I recently traveled to Dallas, Texas, for a John Maxwell Company training. I attended a workshop on the first day and then a Train-the-Trainer of the same material on the second day. It is really exciting to me because the company I work for is investing in the program, and my expectation is that I will have the opportunity to do even more leadership training for the plant. I hope that we have the same end goal to move people (both salary and production associates) forward on their leadership spectrum. Obviously, this is something the plant manager and I will be clarifying. And even though I am only officially trained to use this material for the company that is paying for the training, it was a great training experience, and I will indirectly apply it to others that Kris and I serve.
Aside from the training, there were some unusual experiences on the trip. The one I want to share with you has to do with my keys. I rented a car for the trip. The ring of keys they provided included a spare set. Note: I was traveling alone. While a spare set of keys is nice in case one set is misplaced or locked in the car, a double set of keys that is permanently locked together so that they are either both lost or both locked in the car seems a bit excessive—especially considering there were two remote key fobs.
This reminded me of creating a huge to-do list—a list so long that it is impossible to accomplish. I am as guilty of this as anyone. I am a “list” person. I make the list long enough so that when some of the things cannot be done or even started, I will still have something to do. This kind of list can be overwhelming. It would make more sense to create a list that is truly attainable, and when that list of items is completed, make a new list for the given time that is still available.
On my return from the trip, I chose to refocus my daily action list. It is no longer overwhelming with too many things to check. What a sense of freedom it is to have a list that is more manageable on which to focus and get started!
What is your most recent change in how you lead yourself?