‘I wish I’d been better prepared for that meeting, but I didn’t have time.’ Do you recognise that feeling – kicking yourself that you should have made the time?
The issue could be between the short-term and the long-term. We’re juggling these all the time. Like coaching someone rather than offering them a quick fix.
In HR especially, you just don’t know what’s going to land on your desk each day. You’ve got plans and priorities, like wanting to do more work on the presentation for that key meeting, but you’re called on to help with something that can’t be put off. I bet you end up doing the prep at home. Familiar?
It’s frustrating, stressful, and you end up in an important meeting feeling unprepared, or not being taken seriously because you’re not in the right headspace. Yet this is your big chance to get people on board, show your understanding of what drives success in your business, or make a big impact.
What’s your technique for making sure you focus on what’s important, rather than ‘just’ urgent?