New York City is dazzling!

On my visits, I tiptoed across a balance beam of being completely mesmerized and utterly over-stimulated. The ethos is electric.

As I remember some of the most compelling sites, my visit to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) comes to mind. Van Gogh’s The Starry Night was on display.

Do you know my first thought?

WOW! It’s so small!

Actually, when I think of it, so was the Mona Lisa, shockingly small.

These famous painters created so much value in such a small space!

While this analogy falls apart quickly, the two famous and small paintings invite me to consider creating compelling value by focusing in a smaller space, on a more narrow initiative, with a more defined boundary.

The turn of the quarter is the perfect time to reflect.

Currently, in my leadership practice, we are marking the completion of the first year in a start-up, which may also be described as a bit chaotic and more reactive. Our journey has been a steep learning curve, which is only now becoming more regulated. This new season offers a new way of considering the work more intentionally.

In addition to the developmental journey of my organization, my inspiration is sparked by my reading with my leadership cohort: Essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown.

Now, I wonder how to shift into a more proactive state, narrowing my focus, and driving improvement in a defined and purposeful way. I wonder how to “choose carefully,” and how to use my time “to do great work.”

McKeown teaches how to:
*Explore and Evaluate
*Eliminate
*Execute

As you reflect on your practice, McKeown’s three categories are a framework for effective quarterly reflections.

Quarterly Calendar Reflection – 10min

Explore and Evaluate

Scroll or page through your calendar over the past quarter. As yourself the following questions:

What activities felt directly related to the outcomes you are trying to achieve?
Where did you see notable progress?
What activities felt less effective or more time-consuming without adding measurable value?

Eliminate

Is there something you can eliminate or a ‘backburner’ for now? It may still be important, but we can’t work on everything simultaneously.
How could you approach your work with more focus? Or in a smaller space?

Execute

If you were to get clear on the deliverables for this quarter, what are they? Choose 2-3 only.
How could you drive forward with the intention of purposeful impact?

This reflective practice aligns with one of our most used Learn Forward questions, “What matters most?”

From my perspective, this reflection is at the heart of professional boundaries and ethics. Anything other than focus in essential places on creating value is a recipe for burnout or ineffectiveness. Even in our caring profession, the more we focus on unfolding extraordinary potential, the more our work will ripple out into the community.

Essentialism…

For the sake of the children,

Karine