Balance Your Managerial Life

We have only one life, but we live in three				that John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems has
overlapping worlds-our business world,				also
our family world, and our other social world.				achieved. An interviewer, asked, "What would
Imagine bringing your spouse and kids				you like to have accomplished and
to a meeting with seven of your salespersonnel.				what's next after Cisco?""The most important
Sitting off to your left, Miss Wright				thing to me is my family, and that doesn't change.
asks the question on the minds of all her fellow				My wife of
sales colleagues, "Why did you bring				25 years is a perfect balance for me. When I
your family to our meeting today? Will they be				get down, which I occasionally do, she
playing any sort of role in our				brings me up, and on rare occasions if I get a
discussion?" You simply respond, "No, they're just				little bit too confident she brings me
here so I can tend to their needs."Of course, this				back down to earth too.""I've got two kids I'm
is a highly unlikely scenario. You don't bring your				tremendously proud of and they are my life; so
family into work				my family is
with you every day. However, Heather Howitt				first, second, and third in terms of my priorities.
does. Howitt, the CEO of Oregon Chai				And when I'm at home, as my wife
in Portland, Oregon, balances motherhood with				reminds me when I walk in the door, I'm not the
her responsibility of running an				CEO anymore. So at home, I'm like
eleven million dollar manufacturer of tea lattes.				anybody else. Carrying out the garbage, changing
"Our office is a very casual place.				the light bulbs, and so on.""And what will I do after
We've got a family element going on here."Living				this? I will teach when I retire. I think giving back
in the rain soaked city of Portland, 32-year-old				to the
Howitt often arrives at her				community is the right thing to do. It'd be terrible
office lightly splattered with mud. She often				to be perhaps the most
spends her lunch break taking her one-				successful company in history and not give back.
year-old son, Sawyer, to a nearby park, or to				So I'm not going to go work for
her nanny who takes him home. On				another company after Cisco. When I retire
other days, she simply places him in his crib in				from Cisco, I'm done with the business
her office.With the growth of her company,				world and I will probably go teach. Young people
Howitt hired some key executives including a chief				are so much fun to interface with
				.... How do you teach ethics, and how do you
operating officer to manage operations and				teach integrity earlier on? To do that
finance. She also delegated the sales				would just be a blast!"7Chambers illustrates how
calls that she used to make herself. "I used to				a proper balance between one's executive
come in at 6 a.m. and make calls				performance
nonstop," she explained. "I don't have to do that				and other dimensions of life can contribute to
anymore." Howitt positioned				both personal fulfillment and
herself in a way so that she is no longer				business success. An awareness of the need for
personally over-worked or over-challenged				balance has prompted many
by her daily responsibilities at the company. She				executives to make some crucial decisions in
balanced her business and private				their day-to-day business and
life. She not only recognized her strategic				personal life that protected them from failure so
contribution to the success of Oregon				they could just become an
Chai, but she also appreciates her unique role in				"enduring survivor."But, no doubt, you want more
the life of her young son.1As an entrepreneur or				from life than just maintaining a mere survivor
a business executive, you must give your best in				level.
two entirely				You want to excel as an executive leader, and
different worlds. The needs of your business and				also thrive, not merely survive, in your
the needs of your family and				personal life. So beyond the awareness that
friends compete for your time and attention. And				comes from self-assessment and
both expect the very best from				evaluation of your priorities, there are additional
you. Heather Howitt found one way to do it; you				steps to take in order to reach the
may have another way.To enjoy both the				top level of having all that life can
rewards of business success and family fulfillment,				offer.Forty-year-old Mark Holland is the founder of
you need to				a thriving company, Ascend HR
constantly work to keep your balance. To				Solutions. At the beginning of every workweek
successfully tackle the challenges of a				he pulls out a message that reads:
fast-growing company, you need all the personal				"Wendi is the most important person in my life.
resources that come from a				My family comes before work and
balanced life. "How do you develop a balanced				other activities. I live my religion. I provide the
business personality?"Some entrepreneurial				financial security for my family. Our
executives suffer from dangerous imbalance.				home is a retreat from the challenges of the
Others achieve				world. I have a positive attitude,
top excellence in maintaining optimal balance.				looking for and developing the strength in others.
