How to Prioritize Amidst Complexity: An Adapted Look at Covey's 4-Box

Time is not on our side right now. We are all being asked to do more, with less hours, less people, less set-up, less support, and less everything. Prioritization right now is the difference between great and good.

For my dollar, the best time management and prioritization system is still the Franklin Covey model. It is simple, sturdy, and forces choice. The creator is a genius. For any leader, it forces you to make decisions and determine which things you are working on fit at the cross-roads of both urgent and important. I have seen many other models, but none as elegant as this.

For (just) the duration of this Coronavirus, I would submit that we need to add a 3rd dimension. I would argue it's worth considering the dimension of "appropriateness." I dont mean it in the HR sense of the word, but rather in the "suitability" sense of the word. I think during this time period, a good leader has to ask themselves if the very assignment/task they are giving to their team-members is fair and reasonable. I think a great sales-person has to ask themselves, is the solution they are suggesting right timed for this unique moment? I think a great brand has to ask themselves, is this a gimmick that I will regret by end of the day? I think a great leader has to ponder....is this ask I am making of my team realistic given the personal situations of my employees?

Basically, I think this is a moment for everyone to take advantage of their "draft box" and wake up the next morning and really ask yourself....is the idea/request still appropriate and suitable next morning? The draft box is like free therapy and will never judge you.

Perhaps the greatest sin for someone in leadership is being tone-def. This happens most frequently when we focus with an inward lens. The Urgent/Important lens is brilliant, but allows us to prioritize things that may truly not fit this moment. The "appropriate" lens is meant to help in one critical path way. It will promote self-awareness. I think leaders need to take a minute and just be better at asking themselves if the receiver is ready to take in their idea/suggestion?

This notion of pausing to ask yourself if the ask is "appropriate" is even more important for experienced managers as we tend to over-estimate our own self-awareness. As a recent article in HBR reminds us, the more power a leader holds, the more likely they are to overestimate their skills and abilities. One study of more than 3,600 leaders across a variety of roles and industries found that, relative to lower-level leaders, higher-level leaders more significantly overvalued their skills (compared with others’ perceptions). In fact, this pattern existed for 19 out of the 20 competencies the researchers measured, including emotional self-awareness, accurate self-assessment, empathy, trustworthiness, and leadership performance.

An incredible diagnostic tool for self-awareness is called the JOHARI Window. It maps what you know about yourself to what others know about you. The four areas in the window are your Open Self, Hidden Self, Blind Self and Unknown Self. The blind spot is where most of us get into trouble. We get into this trouble especially during times of chaos, change, emotion, and stress. This moment we are living through is chock-full of all of that.

Over the next 90 days, I would suggest pausing and forcing yourself to use this slightly adapted model. Your clients, and your team's and those around you are living in a new reality. As a leader, its critical to factor this into all prioritization. The word "important" could theoretically tackle this territory but I dont think that is the case. The word "important" gives you too much of an out to focus on what might further your own agenda. The needed pause here is to ensure you focus equally on your client's and stake-holders and the real pain and confusion they are all feeling during this once in a 100 years moment.

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