The Law Of Priorities

Law #17 of John Maxwell's The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is:

The Law of Priorities: Leaders Understand That Activity Is Not Necessarily Accomplishment

Maxwell discusses here that good leaders need to prioritize on an ongoing basis…always. It is easy to be ‘doing something’…to be ‘busy.’ But, “busyness does not equal productivity.” Thus, it is key for a leader to have priorities so that s/he can decide on the necessary things to do. Prioritizing also forces you to think ahead- always considering what is next- which helps to continue moving toward the vision. Lastly, prioritizing causes us to sometimes do things that are uncomfortable. If something is truly a priority, we will even sometimes do what we don’t want or like to do in order to satisfy it.

“Leaders can’s afford to just think inside the box. Sometimes they need to reinvent the box- or blow it up.” “The leader defines the reality” [Max Dupree]. Maxwell notes that he takes 2 weeks each year to reflect and reevaluate his priorities and goals. He notes if you focus on those things that fall in the top 20% in terms of importance, you will have an 80% return on your effort. [eg if you have 10 people under you, you should devote 80% of your time to the top 2.]

The Three Rs

Maxwell uses these as guidelines to evaluate priorities.

1. What is required? This answers the question- ‘What must I do that nobody can or should do for me?’ “If I’m doing something that’s not necessary, I should eliminate it. If I am doing something that’s necessary but not required of me personally, I need to delegate it.”

2. What gives the greatest return? People are most productive and satisfied when they function within their areas of “natural gifting and strength”. “Leaders should get out of their comfort zone, but stay in their strength zone.” Maxwell uses the following benchmark- if what he is doing can be done 85% as well by someone else, he delegates it [which sometimes requires training someone else]. “Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should di it.”

3. What brings the greatest reward? What gives you the most personal satisfaction? “Life is too short not to do some things you love.” That does not mean that you won’t ever do things you don’t love. But, “passion provides the fuel in a person’s life to keep him going.”

The best leaders seem to be able to get the Law of Priorities to work for them by satisfying multiple priorities with each activity. This actually enables them to increase their focus while reducing their number of actions.”

Applying the Law of Priorities to Your Life

1. You need to get out of your comfort zone if you want to live and work according to your priorities. Can you identify anything in your life that is just ‘not working’? It will require a major change in how you have been doing things. Describe how it is not working and why it is not working. Try to think “outside the box” or “make your own box” to figure out how to solve the problem in a way that is aligned with your priorities. If your life is not aligned with your priorities- you will always have conflict.

2. If you have not done so, write out the answers to the three ‘R’ questions [include family and other priorities- not just career].

a. What is required of me?

b. What gives the greatest return?

c. What brings the greatest reward?

Next, make a list of those things you are doing in your life that don’t ‘solidly’ fit into one of the 3 R’s. You need to delegate or eliminate these things.

3. As the leader of your team, you need to take responsibility for prioritizing and thinking ahead in the area you are directing. Carve out regular, specific time to review priorities on an ongoing basis. It is not enough for you, the leader, to be successful. You have to help your team be successful.

Reference:

Maxwell, John. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Chapter 17- The Law of Priorities. Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN; 2007