Work Habits

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Work Habits

I finally did a hike I’ve been wanting to do for the past five years. The trailhead is a six and half hour drive away, and other things seemed to fill the weekends where the access was easier. I almost didn’t do this hike because it’s in a wilderness area, which means I couldn’t hike with my dog.

I also have learned that where there’s short-term sacrifice, there’s long-term reward. The trail I chose is an iconic hike in the North Cascades of Washington state with jaw-dropping views.

It was during the hike I was thinking about how much freedom most of us enjoy regarding how we spend our time. Since the pandemic, I have been able to establish a work routine for the first time in my life. I wasn’t getting on a plane every week, and I will reduce my work travel going forward. With much of my work with executives, we’re either talking about strategy or people, and at the root of those issues and opportunities, is the essence of time.

Where we spend our time is wholly up to us, and as we all know, the urgent and important tasks can fill our day, every day. The initiatives that change our trajectory will never be urgent, but those are the ones that can be life altering.

On the drive to the trailhead yesterday, I was able to watch a bear feeding on the side of the road at dawn – with no other people or cars around. I saw a herd of elk grazing in a foggy field, and on the trail, I saw the biggest marmot I have ever seen. At the end of the climb, the view I have included in this post came into view.

All the while I was hiking, I was also working on my next book. I didn’t even realize I was thinking about it until I woke up the next day. The whole concept of direction, pace and tone was even more clear to me. The direction was the pass between two mountains, the pace was such that my climbing partner didn’t overheat, or tire too quickly. The tone was one of positivity despite obstacles like enormous logs blocking the trail, tricky stream crossings, and plenty of horseflies!

The other thing I realized on the trail was that I can create a lot of more open space in my calendar to escape from the noise, think, and allow my mind to make connections and work on the things that will truly change the trajectory of my work. I can’t help but smile when I say to you, take a hike!

What I’ve been listening to and reading…

We just interviewed Kim Cameron from the University of Michigan – for the second time. A truly extraordinary thought leader. His new book is coming out on August 3rd - Positively Energizing Leadership: Virtuous Actions and Relationships That Create High Performance. The Leadership Podcast episode will go live on September 1st.

What’s coming up…

I am putting the finishing touches on my newest course from The Crucible? - it’s called Leadership Strategies for Developing a High-Performance Team. This course is all about how leaders can be more effective at engaging the head, heart and hands by way of clarity when it comes to direction, tone, and pace. More to come in my next bi-weekly post!

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Jan Rutherford is an executive coach and keynote speaker. A former Green Beret and founder of?Self-Reliant Leadership??- he also leads Crucible? wilderness expeditions with executives and veterans.

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