The Answer: Quantity vs. Quality Time.
"The gift of presence is a rare and beautiful gift.” Staci Eldredge
My oldest daughter, Taylor, was homeschooled through 5th grade. Once while attending a workshop at the North Carolina Home Educators Conference, the speaker took on the subject of quantity time vs. quality time. I was particularly interested in hearing his thoughts since none of our modern day philosophy seemed to resonate with me. He summed up his viewpoint with this; “Quality time magically appears within the midst of quantity time.” I had found my answer. Case closed.
The idea that quality time appears magically within the midst of quantity time isn’t an ideology limited to home schooling, parenting, or significant others. This is a universal human principle that is desperately needed in the workplace.
Want to know what’s important to you? Check your calendars. What do you see? Meetings, projects, tasks, and deadlines? Engaging leaders know that the traditional once-a-year mandatory performance evaluation doesn’t cut it. Those who look to you for guidance require and deserve more quantity time.
Go ahead and carve out the time required to lead, coach, listen, understand, provide advice, care, encourage, and hold people accountable. You can’t microwave effective workplace relationships, it’s best served in a slow cooker. If you do this, you’ll reap a significant harvest in terms of loyalty, productivity, innovation, and long-term success.
When Taylor was a freshman in college, I drove to Raleigh and we met for lunch. She recalled a conversation during her high-school years, saying, “Dad, remember when you told me you’d outlast all my friends and no matter how difficult our relationship got you’d stick by me?” “Yes I do,” was my response. “Thanks. I’m glad you didn’t quit on me when I really needed you.” I smiled, wrapped my arm around her and thought: There it is again, quality time magically appearing within the midst of quantity time.
Leave your comments: Who in your organization deserves more quantity time from you?