(re)Emerging - it's not just for cicadas
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the May 20, 2021 Newsletter
Here we go! Just like Brood X, we're coming out of our isolation. What will we find?
17 years ago my front yard thrummed with the vibration of cicada wings. The sound and shaking got into everything! Simultaneously awe-inspiring, joyful, and horrifying, Brood X was everywhere. My son was 5 and there was a lot of chasing with, shrieking at, and - yes - eating of the bugs. We knew they were coming, we waited eagerly, and yet we couldn't really have anticipated the impact they would have. Sound familiar?
This year many of us are re-emerging with the cicadas. We've waited, we (may have) planned, but we still don't know quite what to expect until we get there. Are our priorities the same as they were in the "before times"? Do we still align with our jobs and employers? Do we have the same goals and needs? What will bring us joy? And what will leave us dry as a cicada shell?
In this week's newsletter, we'll look at three post-pandemic business challenges and share resources around each. I know the CDC announcement last week about reduced mask wearing for fully-vaccinated people made this shift feel very real for me and my sense of urgency (and accompanying stress) has sky-rocketed. If you're experiencing the same, don't get paralyzed. Every small step you take counts as progress - find a step that works for you, and move forward today.
What's your most important challenge?
I'll give you a hint: it might not be the most urgent! Our long-term professional success - especially as we move into senior roles - depends upon identifying areas of strategic importance and making real progress. This is not just checking tasks off the to-do list. Rather it's about checking of the right tasks to make real progress on what matters! The 2x2 known as The Eisenhower Box is a much-loved tool to identify those priorities - download a fillable pdf to work your "box".
So, where's your focus moving out of the pandemic period? Could it be:
Maintaining control of your schedule? There have been no edges to our workdays and we've been scrambling to get everything done. How are you going to build back boundaries? How in the world are we going to add back in commuting and travel time? What about a return to social events? Make sure you're running your schedule, not letting your schedule run you. This isn't just about feeling in control - overwhelm leads to mistakes. Top tip: Sunday night look ahead - make choices about what stays and what goes, and don't be taken by surprise. Leave room to breathe!
Getting aligned with new priorities at work? The world changed around us, and many companies skimped on strategic planning last year. If you don't know what your boss' (and their boss') focus is now, you need to find out. Top tip: Manage up. Get time with your boss and make that time count - this article highlights the types of conversations you should be having, rearrange the months as appropriate!
Spending time with the right people to build your business/career? Introverts and extroverts will find differing challenges in post-pandemic life. As an ambivert, I'm planning my time very intentionally because I know I need to protect my introverted side, even while coming across as extroverted. Be careful not to fall back into habits without considering your current needs and priorities. Top tip: Ask yourself "why?" During the Make Your Network Work course, one of our participants realized that she was trying to meet her social needs during business meetings - and then wondering why she wasn't meeting her business development goals! Social needs and BD goals: both vital, but very different! Make sure you're spending the right time with the right people in the right ways. Registration just opened for the next run of the course if you want to learn more.
“What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.”
― Dwight Eisenhower, 34th President of The United States of America