TEN FREEDOMS
Management School St.Gallen
We are in business to help you do business
Management School St.Gallen St. Leonhardstrasse 7 CH – 9001 St.Gallen Telefon (41) 071 222 51 53 office@mssg.ch | www.mssg.ch
TEN FREEDOMS
Ten Freedoms A practical guide to success and happiness Stefan BoĂŤthius and RenĂŠ Marchand
contents
F R EE D O M 1
I am simplifying my life
F R EE D O M 2
I am changing my mindset
F R EE D O M 3
I am putting myself first
F R EE D O M 4
I don’t want to motivate anyone
F R EE D O M 5
I am making my own rules
F R EE D O M 6
I won’t let time be stolen from me
F R EE D O M 7
I love good solutions
F R EE D O M 8
I can predict my future
F R EE D O M 9
I have the courage to take it easy
F R EE D O M 1 0
I know my true values
P r e fa c e
Do you have the freedom to make decisions?
The Management School St.Gallen is pleased to contribute to your success. On this note, we would like to present to you this practical guide, designed exclusively with you in mind. It deals with those constraints that often come sneaking into our lives. But first and foremost, it points out ways how you can reclaim your freedom and your life. Don’t we all, at some point, experience the same daily scenario over and over again? In the morning, you believe you have a clear idea of what you need to do and wish to accomplish. You arrive at the office full of energy and enthusiasm. Everything is going smoothly until, all of a sudden, your carefully planned day gets ripped to shreds. It could be a phone call, a memo or an unscheduled meeting. By the time the day ends, you realize that you actually only got a small fraction done of what you really wanted to accomplish. Your To-Do list has grown instead of having gotten smaller. And it just goes on and on. Most of us know all too well the feeling of being driven by demand, having to react rather than act. However, to what extent can we blame ourselves for our dearth of freedom? Is it a result of our ambition? Or because we believe that our presence is constantly required in order to remain in control? Or is it our inability to say ‘No’? Is it blind activity and wrong priorities? Or could it be a mistaken belief that we must have an answer to everything? The art of finding freedom is to first find balance between our own desires and expectations and those of others around us. This is where the process starts. Balance helps you reclaim the freedom that is so essential to your success as a decision maker. We are confident that you will benefit from the views and advice presented on the following pages. Even if you won’t be able to implement all of the “Ten Freedoms” immediately, you will find a direction which you can build upon. We wish you the best success in your efforts to achieve more personal freedom and a better life. Mac J. Rohrbach Management School St.Gallen
Freedom 1
I am simplifying my life Less dependence means a better quality of life.
I have much too much: too many things, too many expenses, too many commitments and too much work. All like a chain of rocks around my neck that keeps dragging me down. The more I take on, the heavier the burden gets. It is a wall between my life and the real me. Many of these things were acquired with the intention to make life easier, more pleasant and free. However, most often, the exact opposite came true: I feel like a bird in a golden cage – a prisoner in a cage full of «musts», «haves» and «shoulds». This is why I’m simplifying my life and unloading the things that add to the burden. And I know exactly how to do it. I’ll start by sorting out my personal items – by going through each shelf, each drawer, each box, and each hanger, getting rid of everything that I haven’t used in months because I probably won’t need it in the future either. Most I’ll give away or sell. Next, my expenses. Most of these add costs without adding ‘well-being’ to my life. For example, the car that I keep changing for a new one every other year. And, the magazines and newspapers that I subscribe to but rarely manage to read. And, how about the vacation home that’s always standing empty? Finally, I’ll evaluate all my commitments. Do I have to send a Christmas and summer vacation card to my whole family and all my friends? Why hold the honorary post at the sports club? Do I have to invite people just because they invited me or maybe because they may be useful contacts? I’m sure that I could do without many of these things and not sacrifice my quality of life. Quite the contrary, jettisoning the unnecessary is a relief, and allows me to discover new freedoms. So I don’t get sidetracked, I’ll list down all of those things that I would like to get rid of of, stop or limit and put it in a place (taped firmly to my fridge) where I’ll see it everyday. It’s a step-by-step guide to simplifying my everyday life.
