Time Management

This week's blogger entry is on time management, a huge issue for me. Granted, I juggle my life-balancing act between being a husband and father to two little ones, working full time in the Navy, working towards my Masters Degree, staying physically and mentally fit, and a slew of little "time-traps" that get sprung along the way. So, in an effort to see exactly where I rank in regards to my time management I took a little survey.

It seems as though my time management skills rank among the second quartile of a sample of 5,000 students. With a mean score of 92 I scored a 100 (I know it looks like a perfect score, but I assure it isn't) which is about where I expected to fall. I do fairly well managing my time, but I also recognize some clear opportunity for improvement.

Time management is one of the easiest things to control... if you have the discipline to stick to a strategy. Time is the one thing we all have, and if used efficiently we can use time to our benefit. I have been taught a wise man divides his time three ways: 8 hours for work, 8 for devotion to God, and 8 for sleep. This is pretty broad, but it makes sense to me. I have to work, so I put in my time. I have to sleep, so I get some rest. The other eight hours should be used to improve myself to be better used for my Builder's use. Therefore, in these eight hours I will further divide my time to make better use of myself for all the blessing I have been bestowed with.

I live by a simple motto: focus on what you can control, and don't worry about those things you can't. My personal time is completely mine, and I know that as I become more efficient with my time I will carve out a greater future for myself and family. There are a few things i can do to be a better time manager:

• Make a plan and work the plan. People usually don't plan to fail... they just fail to plan. Having a game plan will help me stay on track. Making a plan before you go to sleep can have a few desired results. One is that you take the next day's thoughts off your mind and put them on paper. They will be there when you wake up. Another is giving yourself some structure to accomplish your tasks. How often have we thought of something important only to forget about it later. Write it down and work the plan.
• Have a place for everything, and keep everything in its place. I can't tell you how much time I have wasted looking for things. Being organized really does make life easier.
• Set Deadlines! If I hold my feet to the fire on projects I will reduce the chances of procrastinating and dilly dallying around. Get it done, and get it done on time. You have heard the old saying, "What's the best way to eat an elephant? One piece at a time". Having a deadline as well as mile markers will ensure task completion. It is also a good way to keep track of your accomplishments.

From this moment on I vow to work harder at working easier. Managing my time is the best way to get this done. I will make my plan for the next day before I go to bed, read it in the morning, and check off my accomplishments as I complete them. Stay tuned for the outcome... I promise I will have the time for an update.

JP

Conflict Resolution

Anytime people are engaged in a social environment there is a chance for conflict to arise. Different personality types, situational awareness, experiences, and thought processes can result in conflicts of varying degrees. How these conflicts are resolved, or negotiated, is the key to working well with those around you. One example of conflict and resolution took place at my first duty station, Naval Air Station Key West in 2011.

I had just completed my A-School to be an air traffic controller with the US Navy and was selected to report late summer, 2010 to Key West on a three year billet. Now, I was a 32 year old Airman at the time with some unique work and life experiences under my belt. Shortly after I reported for duty I was offered to take the position of Supply Petty Officer for a division of roughly 60 personnel manning a radar, tower, and base operations facility. I didn't know much about the types of supplies I would be ordering and maintaining, but I had previous experiences with working on a budget. I took this new job to heart and wanted to make the best impression I could as a new check-in surrounded by seasoned controllers and Sailors.

After a year in Key West I was well past a novice and a master at allocation as our Supply PO. We never wanted for our most basic supplies, and I kept track of all our spending on an Excel database. And then came some budget cuts! Our budget was reduced drastically, which was already thin to begin with. As luck would have it, we also received a new Division Officer at the same time. Our new Lieutenant Commander had just settled in to our facility and had grand plans to adjust our accommodations to fit her liking. Unfortunately, her requests were not going to sit well with our tight budget constraints.

I was now a very young E5 with a very delicate problem. My Chief didn't want to rock the boat with his new boss quite yet, and advised me to make it work (not much help, thanks Chief). I knew the best way to make my case was to be prepared for any and all rebuttals she might give. So, I printed up the past six months of supply requests and receipts, our projection for the next six months, and our Operating Target, or OPTAR which is our running check book. I asked to make an appointment to meet with our new Divo and plead my case.

