“Success is always inside-out.” Stephen Covey
In that quote, Stephen Covey was not writing about ‘success’ in terms of wealth creation, awards, plaudits or promotion. He was writing about the most important successes of all – the ones we create with other people. Again, what has that to do with time management?
I cannot emphasise enough the idea that success with people is the greatest success of all. I say this because everything we do, we do with people, for people, or because of people. So success with people is a precursor to success in all of the sub-sectors outlined in the first sentence of this blog.
But where does success with other people come from? What is the source of good relationships?
Every relationship that you have has an essential ingredient within it, without which the relationship would not exists. It is ……
You.
Which means that you have to take responsibility for the way you enter into, treat, develop and ultimately grow that relationship. You have to acknowledge that for all the things that you want from the other person or persons in the relationship, they are not going to provide it willingly unless you do your part to the best of your ability.
Which includes asking in the right way, acknowledging the importance of the other person, respecting their needs as much as you do your own, and clarifying expectations so that what you get and what they get is what was expected from both parties. Take responsibility for ensuring no later misunderstandings, and in the all-too-frequent event that mistakes are made, be willing to accept your own part in that misunderstanding.
That’s what Covey meant by ‘inside-out’. He meant you do your part first, and then the external, influenceable but not controllable other party can do their part.
In the same vein, when the other party is the one making the request, the inside-out approach means taking your own responsibility for making sure that there are no misunderstandings. You do that y asking clarifying questions, and making sure that the desired outcome, the resources, the accountabilities, and the potential consequences are all firmly discussed before action is taken.
How does that affect time management?
By preventing you having to do the ‘thing’ all over again; from having to take the time to correct mistakes; from having to explain to the Judge why you did/didn’t do what you did; or from explaining yourself at a disciplinary hearing.
Take responsibility in all your relationships, personal AND professional.
You know, in your heart, that it is the only way to make them great and productive.
Police Time Management 