Be sure NOT to . . .

BE A POOR TIME MANAGER

Noted management consultant James A. Fields states that the average worker is productive only 55% of the time. While 15% of the remaining time goes to personal issues, an incredible 30% is lost due to scheduling problems, unclear assignments, improper staffing, and poor discipline -- in other words, poor time management on the part of the worker or his leader.

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to lose track of seconds, minutes, even hours, in the rush to just get things done. If you aren't managing your time as effectively as you'd like, try these steps to improve:

1. Prioritize. If you're like most of us, you have a to-do list that never quits -- no matter how hard you try, you can't get everything done. Since that list will probably keep growing, not shrinking, you have to be able to prioritize. Spend 80% of your time doing the most important 20% of your responsibilities -- and focus on the tasks that are required of you alone, that give you the greatest return on your time, and that give you the greatest personal reward.

2. Plan your time. Henry Kaiser said, "Every minute spent planning will save two in execution." If you don't plan and schedule your time, you will continually find yourself wondering where it went at the end of each day.

3. Steal One Hour a Day. This idea comes from Chuck Swindoll, an incredibly busy seminary president and popular speaker. He states that no matter how busy we are, all of us are capable of "stealing" one hour each day. You can do it by getting up a little earlier, taking a shorter lunch, working an extra hour at home after the kids are in bed, etc. This habit will give you 260 extra work hours a year -- in other words, six weeks!

HAVE A LOSING ATTITUDE

God created all of us to be winners, giving us the gifts, skills, and circumstances that we need to succeed at what he's called us to do. Yet many people -- even Christians who should feel totally secure in Christ -- don't seem to believe that truth.

In my over twenty-five years as a leader and developer of people, I have never met a consistent winner who had a negative attitude. Successful people live with a positive attitude, one that reflects their belief that they can do all things through Christ.

People with losing attitudes say things like, "I can't do it;" "It won't work;" "It's not my job;" or "Life owes me." To cultivate a winning attitude, tell yourself, "I can do it;" "Let's give it a try;" "I'll be glad to help;" and "I owe it to others."

STOP GROWING

John Wooden, one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time, said, "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." Wooden understood that you never really do "know it all." In fact, the minute you think you do and decide you don't need to learn any more, you stop growing. And just as water that stands still too long becomes stagnant and stale, a person who isn't growing loses his momentum and effectiveness.

Dr. Charles Garfield said, "Peak performers do not see accomplishment as a fixed state, nor as a safe haven in which the individual is moored, completed, finished." If you've been stagnating lately, make a commitment this year to develop and stretch yourself. Read books, listen to tapes, and go to conferences. Get out of your comfort zone and grow.

WORK WITHOUT A PLAN

Anatold France said, "The average man does not know what to do with his life, yet wants another one which will last forever." Many people don't have any idea where they are going in life, so they never get anywhere. God has a plan for your life. If you don't already know what it is, it's time for you to seek it.

Here are five questions I recommend that you ask yourself:

1. What do I want to accomplish in my life?

2. Can I make this purpose specific?

3. How am I going to accomplish it?

4. Am I currently accomplishing it?

5. What do I have to change in order to accomplish my goal?

Examine yourself, pray, and discover your purpose. Then develop a plan. And get into the habit of working every day to fulfill that plan. You have God-given tasks to do, just as Jesus did. Make his prayer -- "I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do" (John 17:4 NIV) -- your goal too.

RESIST CHANGE

Most of us have a natural resistance to change. In his book "The Ordeal of Change," Eric Hoffer said, "People will cling to an unsatisfactory way of life rather than change in order to get something better for fear of getting something worse."

But in order to grow, we all must change. No one can improve and remain unchanged at the same time. That is why it's crucial to learn to accept and even embrace change. When we don't, we limit our future. And if we as leaders are not change agents, we are condemning our organizations to mediocrity and a slow death.

Making change a way of life takes time, but it is certainly worth the effort. If we can keep our eyes on God's purpose for our lives, we will be able not only to better accept change, but to become positive change agents.

