Paid to Think
I recently discovered “The YouTube.”
And that’s not necessarily a good thing.
A few years back I was discussing online music resources with my daughter. My go-to at the time was Spotify. Hers was YouTube.
I thought that an odd choice. We were discussing audio resources, not video.
Even so, the search engine, the algorithms, the user experience, from her perspective, favored the video platform – even for mere audio consumption.
Over the past few months, I have been converted. I now understand her perspective based on my own experience.
But…that’s not the point of today’s stretch.
The point is that in my discovery of YouTube’s value, particularly during this intense season in American politics, I have been robbed of something of exponentially greater value.
Wait. Full Stop. Allow me to take ownership. I have given away something of exponentially greater value.
My “think time.”
Years ago I stopped listening to the radio in the car. I stopped using ear buds on hikes.
I drive a lot. I hike/walk a lot. Sometimes I even run or ride my bike.
Over the past few years, these activities have become extremely valuable opportunities for me to think and to process.
A lot of my Monday Morning Stretch ideas flow out of drive or exercise think time.
Problems are sorted. Tensions are managed. Ideas are formed.
And I’ve realized that for the past couple months I have traded it all away.
Not good.
It’s time to rebalance.
Input is imperative. May we never stop learning. Long-form podcasts have much greater value than soundbite news sources.
However, think and process time is just as important (if not moreso) – particularly for senior leaders.
Some people are “paid to do”. Senior organizational leaders, however, are “paid to think”.
Be as zealous about the protection of your think time as you are of any of your other major priorities.
Because if you don’t, who will?
Blessings to you, my friends!
==========
This Week’s Resource Recommendation:
"Paid to Think: A Leader's Toolkit for Redefining Your Future"
– David Goldsmith
When this book was first recommended to me, I was hesitant. It’s like a textbook for leaders, and I prefer story. But my mentor offered a caveat: “The gold is in the first third of the book. You don’t have to read the whole thing.” Fair enough. And I’m glad I took the dive!
From Amazon: Have you ever thought about the fact that a craftsman has more and better tools to solve challenges on the job than the leader of a business or organization does? Leadership "tools" are usually defined as computers, spreadsheets, data, and even experience, but in reality, leaders need thinking tools that are hard to come by, so they find themselves hunting and pecking for answers in books, at seminars, through on-the-job training programs, from mentors, and at business schools, and still, they're left with gaps. Surely, most leaders are good at what they do, but the daily challenges of their jobs, like accelerating growth, increasing productivity, driving innovation, doing more with less, and balancing work with life don't come with some sort of leadership toolkit...until now.
In Paid to Think, international consultant David Goldsmith presents his groundbreaking approach to leadership and management based on research revealing the twelve specific activities that all leaders perform on a daily basis, and he provides you with each activity's accompanying tools and instructions proven to boost your performance and that of your entire organization.
MMS 24-22
I would love to send our Monday Morning Stretch directly to you via email and would consider it an honor to serve you in this way. To register, please take 30 seconds to give us permission to do so below.
Blessings to you, my friend!