Freedom 2
I am changing my mindset From new solutions emerge new perspectives.
I sometimes feel like I’m trapped in a dead-end street where I’ve run into a barrier. No matter how I twist or turn, I cannot seem to recognize even the most obvious solution because I have virtually exhausted all previously known results. It is then when I realize that, despite effort and determination, a straightforward way of thinking does not necessarily produce success – because experience has me trapped. That’s why I need to break away from conventional concepts of problem solving. The first step and way out: Look at problems and difficulties as opportunities. View them in a positive light and as a challenge for to change the situation. The second step: Mentally turn around – as if you had arrived at a dead-end street – and make your way back to the last intersection. This is where new horizons, thoughts and choices are, once again, open to you. Making such a U-turn creates the necessary distance between yourself and the most critical point, bringing you closer to the solution. Assume the opposite in every initial circumstance. When faced with seemingly dead end situations, view them from a reversed and therefore different perspective. Years ago someone built a bicycle not only for the street but also for use off-road. A bit of unconventional thinking and the mountain bike was born – and with it, a success story. Faced with the problem that ice skates are only used during the winter months, the idea of inline skates emerged. Another reversed thinking process created a bridge between the surfboard and snowboard. During everyday life, the reversal of a given situation usually makes for some interesting ‘Aha’ moments. It’s sort of the starting signal for innovative ideas and projects. The newly given perspective broadens solution area and eliminates the narrow interpretation of certain problems.
Freedom 3
I am putting myself first A balanced life means setting priorities.
My life as an executive could be compared to a tricycle where the front wheel is dangerously close to exploding because of pressure overload. There’s hardly any air left in the left rear wheel while the right one is loose and wobbling. The front wheel corresponds to the work, which accounts for most of my time and completely steers my life. The left rear wheel that is pretty much out of air stands for my personal relationships with my family and friends. And the right rear wheel is me, on the verge of falling off because I keep neglecting my own needs and desires. The three major areas of life “work”, “personal relationships” and “myself” seem to have a mutual dependence towards each other. A deficit in one area negatively influences both of the other areas. If I happen to lose a wheel, I will definitely lose my balance. In order to avoid this situation, I first must be aware of and attend to my own needs. This lets me recharge my batteries, which in turn allows me to maintain vitality and the zest for life. I may even start tapping more into my own needs. The more I cater to my own desires, the more I will be able to have a positive impact on someone else’s life - whether in the workplace or in personal life. This is why I made a new tricycle, one in which the wheel that corresponds to “work” and the wheel that represents “myself” switch places, so that I become the steering wheel of my existence. I want to take charge of and have control over my life. By taking responsibility for the speed and direction that things are going, I can improve the balance between my personal relationships and my job. Controlling the journey of life is so much easier and satisfying when traveled on a set of well-adjusted wheels. The result is that I feel more at peace with myself and have a positive attitude towards colleagues, superiors, family. Therefore, the first step in the right direction can only be this: I must make more time for myself: time to think and recollect, time to relax and take things slow and time to do fun things that give me a much-needed break.
Freedom 4
I no longer want to motivate anyone Leadership is a trait and not a task.
I like motivated a staff. But it’s just too hard to keep them that way. I have to constantly push them, praise them, and build them up. I have to create incentives and permanently find new reasons why the way we do things is the right way. Still, there never seems to be real momentum. I really think that if I were no longer there, nothing would go right. Everything depends on me, and it’s wearing me out. As of today, I’m going to stop trying to motivate others. People who motivate actually ‘devaluate’ other people because it shows that they don’t trust their willingness to work. This will only result in nothing more than ‘Sisyphus Challenge’, in which one has to make more promises or exert more pressure in order to get things done. However, I will set the framework from which others can draw momentum. First of all, no more de-motivation: I will learn to accept the mindset of others and their way of getting things done. I will try to match preferences and talents according to the particular task at hand. I will not question others simply because they happen to have a different opinion. I do not have to be the dominant figure that keeps on shining in order to justify my position as a leader. I will be more generous in recognizing work well done and will be pleased with the good performance of others. I am aware that prestige and power struggle as well as an authoritarian leadership style and lack of trust are especially demoralizing and the kiss of death to any kind of self-motivation. The most important factor in the motivation of others is my own self-motivation. An upbeat attitude shows, it’s con tagious and clearly the best recipe against negative behavior. My own self-motivation develops from doing meaningful things that bring happiness to my life. It’s my own career planning guidepost.
