What Works for You May Not Work for Me!

In the second lesson of our Emerging Leader Development course, Cindy and I emphasize that building strong connections with the people we’re responsible for leading requires energy. We go on to stress that putting energy into connecting with our teams requires each of us to make sure we’re intentional about recharging as well so we’re able to invest energy each time it’s necessary - which is really every time we interact with someone. When we’re leading a team, it’s often our responsibility to build processes in place that help the leaders around us recharge. The challenge with this really boils down to understanding that something may energize one person while sucking the energy right out of another!

Like many couples starting out together, Cindy and I didn’t have much paid time off built up or much extra money to afford many vacations. The few times we were able to take the kids somewhere reasonably nice, I wanted to be sure to squeeze in everything we possibly could so everyone had the best time possible. As I’m sure you’re aware, I’m pretty high strung and draw a lot of energy from being around other people and being engaged in multiple tasks at any given time. Cindy, not so much… I remember her being absolutely exhausted, saying “what part of vacation don’t you understand?” And every once in a while, the kids would even complain about me being a drill sergeant!

All that said, the only time I actually recharge from lounging on the beach or by a pool is when I’m just too tired to do anything else. Sitting still wears me out! My point here is that what works for you may not always work for me! The same holds true when it comes to how we build systems in our routines to be as productive as we can possibly be. A system that works perfectly for you, helping you get all your tasks accomplished and keep your tank full in the process, could possibly drain every ounce of life right out of me without yielding anything close to the results I’m working toward. 

Last time I shared how important I believe effective calendar planning is, even when it comes to the tasks that require us to be creative. I also alluded to how understanding our own personal chrono-type can help us recognize what we’re best suited for at various times throughout the day. But when it comes to building the systems that service us best as individuals, especially if we’re looking to maintain productivity over a significant period of time, having a keen awareness of how we’re wired to behave makes a huge difference. When we structure the systems we create based on our behavioral style blends so that each action we take moves us closer to our goal and is fulfilling at the same time, the odds of burnout drop significantly and our chances of actually loving what we’re doing shoot up at the same time!

Moving forward, we’ll work through some things we can consider working into systems based on each primary behavioral style. While each of us only have one primary style, we’re all a blend of all four that we’ll look at so understanding them all will help weave them together based on our own unique blends. It will also give you some perspective on ways you can support your team members that aren’t wired the same way as you. Remember, what works for you may not work for me!