当好领导的关键：承认自己不能搞定一切

忙碌的企业家和高管们总是要应对很多事情，很容易变得不堪重负。领导者事务繁多——撰写商业计划、雇佣员工、管理团队、融资、吸引客户、参加交流活动等等。已经有许多不错的建议来帮助他们平衡这一切，而我在这里也根据自己的经历给出一点忠告：你不能搞定一切，你也不应该搞定一切。

不要误解我——每天我都在努力带领我的公司BoardProspects.com奋勇前进，这是一家专门为企业董事会招聘高管的初创企业。我们要准备和参加会议、出差、进行商业预测和规划、起草融资建议、管理供应商和团队、接受媒体采访等等。噢，我还有家人需要我尽力照顾。这些事情即便不是很紧急，对我公司的成功也很重要，然而我毕竟只有一己之力，你也同样如此。

以下是我关于建立平衡，保持冷静的建议：

1、承认你不可能搞定一切

许多企业家和高管都兴奋地渴望获得成功。他们在很多事情上投入了过量的精力。然而你只有一己之力，一天只有这么多小时，所以应该每天/每月/每季确定一两个优先项目，然后全心投入在上面。

2、了解你的长处

聘用专家来处理你不擅长的领域。打造一支强大的团队能让你抽身出来，建立一个不再需要你投入100%的精力和时间就能自己运转的体系。招来合适的人，相信你的团队能各司其职。

3、关注职业发展

帮助员工进行职业发展十分重要，不过也不要忘记自己，你是他们的领导。去参加社交活动向他人学习，或是参加教育研讨会和学术会议。另一个学习他人、扩大职业社交圈的好方法是加入董事会。你能借此建立新的关系，了解一家公司内部的工作情况、公司战略和领导层观点。这能帮助你为自己的公司做出正确的决策。它还能让你接触到事业相关的成功人士，并向他们取经。

4、学会放松

偶尔，你也需要放慢步伐做个深呼吸。请为你取得的成绩感到骄傲。没错，你的待办事项上还有许多条目，不过放慢步伐静一静，欣赏一下你的付出和收获也很重要。按下暂停键往往能让你想清楚一些事，这是你在忙碌时做不到的，所以好好享受片刻宁静吧。也许你能产生一个新想法，一种新思路，或是一个你之前从未想到的解决方案。

5、寻找团体感

如果你没有共同创始人或同伴，在领导团队或公司时可能会感到孤单。加入一个行业组织或企业关系团体，可以让你有一些团体感。阅读其他商业领袖写的文章或商业书籍，学习他们如何平衡事务、应对不同阻碍。

6、每天读报纸

不是网络报，而是纸质报。许多高管尝试在网上看报纸，但他们总是会分心去关注弹出的电子邮件或信息。在我看来，没有什么比离开电脑和移动设备，花点时间读读报纸更能促进你在职业和个人上的提升了。报纸可以就每天发生在你周围的重要事件和发展，向你提供宝贵的观点。这些事情都是你本来应该关注，却因为试图把所有事情做好而忽略的。（财富中文网）

本文作者Mark Rogers是BoardProspects.com创始人及首席执行官。

译者：严匡正

Busy entrepreneurs and executives have a lot to juggle, and it can easily become overwhelming. Between writing business plans, hiring employees, managing teams, raising capital, engaging customers, and networking events, there’s a lot on a leader’s plate. While there are many helpful suggestions on ways to balance everything, here’s another piece of advice I’ve learned during my journey: You can’t do it all. And you shouldn’t.

Don’t get me wrong – on any given day I’m deep in the weeds of leading my board recruitment startup, BoardProspects.com, preparing for and attending meetings, traveling, mapping out business projections and plans,drafting financing proposals, managing vendors and teams, media interviews, and more. Oh, and I have a family who I try to see as much as I can, too. All of these things are important — if not urgent — for my startup’s success, but I am only one person, and so are you. Here’s my best advice for how to create balance and stay sane:

Admit that you can’t do it all

Many entrepreneurs and executives are excited about being successful and focus too heavily on too many things. You are only one person and there are only so many hours in a day, so prioritize 1-2 projects each day/month/quarter and give them your all.

Identify your strengths

Hire talented professionals to handle the areas where you aren’t as strong. Building a strong team will allow you to step back and create a well-oiled machine that doesn’t require 100% of your attention 100% of the time. Hire the right people and then trust your team do their jobs.

Professional development

Helping your employees grow professionally is extremely important, but don’t forget about yourself, their leader. Attend networking events to learn from others, or join educational webinars and conferences. Another great way to learn from others and expand your professional network is to serve on a board. This fosters new relationships and gives you insight into the inner workings of a business, its strategies, and leadership insights that can help you make the right decisions for your own business. It also connects you to career-oriented, successful professionals to learn from.

Relax

Every now and then, slow down and take a deep breath. Feel proud of what you’ve created. Yes, there are a million items on your to-do list, but it’s important to take quiet moments to slow down and appreciate the work you’ve put in and what you’ve grown. Pressing pause often allows a sense of clarity that isn’t available when you’re stuck in the weeds, so savor it. It might give you a new idea, a fresh way of thinking, or allow you to recognize a solution to a problem you hadn’t thought of before.

Create a sense of community

Oftentimes it can be lonely leading a team or a business if you don’t have a co-founder or peer. Join an industry organization or business networking group in order to feel a sense of community. Read articles and business books by other business leaders to learn how they balance it all or approach different obstacles.

Read a newspaper every day

Not online – an actual newspaper. Many executives attempt to read newspapers online but inevitably become distracted when an email or text message appears on the screen. In my opinion, there is nothing more valuable in terms of your professional and personal growth than turning your attention from your PC or mobile device and taking the time to read a newspaper. It will give you a valuable perspective on important events and developments transpiring around you each day – events you should be aware about but aren’t because you are too caught up in trying to do it all.