As a sat across the desk from this Officer all my concerns to that point seemed valid. As I explained our budget restraints and what we had to work with to keep our facility afloat she seemed to listen, but had a very clear look on her face telling me, "I am listening to you, but when you stop talking I will again insist I get what I want". I finally reached my point and told her we don't have the money for most of her requests. I then placed the ball in her court by asking her for her advise on how to proceed. What came next completely surprised me.

It became very clear that this officer had no idea the budget we were working with. After my detailed presentation she became my advocate instead of feared opponent. Together, we mulled over our six month plan and figured out ways to get some things she wanted with out sacrificing the needs of the facilities. We not only found solutions, but we opened up a direct line of communication between the two of us. She saw how resourceful I was in my duties as Supply PO and the amount of pride I took in carrying out my duties. In turn, she requested more funding from her boss. In the end I helped keep the facility on track with its supplies and built a solid working relationship with a superior officer.

Comparing this story to what we have learned this week in class I can say that this conflict was a result of information deficiencies. There were decision being made with inadequate information and misunderstanding. The first response (from my Chief) is a classic forced response - an attempt to satisfy one's own needs at the expense of the needs of the other individual... in this case the division. I had to face the 'ol "I'm the boss and we will do it my way" scenario. My second response to this conflict was to accommodate her wants at the expense of the division. The result, after some negotiation, was a compromise and a collaboration effort between myself and the Division Officer. To accomplish this I used the four phases of collaboration which are to identify the problem, generate a solution, create an action plan and agreement, and implement the plan.

I learned some valuable lessons in this transaction. The most important of these was to not be afraid to share information. We make most all of our decisions based on the information we have available... good or bad. By presenting my data and concerns I initiated an open dialogue that consumed our conflict and created a collaboration. I guess it is true... good communication is the key to conflict resolution.

JP

Self-Awareness

As I begin my third class in my Masters program in leadership I can already notice some changes in myself. How I learn, how I learn it, how I view issues and follow through to prove or disprove assumptions, and how I gauge my personal development are new arenas of change I detect in my everyday life. This blog entry will evaluate how far I have come since the beginning of my journey to be a Master in Leadership.

In our first week of Management Skills for Leaders we are building a foundation on self awareness. Moreover, we are focusing on the five core aspects of self-awareness to benchmark ourselves and appraise how we view our thoughts, values, emotional attachments, fear of change, learning styles, and our self-worth. Using the five core aspects of Values, Cognitive Style, Attitude Toward Change, Emotional Intelligence, and Core Self-Evaluations I can Map out my progress thus far.

Starting with my values I can say that the more I learn, sacrifice, and continually include furthering my education the more closely I feel attached to my core values. I value God and the direction He has given me in my life. I value my family and their well-being, comfort, and happiness. I value my desires to continually challenge myself to improve as a person and a professional to provide a better way of life around us. These values have not changed much since I began this journey. Instead, they have become more steadfast in my heart. I am reminded of my values more often which keeps me on track towards accomplishing my goals.

In the area of Cognitive Style I have been exposed to many new methods of incorporating and evaluating information through this program. I feel as though I have been thrust into a higher sense of learning through information technology like the Brain concept mapping software, researching peer reviewed articles and publications, and the books I have read. I have, in essence, discovered a whole new realm of learning and knowledge. I am still a fledgling in this program, but I do see how all of these new methods are intertwined together and useful. I feel as though I am getting better at compartmentalizing all this knowledge to be retrieved later down the road. I can't wait to see where I will be in the aspect of cognitive processing when I emerge from this program.

My Attitude Toward Change is also a developing process since beginning this program. I think back to learning about critical thinking, proving or disproving assumptions and why this is important, and broadening my collective thought process to uncover the real meanings for questions and problems. Honestly, I am pretty used to change. For the better part of the last decade I have lived in five states, changed careers three times, got married, had two children, made a lot of money, lost a lot of money, finished my bachelors, started my masters... the list could go on. However, I still have a fear of the unknown and sometimes doubt my abilities to provide for my family. I don't always react well to changes I don't understand or see coming. But, I have developed some useful tools recently to manage my fears more effectively. I realize their are things I can and can't control, but I can always manage how I react to them.