"Early in my career, I use to think				I help people develop and grow,
that entrepreneurship was more an art than a				including, when appropriate, holding them
science, that it was a gift or				accountable. The outdoors provide a
something," says Cherrill Farnsworth. "I don't				needed sanctuary and retreat for me."Holland
believe that anymore."2				wrote this personal mission statement in 1998
Entrepreneurial leadership is not some automatic				following a major crisis in
personality trait or some artistic				his business. That year the firm lost $800,000,
talent some people are just born with and others				which caused significant problems in
happen to lack. Instead,				his partnership. Holland experienced so much
entrepreneurial effectiveness with a balanced life				stress that he lost nearly 20 pounds.Then a
is a dynamic process that you				business seminar inspired him to write down his
must constantly work at. If you don't keep				life mission statement.
developing and nurturing your				Holland admits that the seminar gave him "a
entrepreneurial personality, it might just die. Then,				good smack upside the head." He
only drastic action might revive				resolved to never again sacrifice his family and
that entrepreneurial spirit.That's exactly what				health for the sake of his business.Over a
happened to Sam T. Goodner. His software				two-year period, Holland's personal mission
company, the				statement grew into a life plan
Austin-based Catapult Systems Corp., ranked				for himself and his wife. "We asked, 'What are
77th among the fastest growing				the important things? What do we
companies in America while Goodner served as				want to have happen before we die?'" Now they
the founding CEO. At age 33,				have a 30-year planned life itinerary
Goodner decided to step down as CEO of				on a spreadsheet that covers college savings,
Catapult to take on the new challenge of				retirement, vacations, exercise
serving as CEO of Inquisite Inc., a Catapult				regiments, relating to God and spiritual activities,
subsidiary that sells software over the				work goals, personal growth, and
Internet. But Goodner soon found his new digs to				personal relationships.Holland constantly improved
be "harsher, more spartan" than				himself by regularly pursuing clear, written
what he was accustomed to. "Half of it is actually				personal
under ground," he explained,				goals and life motto. Writing down your personal
describing his much less attractive new office				goals and a life motto not only
space.But Goodner was not complaining. After all,				helps you clarify the kind of balance you want to
it was his own idea to leave the				achieve, but also gives you a
comfortable CEO position of Catapult with a				written reference to check week by week. Many
staff of 115, to head Inquisite Inc., with				people refine their goals and motto
only 20 employees. But now something was				over several year's time.Mark Holland and his
wrong. To be sure, there were plenty of				wife, Wendi take long walks together at least
challenges to attend to. The phone rang for his				twice a week
attention, paper kept filling the "in"				with their two-year-old daughter on Mark's
box, and email messages steadily came in from				shoulders and their five-month-old son
employees, venders, and customers.				snuggled in Wendi's front pack. Once a month, on
Every day, and every hour, urgent decisions had				one of those walks, they discuss
to be made, so much so that				and review their life plan thoroughly. "The plan is
anyone in his shoes could have been				dynamic-it changes. It's been
overwhelmed by the "tyranny of the urgent."But				really good for getting our relationship and our
increasingly, he felt like he was only reacting to				lives back to where they needed to
demands and not taking a				be," Holland says.8This practice of regularly
visionary proactive role any longer. And too				reviewing their life plan indicates that Holland
often, long hours of work would crowd				progressed
out what he'd prefer to do in his home and				to the highest level of functioning under balancing
personal life. Even worse, he realized				ones managerial life. At this top
that even if he could experience any gratification				level, you constantly implement action plans to
in his personal world, it could not				improve the balance of all five
make up for what was missing in his business				dimensions of your life.Paul N. Howell, CEO of
world."I had none of my entrepreneurial creativity				Howell Corporation, named an additional crucial
left," Goodner reflected. "I was falling				characteristic of a successfully balanced
back on what was easy. You know that's				entrepreneurial executive: "The willingness
happening when you start just going				and demonstrated ability to conduct him-or
through your email all day long." Recognizing that				herself-on a high moral and ethical
his former entrepreneurial spirit				level in both business and personal life. Without it,
was gone, he resigned and hired a new CEO to				success is uncertain and short
head the company.Perhaps Goodner had already				lived."9At the highest level, people who interact
achieved financial independence and had other				with you can see the sterling qualities of
worthy				your servant leadership. Your executive actions
goals to pursue in life. In that case, relinquishing				are guided by clear plans that
his CEO position could be the best				continually balance and rebalance all the
decision to make. But could there have been				dimensions of successful living:
another way to recover his				1. Executive Success: Servant leadership,
entrepreneurial spirit with a healthy balance of				management skills, and
attention to work, family, and				career development.
