Improving Performance: It's Not in the Knowing, but in the Doing

As I've stated many times, I believe that our faith should not only be paramount in our lives, but that it can be extremely helpful to our business endeavors as well. Recently, I bought Tom Holladay's book, "The Relationship Principles of Jesus". Tom is a pastor at Saddleback Church, founded by Rick Warren, whose material I have used here before. (See 2 posts on 2/21/08)

This morning, as I was reading Chapter 2, "The Attraction of Lesser Things", it rang so true in all facets of my life. So, at 6am, here I am!

From scripture, Tom insists that we must put relationships with God and then others first, before our time, before things, before work. Then comes the punch line: "'Yeah, yeah, I know that', you may be thinking. We all KNOW this. The problem is not in the knowing, but in the doing." Wow, isn't it the same with us trying to grow and get better in our businesses?

How many times do we let something far more trivial get in the way of what we should really be doing? 1) We come in early to see a troubled manager, but do our e-mail first. 2) Our assistant had a bad night with her child and sticks her head in to talk, but we keep glancing at last month's financials as she speaks. 3) Your husband calls about having to discipline his top salesperson, and you read the Wall Street Journal while listening. We've all been there, some of us (like I) more than others.

The answer to making the change is to have the discipline to change our priorities. It IS in the doing! We must begin to make different choices in our relationships, and how we actually perform and value them. The fact of the matter is that when we allow competing values, instead of being disciplined and ordering them, one will always overwhelm the other anyway. So we may as well plan what we do instead of letting it happen out of balance.

Consider this, the lesser value most always overcomes the greater. Why? Lesser values take less thought, less effort, & are less stressful. So they seem easier and draw us in. We also can get through them more quickly, so in the name of getting more done, we do them first. Lesser values don't deliver on their promise, that's why they are lesser values.

Even in the workplace, relationships are more important than tasks. Think about it. Virtually all the time, when something is absolutely crucial that you get done, isn't it accomplished through others? Your board is made up of people who can at least make your life much more difficult, and at the worst remove you. Your customers must respect & trust you before they do business with you. And, as a leader, you must lead through respect if nothing else.

Let me close with this from Tom's book: "The truth is, that whenever tasks need to be accomplished, there is the temptation to make the task you are doing more important than the people for whom you are doing the task."

You like to lead, to be in charge. Will you take charge of your relationships?