Monday, December 12, 2011

Time Well Spent


I spent the day with a mentor in my life many years ago and something life changing occurred for me. While I realized this mentor of mine did not accomplish a lot of things from his goal list or his agenda for the day, he was having influence in the lives of people. I found myself watching this mentor talking and encouraging every individual he came into contact with. I then realized something I had always known: people are more important than tasks.

Leaders often forget this great truth. It's very easy to get caught up with the "To Do" lists and let that drive how our minutes are spent every day. However, leaders who live with a vision of impacting people do not let the pressures of the "To Do" lists override the time needed to influence people. In short, leaders must balance the agenda with the more important reality of building and mentoring relationships.

A second realization occurred just this year as I found myself stuck to my computer one morning before school while also trying to have a conversation with a student. While I'm a believer in multi-tasking to a certain degree, this was one of those moments I shouldn't. It wasn't long before I realized I didn't hear this student talking anymore. I then realized my lack of attentiveness led this student to believe I didn't care about her situation and she left. I was very disappointed with myself. However, I made an apology and explained I did care and was failing by showing this by letting the pressures of my day interfere with what was more important.

Time is never wasted when it's used to accomplish a vision of mentoring the lives of other people.

10 comments:

  1. I could not agree more with this. I would most definately rather build a relationship with someone than get my "To Do" list completed. As humans, we defiantly orient ourself into getting the things done that need to get done, but we don't think about how we get there. It is important to build those relationships with people. Time is not wasted when you put off your list to build relationships. Time is gained because you have that extra person to help you.

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  2. I find this true because if you spend even a little time with people around you,you will see that everybody have something good or bad going in their life.If you have mentor that will be good with you and will make you feel like you need to look or even act like him but on other hand you need to realise that being an active leader is also being a good teamate and friend.So many leaders loose their way to communication and forget what is going on in other peoples life becuase they are following their dreams and goals but on other hand they forget what is more impotent.People are most important thing in world and if you dont realise that and start making action like listening while they are speaking and something like that you wont be able to continue to live life without your teammates and friends becuase once wise man said "People around you are the ones that will motivate you to be better ! "

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  3. I think that in this fast paced world we live in it becomes difficult to make a To Do list that has all of our activities as well as time for the important things in life like family and personal relationships. We need to be leaders who put the people first because if we put them first we will be happier with ourselves. Goals are important and we need a clear guideline to be able to accomplish them but we need to interact with the people along the way. Without relationships we are people without a true purpose. People around you will help you reach your dream goal, they will be the ones keeping you true to yourself and your goals.

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  4. Interacting with the people around you is very important, maybe not all the time buts its good too do for yourself. Their are times in your life that you ignore people that you don't want to, but you are too focused on getting your To Do list done that it's impossible. Relationships along the way to accomplishing your To Do can give you a guideline and they will offer you your help along the way. Always keep people close to you throughout your life and don't forget too listen as you can make their day or life.

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  5. I think that building relationships with those around you is one of the most important things in being a leader. If you don't keep relationships with people they could feel like they aren't needed or that they aren't important to you. If you are in a leadership position you have to make sure you listen to your followers' opinions and take their input seriously. If you don't do this then people will stop following you and the very people that helped to build you up could all of a sudden be gone.

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  6. I think getting things that need to be accomplished is important, but we don't need a list. Building relationships with people is far more important than some list. If we don't build relationships with people than we aren't really being leaders. When I am at work and building relationships with our residents and having a frustrating day I always remember the quote, “People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel."

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  7. i can see how people often come into conflicts when dealing with two important things. You may have a real problem that needs to be solved quick when you have another problem right in front of you. you debate which one is more important. Then when you substitute people into the problems you will often hurt someone's feelings. All you have to do is identify the problem and realize which one is most important at the moment. You just have to evaluate your value and then act on them. Staying true to yourself and other people you influence is most important thing.

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  8. bulding relationships is one of the most important things in life. You have to let people know you are there too and not always multitask. Give people all of your self and let them know that you care. Conflicts occure when you say you care and dont show it. Actions speak louder than words.

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  9. Relationships are very important if you are going to be an effective leader. We all should have someone in our life that is our mentor and can teach us. We never stop learning, no matter how old we are. Also, I believe that we should try and be mentors for others, so we can help them grow.

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  10. I agree with your feeling that relationships and people are more important than tasks. I think that if a person genuinely needs your help, and you're able to give it to them, you should definitely help them out regardless of if it'll benefit you or get in the way of something that you're trying to get done for yourself.

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