Karl Edwards presents Working Matters

Tag: discernment

  • Loving Monday: Raising the White Flag… In Victory

    loving_mondayIt’s okay to surrender. Really.

    Not all battles are adversarial conflicts in which there is a winner and a loser.

    Could it be possible that on some occasions the smartest course of action might be to surrender?

    That to win in in the big picture would mean to admit that you’ve lost in the current scene?

    How on earth can admitting defeat be a victory?

    When you need help.

    When you’ve got too much to do or need skill sets that you yourself don’t have, it’s smarter to surrender.

    It’s a victory to recognize your limits. The sooner you get a handle on what you can and cannot contribute, the sooner you can surround yourself with the people, skills and resources necessary to get the job done and done well.

    The defeat comes in pushing yourself until you burn out, make a costly mistake, (more…)

  • Loving Monday: Focus and Push

    loving_mondayA phrase I find myself returning to more often than not is, “Focus and push.”

    There is a place for multi-tasking and working along a number of fronts. In fact, most leadership roles require as much. Systems thinking is an essential skill. The finances need monitoring, the schedules need to be maintained, the team must function with high levels of trust, energy and efficiency, and so the list goes on.

    Just as important, though, is recognizing when the time is right to focus and push. When what is called for is a concentrated, single-minded, all-out effort on one single matter.

    This week is one of those moments for me. Many important, valuable matters need to either be set aside entirely or merely brushed over in order to give my full attention to one solitary matter.

    Focus is the capacity to hone in on what is crucial and keep one’s attention there in spite of the many competing priorities and distractions.

    Pushing is the intentional organizing of one’s activities around a concentrated effort to make something happen. We are not going with the flow. We are creating the flow.

    How do you discern when you need to focus and push? At which end of the spectrum do you fall: do you tend to miss these moments or do you tend to focus and push at the expense of attending to the broader, multi-faceted dynamics taking place around you?

    On your side,

    – Karl Edwards

  • Distinguishing Between Voices

    whisperingFriend or foe?

    Sometimes it’s not so easy to tell. When it comes to voices, some of the most damaging words we hear come from those closest to us. And it isn’t uncommon, on the other hand, for the harsh criticism of those opposed to us to be the most helpful of all.

    Yes, it’s important to distinguish between friend and foe. The acceptance, loyalty, and faithfulness of friends is an irreplaceable foundation for survival, much less success.

    Also important, though, is to be able to distinguish between voices. Even the well-intended input of those most committed to our well-being may be misplaced. Just as the substance underlying the input of our opponents cannot be dismissed or disregarded simply because they have ulterior motives.

    How do you listen for the nuggets of substance hidden within the insecure and harsh attacks of those who do not understand how to wield power?

    How do you hold your ground against the misplaced kindness of those who, while intending good for you, are in fact diminishing, second-guessing and/or undermining you?

    It’s not as black-and-white as trusting the nice people and avoiding the mean people, is it?!

  • Question of the Week

    When work product is not as expected, how do you distinguish between a difference in substance (which you would confront as unacceptable) and a difference in style (which you would permit out of professional respect)?