fails to produce superior results. In life, there are always trade-offs due to conflicting priorities. Ensure that you make these decisions with a clear understanding of their consequences.
