The common problem for all managers is time. “How do I create sufficient time to do everything I have to do each day?” The fact is that we all work with a degree of inefficiency, we spend too much time on the tasks we enjoy and insufficient on our “daily disciplines”.
People, from all walks of life, who are determined to achieve goals learn to be expert at organising their time so that they have sufficient time to train themselves. They know that they have to get better and fitter at their job skills if they are to win promotions.
The easy way to understand the point I am making is to consider an athlete who wants to win an Olympic medal. The athlete must allocate time every day for honing his/her technique and for improving his/her fitness. Similarly an artist must spend time studying painting technique and he/she must spend time painting.
The apprenticeship schemes that were the foundation of our skills industries and which, thank heavens, are returning are good examples of continuous learning.
However, most managers do not set aside any time for learning during their daily routine. Yes, they will go on courses when their employer organises them. But such courses tend to become brief respites from the daily grind. Courses help, but they do not make managers think everyday about the business of managing and leading.
As Michael Gerber points out in his book The E-Myth, the reason why so many small businesses fail is that their owners tend to spend their time working IN their businesses, doing the things that interest them, rather than ON their business, promoting the business. The same applies to most managers – they spend too much time doing their daily tasks and not enough time training themselves and developing the capabilities of their teams.
To win promotions you need to spend a little time every day learning and honing your management skills. Read a little everyday. That is why I publish on this blog everyday, to stimulate your thinking and to help you to learn.