friends?3Entrepreneurial functioning can range				2. Loving Relationships: Serving family, friends,
from the low level, "You are personally over				and the needy.
worked and over challenged"-to the most				3. Healthy Lifestyle: Regular exercise, good diet,
desirable level, "You regularly implement				and regular
action plans to improve every aspect of your				medical care.
life."The lowest level of functioning leaves your				4. Emotional Well-being: Stress management,
company endangered. Top management				recreation, and
is personally over worked and over challenged.				psychological stability.
The unrelenting urgent matters of				5. Spiritual Maturity: Ethical character,
your business seem to demand so much of your				commitment to ultimate
time that you go to work earlier				values, peace with God, and devoting oneself to
and earlier, and stay later and later into the				life's greatest
evening. You are like a runaway tire,				spiritual priorities.At this level, you regularly
rolling down a steep hill, turning faster and faster				"retreat" from your usual executive responsibilities
and faster until finally, you run				to
out of control and then crash.Or, you might think				rethink your personal mission, vision, and action
of it this way: The underlying foundation of your				plans. You deliberately make a
life at work				continual concerted effort to maintain the delicate
and at home is built on sand instead of a solid				balance you need for a fulfilling
rock. Even the slightest storm will				life.Through years of identifying the best
plunge you into a danger area, damaging your				practices of leading companies, 33 Dynamics,
relationships with your business				LLC has identified 33 essential dynamics for
associates and with your family and friends.You				managerial excellence. These dynamics
are barely surviving, but you are endangered like				are grouped under 6 major goals which address
a stick of dynamite that has				such realities as leadership,
been lit; you don't have much time before things				creating loyal employees, and achieving market
will blow up in your business, or in				dominance, just to name a few.The staff of 33
your family life, or in both. You must get out as				Dynamics Consulting is interested in helping people
soon as possible. But how? You				in their given
can't help but think, "There must be a better				profession to become leaders in commerce by
way." And you are right! There is.An ancient				implementing sound business
Hebrew writing warns, "In vain you rise early and				principles in these 33 areas of
stay up late, toiling for				management.There's no need to live from job to
food to eat-for he [the Lord God] grants sleep				job or pay check to pay check. There are ways
to those he loves."4 God, who				to
created our reality, designed us and the world				get from survival mode to success, and the 33
for a better set of options."Over the past three				Dynamics team can help you get
years, I've been able to identify gradually what				there! Whether your company is struggling or
things I can give				solidly performing, the first step to
to my CPA, or to my bookkeeper, or to my				moving up to even higher levels is to rate your
office manager. I read about people who				own company in these 33 areas of
work 60 or 90 hours a week and build				business dynamics. This practical rating tool is
multimillion-dollar businesses at the expense				included in our book, There's Room
of their health and family. Those aren't success				at the Top, available at or Hammond, a sales
stories in my book. Success is				executive was once quoted saying, "From where
having a multimillion-dollar business and the other				I stand, the
stuff, too," says 40-year-old				elevator to the top is, has been, and always will
Tom Melaragno, founder of the $7.6-million				be 'out of order.' In order to get to
Compri Consulting, an IT consulting				the top, you'll have to take the stairs-and you'll
and staffing firm founded in 1992. Although he				have to take them one at a time."Now is the
put in 12-hour days when he				time to consider the steps that will take you to
started the business, today he works just 8 or 9				the top of your game!"Balance Your Managerial
hours and makes sure he's there to				Life" was excerpted from There's Room at the
watch his two sons' Little League baseball games				Top: 33
in the summer and coach the older				Dynamics for Managerial Excellence, 2004, pages
one's football team in the fall.5Taking a proactive				44-51.Â© Copyright 2004, by Uxbridge
stance means you take control to invest your life				Publishing Ltd. Co. All rights reserved.1 Greco,
wisely. Scott				2000, page 106.
