4 minute read
Leaders Harmonize Fee Time, Free Time, and Me Time
by Jeffery S. Perry
Effective leaders are typically high-capacity people with high-capacity lives. The increased leadership demands of organizations and society are chronicled daily, along with the desire of leaders to have fulfilling personal lives.
JEFFERY S. PERRY is Founder & CEO of Lead Mandates LLC, an advisory firm that helps organizations improve business and leadership performance.
MMUCH HAS BEEN WRITTEN about the importance of work-life balance. However, work-life balance can imply that work is not a part of life, life does not require work, and community service is undervalued. Rather, here is a framework of three domains that effective leaders can harmonize across their lives: ■ Fee Time: when leaders are paid for their professional roles ■ Free Time: when leaders give back to the community through service and volunteerism ■ Me Time: when leaders engage with family and friends and make time for themselves Is it possible for leaders to harmonize their lives across these dimensions? The answer is yes, but it requires selfconfidence and intention.
Each domain is important. Fee Time is foundational because it is related to professional lives or vocations, and results in compensation. Free Time benefits society at large when leaders lend their talents to organizations or causes about which they care. Many leaders seek to make the world a better place through community service. Me Time brings richness and fulfillment when leaders spend quality time with family and friends and carve out personal time as well. This may include vacations, family engagements and commitments, social time with friends, personal passions, and personal renewal.
While there may be a long list of specific approaches used by successful leaders, here are four over-arching approaches to harmonize across these domains of life: 1 Be Present: For leaders to have optimal satisfaction and outcomes in professional, service, or leisure domains, it is critical to be present in each without distractions. Simply put, effective leaders do what they are doing. ■ In Fee Time, this means being focused on tasks at hand and developing strategies for productive use of time. Countless management surveys suggest that 20% of the effort at work produces 80% of the results. Leaders who are skilled at focusing on what matters are ahead of the game. ■ In Free Time, this means being dialed into the needs of organizations and causes while engaged with them. The needs of society are great, and the skills and talents of leaders can make a positive difference. Whether it’s community service, mentoring, or some other area of need, being fully present drives desired impact. ■ In Me Time, this means being engaged with family and friends in meaningful ways. This goes beyond simply unplugging devices but plugging into the lives of people. This also means taking personal time for mental and physical health, overall well-being, and happiness.
2 Schedule Priorities: A common view is that leaders should prioritize schedules given the demands on their time. Unfortunately, simply prioritizing schedules is a reactionary approach. A more proactive and effective approach is to schedule priorities, making clear commitments and intentions across Fee Time, Free Time, and Me Time, even when these choices are difficult. A notable example of this approach is from former EY CEO Mark Weinberger. In a TIME article, Mark shared, “At any moment you are going to feel guilty about what you’re not doing, like today I’m missing the World Economic Forum in Europe to move my daughter into her dorm in USC.” By scheduling his priorities, Mark sent a powerful message to EY, the World Economic Forum, and his family. 3 Be Comfortable Saying No: Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” Therefore, it is not unusual for leaders to be asked to do many things, especially those related to Fee Time and Free Time. That said, the keyword in Franklin’s quote is “ask.” Effective leaders understand that it’s okay to say no, especially when this could lead to over-commitment or mismanaged expectations. Leaders gain respect from others by knowing when to say no. With this foundation, when they do say yes, people have confidence that they will follow through. 4 Seek Leverage and Lift: Fee Time, Free Time, and Me Time need not be in completely separate compartments in the lives of leaders. A powerful technique is to seek leverage and lift across the domains that can increase overall effectiveness and satisfaction in each. For example, leaders who devote part of their personal time to exercise and physical fitness can greatly impact their professional effectiveness. Leaders who have achieved professional success have a greater platform to make a difference in giving back to the community, increasing their ability to do what author Bob Buford coined, “moving from success to significance.” Furthermore, demonstrating passion
and leadership in community service can be a family affair and can model the importance of volunteerism for the next generation.
It is undeniable that leaders are challenged to harmonize the elements of Fee Time, Free Time, and Me Time, but it is possible. Webster defines harmonize as “to bring into consonance and accord.” Considering these approaches help leaders strike the right chord .
