I’m going to attempt something I have never done before in this blog.
Before you panic, take fright at what I’m going to write next and stop reading, don’t worry, it’s not that bad.
With all due fanfare, I am going to attempt to put myself in the mind of a heron.
Why am I attempting this strange feat?
Well, all will become clear in a minute.
But first, join me first in imagining what the heron is thinking.
The image was taken this week in one of my lumbering, panting runs around the River Cam.
I just had to stop to capture it, because it was so beautiful and somehow meaningful.
(It was also handy as an excuse to give me a moment to catch my breath!)
So, back to the mind of the heron:
Our magnificent friend could simply be enjoying a sunny spot on an autumn day, but I saw more to it.
I imagined him thinking, and strategically at that.
I thought he was casting his ancient eye across the river, to identify precisely the best spot to catch his next meal.
Where was it shallow enough for him to hunt, yet deep enough to encourage a good sized bite to eat?
Where would the shadows fall best to camouflage him?
Where might just be a pleasant spot to stand and wait for his victim?
So, strange challenges and digressions aside, back to the point of this blog.
It’s something I’ve touched on before, but can’t emphasise often enough:
- The importance of thinking time
The heron could have just gone blundering around, trusting to luck he would find a fish.
But by taking a minute to think, he minimised the use of his energy and maximised his chances of a rewarding return.
One of the most common problems I see with the brilliant executives I work with is how little time they have to think.
Many an occasion I've looked at one of their diaries, to get some time to talk to them about an issue...
And the whole working week is a block of red.
Every single hour taken up with meetings.
Which might seem productive.
They're certainly hard at work.
But what are they doing the whole time?
Being reactive, dealing with issues, firefighting.
So where’s the time to think strategically?
Not about the next 10 minutes, or 10 days, or even 10 months...
- But 10 years
Fundamentally, isn’t that their job?
Yes, of course, there will always be issues to deal with immediately.
But isn’t the longer term where true prosperity, innovation and growth lies?
I always build in time for thinking in my working week.
You can kid yourself you’re being productive if you’re sat at your desk all day, typing away.
But are you really? Truly? Honestly?
I’ve always been a morning person, and usually start work at about 6 o’clock.
I’ll probably do a couple of hours writing a book, assembling a lecture course, perhaps some coaching or mentoring preparation.
But around 8 o’clock, I build in half an hour for thinking time.
What have I just done? Is it working? Worthwhile?
What have I got to do in the rest of the day? Why is it important? What’s the best way to approach it?
That thinking time is precious, and often the most productive part of the day.
This week for example:
I’ve been asked to write a book on the art of leadership communication.
But I made a fatal mistake and thought it would be no problem given it's something I often teach.
So I sat down, and started writing…
But the words wouldn’t come.
So I sat there and tried again, and still the words wouldn’t come.
And I tried again, as I do, and this time the words did come, but...
They were rubbish. Lifeless. Uninteresting. Uninspiring.
So instead I walked away, sat down, closed my eyes and did some thinking.
And in only a few minutes the answer came.
I had been coming at the problem from the wrong direction.
A fresh approach, a little more strategic cunning, and all was well.
Chapter one was soon completed.
I’d wasted almost an hour, and I hate wasting time.
It’s our most precious commodity, in my view.
If we have no time, we have nothing.
But that irritant of a wrong turn reminded me of an important lesson, as did our magnificent friend the musing heron.
Thinking time is never wasted time, and usually brings about the richest returns on any investment.