Freedom 5
I am setting my own rules Winning is more than just getting over one hurdle.
I recall some famous people who have reached their ultimate goal – wealth and fame – but who now find themselves faced with a personal void and discontent. Their mistake may have been that they put all of their effort and energy into attaining this one goal. So much so that they became overly absorbed in. For them life is like a game that always has to end the same way: to be the winner no matter what. Doing whatever it takes to gain recognition. On the other hand, many simply stay where they are because they don’t have enough strength and stimulation is left to explore new horizons. This is mainly due to the fact that they are too focused on reaching their one and only goal and never consider what happens afterwards. By doing this, they don’t realize that their game may possibly not even be worth playing. And despite the win, most only find some minor and fleeting pleasure in it. From a bird’s-eye view, individual goals seem much smaller and insignificant than previously assumed because, all of a sudden, more, and more goals tend to appear on the horizon. It is when we realize that we must keep on playing; we realize that there really is no end in sight. Thus, the game becomes indefinite. It is no longer about achieving a single stage goal or crossing the finish line but about steadily moving forward. It’s about the movement in itself. Taking a detached view about my own activity helps me see what really matters: which game is really important for me, which one should one play and for what reason? How can you recognize success without experiencing failure? I start dealing with failures by not looking at them as defeats but rather as lessons learned: viewing each failure as an opportunity to grow. It helps me let go of my stubbornness and inner tension and allows a certain happiness to return. I then go ahead and play my very own, never ending game. I play it because I want to and I have fun doing it – without having a finish line in the back of my mind. It’s important to me to envision what my goals are in order to find the distance and pleasure to do what I do, especially in times of crisis. This is what allows me to change my focus from that of a sprinter to that of a marathon runner.
Freedom 6
I won’t let time be taken from me Time is my most valuable asset.
Every morning, there are two yellow notes on my desk: two calls I have to return. The phone usually rings even before I get settled. I start the computer while I talk. Thirteen messages in my mailbox – five of them are marked ‘high priority’, three are just plain urgent. I glance at the mail. About 50% of it is advertising. Two trade journals a must read. Three letters that need answering. One of my staff hands me a fax. A note on my organizer pops up: the meetings starts in five minutes. Give me a break! How am I supposed to keep my head above water? If I continue to react rather than act, my creativity is going to evaporate and I won’t be able to achieve anything. And although I know that I will have to restructure my work priorities, I feel too caught up in a rat race of people, information and interaction. While I can’t change the world around me, I can change myself. But in order to do it, I must first really have a close and critical look my own routine. There are certain habits that obstruct my work. I often answer the phone just because it rings. Just as often, I accept an assignment just because there’s no one else to do it. I often read unimportant things just because it was addressed to me. I also tend to attend meetings just because I happened to be invited. I have to recognize these are situations in which I get in my own way and prevent myself from working efficiently. So, in order to start changing my behavior, I’m going to start writing down the things that I have to change. This helps me overcome my time-robbing habits because it defines the reasons for them. And when they are out in the open, I can finally begin to free myself from them. Additionally, I also schedule a daily hour of “me time”, just like I schedule all of my other appointments. I ‘protect’ myself by locking the door and redirecting phone calls – or I simply don’t answer them. I’m just not there. I can already imagine how many things I can think about, achieve and accomplish during those precious hours.