Tinley is an extraordinary triathlete who has				2 Barker, 2000, page 18.
competed in more than 350 triathlons				3 Hyatt, 2000, pages 9-11.
including 19 Hawaii Ironman triathlons. The				4 Psalm 127:2.
triathlon is an endurance sport				5 Greco, 2000, page 110.
involving swimming, bicycling, and running.				6 Inkpen, 2001, pages 76-81.
Amazingly, Tinley has won nearly 100				7 Donlon, 2000.
races. "This sport is about a combination of				8 Greco, 2000, page 107.
personal challenge, camaraderie, and				9 Beatty & Burkholder, 1996, page 41.Matthew
achievement of self-knowledge," Tinley				Rekers, M.B.A., is the President and CEO of
explains.Tinley is more than just an athlete; he is				33Dynamics LLC. He previously
also a successful entrepreneur. He co-				served as the President and COO of Rekers and
founded a company that produced athletic				Company LLC. Mr. Rekers earned his
clothing-Tinley Performance Wear. He				B.S. in Business Administration, cum laude, from
and his partners built the business over 8 years,				the University of South Carolina
reaching about $10 million in sales.				with a major in accounting, and his M.B.A. degree
In 1992, they sold the company to Reebok. But				from Winthrop University. He is a
even more than just being a				business consultant for 33Dynamics Consulting
triathlete and a wealthy businessman, Tinley is				LLC. He can be contacted at
also appreciated as a writer, traveler,				Visit our website at Rekers, Ph.D., M.B.A., is a
father, and husband. As productive as he is in				tenured professor at the University of South
many areas of life, he has not lost				Carolina, and the Chairman and CEO of InterAct
sight of the balance he needs.Tinley explains the				International, Inc. Dr. Rekers has 22
work-life balance he maintained over his 20-year				years of executive experience in leading four
career as an				corporations as President or CEO, and
athlete, husband, father, and entrepreneur: "A lot				has served on seven corporate boards. As a
of people have this image of self-				Research Fellow at Harvard University,
management, that it means you have to drive				Dr. Rekers was mentored by Professor David
yourself and force yourself to get				McClelland who is internationally
things done without somebody looking over your				known for his practical studies of executive and
shoulder. It is actually quite the				employee motivation. Professor
opposite: You have to force yourself to have				Rekers has presented hundreds of seminars, and
balance in your life and be efficient in				lectures in dozens of countries in
all things you do."6He has recognized the				Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North
importance of what he calls a "precarious balance				America, and the Middle East. He received
between				his Ph.D. in human developmental psychology
preparation, competition, professionalism, support				from the University of California, Los
systems, and the world of				Angeles. He is the author or editor of ten books
family, friends, and paying the rent." He has not				and over 100 academic publications
lost sight of the fact that among				in applied psychology. He is a seminar leader for
the best things in life are family, friends, and a				There's Room at the Top Executive
quiet run in the park.This is the kind of balance				Seminars offered by 33Dynamics LLC.

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Balance Your Managerial Life