The fourth aspect of self-awareness is emotional intelligence. OK, I have a ways to go here, and I I can see how this aspect is paramount to becoming the leader I want to be. Since immersing myself into this graduate degree i have taken on more responsibility for myself and my future. I have to admit that I am challenged almost daily as a 36 year old Petty Officer in the Navy largely comprised of younger people with a very broad spectrum of intelligence. I see this as an opportunity to learn how to deal with a variety of people from various cultures and backgrounds. I learn valuable lessons weekly on how to manage people and their problems. I have a ways to go to master this aspect, but again, I have developed some valuable tools to maximize the time and efforts of myself and those whom I work with.

Finally, to mark my progress in self-evaluation I feel I have made strides in believing in myself and my abilities. I have never really had issues with self-doubt or a lack of confidence, but I am learning to fine tune these trait to be a better fit for broader uses. Currently, I am not very satisfied or happy with my current job, but I did volunteer for this service and I will make the best of my time left in the Navy. I am happy with what I have accomplished in my service. My family has grown stronger together from enduring deployments and time apart. We now know what is most valuable to us as a unit. And, I am making progress in bettering myself to broaden my horizons when my time is up in the Navy. I know I am not where I want to be in this core aspect, but I do recognize the improvements I have made thus far. I am in charge of my destiny, and I feel good about where I am as a person and where we will be going in the future.

Overall, I feel I have made some significant improvements based on these five core aspects of self-awareness. With only two classes under my belt and a genuine excitement for those following I feel confident I will be a much better, well-rounded, knowledgeable, patient, and powerful Leading Machine.

JP

Self-Awareness Surveys

In the beginning of every new endeavor it is important to take note of where you are in order to track your personal and professional progress. As we chart a new course in our journey for our Master's of Science Degree in Leadership we have begun by completing a diagnostic survey for scale self-awareness. The survey consists of a self-awareness and emotional intelligence assessment, cognitive style indicator, Locus of Control and Tolerance of Ambiguity Scales, and Core Self-Evaluation. It is acutely helpful to "know thyself" before endeavoring to know and manage others.

As I finished my surveys and gathered up my initial results I have marked a starting point for my progress during this class. My results are as follows:

• Self-Awareness - With a mean score of 51.47 I scored a 60 which placed me in the top quartile. This is not too surprising for me because I lean towards an honest approach to my self as well as with others. 
• Emotional Intelligence Assessment - With a mean score of 70 I placed smack dab in the middle of the bunch and in the high 3rd quartile with a 70. This does not surprise me, as my wife would be more than happy to share, I could stand to grow further in my emotional department. There is room for advancement here.
• Cognitive Style Indicator - This part breaks up into three categories; knowing, planning, and creating. Knowing I scored 4.2 (mean for MBA students 4.06), Planning was a 3.9 (mean - 3.81), and Creating yielded 4.9 (mean 4.16). I anticipated scoring a tad higher on the planning and knowing parts, but I hit right on the money where I expected in the creativity department  as I tend to be spontaneous and quick to respond to information.
• Locus of Control Scale - Out of a mean score of 5.19 I scored a 4.0 and in the lower second quartile. Not surprisingly due to my current service in the Navy i feel I have very little control over my future. I feel there are more than a fair share of obstacles outside of my control. However, I do believe I do the best with my inner locus of control and find ways to stack my deck to better my future. All in all, the advancement system in the Navy leaves a lot to the imagination.
• Tolerance of Ambiguity - I scored fairly low in this area as well landing in the second to last quartile with a 54 (mean - 56.47). I probably have some "whooped dog syndrome" from doing things logically in the Navy only to find out this is completely unacceptable. I find it more effective to ask enough questions to do a job the way my leadership wants it done rather than improvising and lending reason to the situation. This is one aspect of military life I look forward to leaving behind when moving on to my next chapter in life.
• Core Self-Evaluation Scale - I was middle of the road in this area and will be looking to grow as I build my self worth. There are some hurdles in this arena like making the decisions to leave the Navy and work elsewhere as the sole provider for a family of four. This ties in with my tolerance for ambiguity as well. Both aspects I seek to improve on.

Overall I feel OK about where i am in the beginning of this journey. I have plenty of room to grow as a person, manager, and a leader. I will make good use of this information and follow my progress through out this class as well as this degree program. Stay tuned for some eye-opening results at the end of this class!

In the words of General George Patton, " If we aren't moving forward we are moving backward."

JP