Freedom 7
I love good solutions Conceit and compromises won’t get you anywhere.
Pushing your own agenda through or an opinion - by hook or by crook. Or needing to be right all the time, no matter what. Neither the former nor the latter are advisable in life or your occupation – even if you happen to be a big shot. By doing so, unwilling to be open for what could be a better argument or solution. (How many people do you know who are right all the time?) This behavior ultimately leads to confrontation. However, avoiding conflict altogether is not a panacea either; the issue may be postponed but certainly not resolved. In meetings I’m not going to be the lion that keeps on roaring, trying to impress others with my strength. On the other hand, I don’t want to be swatted like a fly either. The issue itself must take the center stage. Not people or their emotions – because that’s when discussions go out of control. It’s very difficult to break free from such situations. Each conversation becomes needlessly prolonged and heavy. You must be considered as part of the solution and not only by defending your own point of view. This holds true for both your professional and personal life. It’s all about finding a simple, objective solution. Yet, there is one question: which would be the most elegant and graceful solution for the issue at hand? The most elegant result is a result that everyone can be happy with and agree upon. It’s unlike a stale compromise where everyone ends up grinding their teeth. In order to achieve this, I must be ready to take on other roles and employ different strategies. According to the situation, I have to either assert myself or give in. I must be flexible. That’s the freedom I have to allow myself because it’s what I expect from others. It is important to plan out the various consequences of each possible solution, as part of a list or by creating a mind map, join opposites and recognize alternatives. This kind of preparation serves me as a head start that can be integrated into the solution process.
Freedom 8
I can predict my future All good things come to an end.
The future is uncertain. Everything is possible. The one thing that I can be certain about is that it won’t last forever. If I go through great lengths to suppress this truth, I’m closing my eyes to my future and all the possibilities it may bring. Realizing that I live in a world full of uncertainties gives me the perspective to have a global overview of my life. Without uncertainty I would have an infinite amount of time on my hands; an infinite amount of worthless time. The realization that all things do, in fact end, makes my time more valuable. If I can incorporate this important insight into my future, I can live a more conscious lifestyle and understand life’s deeper meaning. Everything that I do has its value, one meaningful step at a time. I will attempt to create a personal life plan for the next ten years - not an easy task. The question is: what exactly should be considered in this plan, so I can live my life the way that I imagine I can? I project myself forward a sixty years and ask myself the questions, which could be asked of me by younger generations. What am I proud of? What do I regret in hindsight? Did I do everything that I wanted to? One day, I want to be proud of my decisions and experiences that I was courageous enough to make and live through. I realize I will mourn the opportunities and possibilities that were left by the wayside. The answer that I will find during this imaginary jour ney into the future will help me shape my next ten years of life and work in a way that gets me closer to realizing all those possibilities, so I will have less to regret. A life missed becomes rueful and a burden for both myself and those around me.
Freedom 9
I have the courage to take it easy In the end, the tortoise won the race.
The seconds hand on a clock makes it rather clear how fast time goes by. Many claim that speed is the most important success factor these days. Time is money, which makes immediate decision-making a virtue. However, hardly anyone ever questions this presumption, as experience seems to prove those who hurry are inevitably right. Yet, curiously enough, those who slow down their decision-making process are often the first ones to arrive at the finish line – and are less stressed in the process than the ones who rush about. Here’s an example. When caught in a gridlocked situation, the impatient ones immediately start proposing possible solutions that usually require some sort of quick maneuver. The ones taking things at a slower pace, on the other hand, reject that kind of approach because they know that it will only make the situation worse if each step had not been thought through. Taking it slow means to stay calm, to examine the problem at hand as well as to find and think solutions through. Issues that have been prepared slowly but well will eventually pay off in time saved. Whenever I find myself in a tight situation and can’t seem to find an immediate solution, I first consider the time I have left to find one. Frequently you will find that there’s actually more time available than what you had previously thought. The more time I have, the calmer I can organize my thoughts. To reflect upon a problem is often put aptly as “consulting one’s pillow”. The passing of time allows me to find the necessary distance, view the issue more clearly and lets my subconscious mind help solve the problem - because it simply never turns off. It’s constantly busy trying to handle unresolved issues. Its performance is obvious when the long-sought idea suddenly occurs to me. Going slow lets me explore my creative side where I can deliver well thought out solutions in favor of a speedy implementation in return. When fostering the idea of slowness it’s best to have a written monologue with yourself. Formulating and writing down my thoughts forces me to become aware and deal with them. Besides, it liberates my mind. Because everything that I saved on paper, I can easily erase from my mind, which in turn provides more room for creativity and inner peace.