MAKE RELATIONSHIPS A LOW PRIORITY

Teddy Roosevelt said, "The most important single ingredient to the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people." He knew that true leadership is influence; and before you can influence people, you have to connect with them. An understanding of what people want and need, and a willingness to give it to them, gives us the greatest chance for success.

What it boils down to is that people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. Our relationships with people determine our ability to lead and develop them. When we can get into the habit of putting people first -- by first loving and then developing and equipping them -- we can make a difference in their lives.

TRY TO TAKE SHORTCUTS TO SUCCESS

Every victory has a price, and there is no success without sacrifice. I've often said that if you succeed without sacrifice, it's because someone who went before you already made sacrifices. And if you sacrifice and don't experience success yourself, then you can rest in the knowledge that someone who follows you will reap the benefits.

People who are unwilling to pay the price for their goals and dreams will never be effective. They may love God, and they may be good people, but if they aren't willing to make the required sacrifices, they will never reach their potential. And they will not fulfill their calling.

Now is a good time to examine your life and "regroup" in preparation for the coming year. But New Year's Day serves only as a signpost in a long journey of growth and development. In this journey -- called life -- make self-examination and goal-setting a regular practice. As you make decisions about what to do and what NOT to do, you can steer a course of success.

© 2000 John C. Maxwell. Reprinted with permission.

Why even bother? Can organization really improve your business effectiveness? Here are three important reasons to unpile the pile:

1. To Sharpen Your Focus.

Our minds are consumed by what our eyes can see. When faced with a pile, part of your brain can't stop feeling overwhelmed. You take the edge off your ability to focus because you're not sure what to focus on! Organizing paper and "clearing the decks" will enable you to focus on the important things.

2. To Use Time More Wisely.

One of the top time bandits is clutter, because you waste time searching for everything you need. That loss of time translates into decreased productivity, which results in reduced church growth. When you know where everything is, your time is used more effectively.

3. To Increase Creativity.

Besides narrowing your focus, organizing the paper pile will give you time to be more creative. By removing the distraction of physical clutter and decreasing the emotional drain of disorganization, you give your mind permission to be creative. Your mind is like the memory in a computer, you can fill it up with junk or worthwhile information.

SIX TIPS ON HOW TO UNPILE THE PILE:

1. Get Rid of the Clutter.

If your desk looks like it was used in the movie Twister, that may be good for Hollywood, but it's disastrous for your ministry effectiveness. Get rid of the junk today. If your personality requires clutter for peace of mind, then clutter a shelf or two on your bookcase or credenza.

2. Use a Simple System.

One big time-waster is handling a piece of paper multiple times. Have you ever done this with a letter? You open it and read it. Then, you set it aside for awhile. Then, you have to read it again later before responding! To avoid this, you need a system designed to do something with each item, therefore, handling it only once.

I like the "4-D"- system:

Dump It: Throw it away.

Do it Now: Take quick action.

Delegate: Hand it off to someone else and follow up on the progress.

Delay: File for later use, or place in a visible pending file that you check every day.

It's easy to organize with a system that you can understand and own.

3. File, Don't Pile.

And trust me on this, use a simple filing system! I'm still in therapy for the Dewey-decimal system I built while attending college. It called for up to five digits to the right of the decimal point! The FBI couldn't have found something once I filed it.

Design a simple topical file, in alphabetical order. Put most files in a file cabinet in your office. Use your desk drawer only as a "holding tank" for material you use regularly (at least once a month).

4. Notebooks Work Great.

Back-to-the-basics is sometimes the best route. For special projects, minutes from meetings, charts, and anything that needs to be mobile, use labeled three-ring binders with dividers.

5. Use an Administrative Assistant Wisely.

Give your administrative assistant all the paper-work you can, so you can focus on your ministry to the people.

6. Don't Over-Organize.

Don't confuse order with compulsive neatness. I know some "neat freaks" who are totally unorganized, and some "sloppy joes" who are very organized. Don't delight in the system; instead, focus on your productivity.

Getting organized isn't about personality type or giftedness. It's a pathway available to everyone, and its result is greater productivity.

"I can do it tomorrow," famous words of everyone skilled in procrastination. But, "tomorrow" never arrives. Instead, we keep putting things off and fail to accomplish our goals.