F r e e d o m 10
I know my true values. Only passionate goals are truly important.
The bottom line on the topic of success: a good recipe doesn’t necessarily make an accomplished chef. It’s not enough to know what to do in order to actually be successful. Just knowing that you should eat less won’t cause those extra pounds to melt. There are numerous diets to choose from and yes, if followed to the letter, they probably are effective. But who can live through it day after day? As soon as the discipline wears off, those unwanted pounds are back. In order to be successful in the long run, I will have to find the missing links between having the knowledge how to do it and the actual implementation of it in a practical sense. These missing links are my values. A certain method of success is doomed for failure, if it isn’t in sync with my set of values. That’s another reason why success stories cannot be repeated. In order to enjoy long-term success, I must apply my own set of values and develop a personal success plan. It means creating harmony between method and personality. But before I start, I first have to analyze and question myself. Am I really being true to my values, those in which I put my heart and soul into? Have I fully considered them to the last consequence? Lip services, prejudice and crudeness obscure my vision. Do I have a deeply instilled and differentiated value system, so that I can easily find my way through life, easily define my position, so I can feel a sense of purpose and meaning? To find purpose in life, I must know my values first. This is why the development of my value system is, in fact, a path from person to personality, from career to calling. My own personal key to success is defined by my most important values. This practical guide is about one of these values. It’s about the ability to take charge of my life. It’s about the chance to live life to the fullest rather than merely watching the future pass by. It’s about freedom.
E x e c u t i v e Ed u c at i o n
Management School St.Gallen Because the freedom of thought and action is based upon the freedom of knowledge and competence.
In today’s world, everyday leadership is marked by limitation. Information overload, regulations, competition, technology change, cost pressure: developments like these threaten to limit our way of thinking and the way we conduct business. Guarding and retaining our decision-making freedom has become more and more difficult. Having a trusted partner to provide executives with reliable knowledge and competence, helping them to retain this freedom, is all the more valuable. We believe that The Management School St. Gallen is exactly that kind of partner. In an economy characterized by continuous economical and social changes, excellent management and leadership qualities are indispensable. Complex problem solving requires well-defined leadership and expert knowledge to attain successful solutions. The Management School St. Gallen conveys this knowledge to leading corporations within all of the German-speaking regions. Our proven strategies and methods are based on the renowned Management Training Program of St.Gallen. In addition, we are able to offer an equally comprehensive and high-quality Executive Education program. Our main goal is the benefit-oriented approach to theory and practice – whether you attend one of our public seminars or in-house programs, we are sure to facilitate the transfer of knowledge or skills in whichever form or shape. The catalyst for this dialogue are the instructors of the Management School St.Gallen – a team of unique and outstanding personalities who bring a wealth of knowledge in all areas of discipline, content and method. They combine their expertise with a clear vision for the big picture while pursuing only one goal: empowering executives to materialize their goals quickly, efficiently and with a commitment to the highest quality. Guiding your path to personal and professional success with more freedom and less constraints.
Which freedom can we help you achieve?
Published by Management School St.Gallen © Stefan Boëthius and René Marchand
We are in business to help you do business
Management School St.Gallen St. Leonhardstrasse 7 CH – 9001 St.Gallen Telefon (41) 071 222 51 53 office@mssg.ch | www.mssg.ch
TEN FREEDOMS
Management School St.Gallen