Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/221076
Editor's Note Time Will Tell If We Got It Right The best leaders focus on the important not the urgent. Here's what I mean, Jellybean. BY KIM PHELAN You've heard the expression, preparing food – 1,635 jellybeans and the professor was weaving these "The planets were aligned," as a way of disappear. Work (hopefully something mind pictures, some of which will saying things have just come together fulfilling) – 3,202 jellybeans are taken probably stick with me for a long time. perfectly and created a great outcome. away. Commuting and traveling – He was giving us a lesson for becomWell, today I'm going to tell you how 1,099. Watching television – 2,676 ing great leaders. the jellybeans were aligned, and the (Remember, that's days, not hours! Although there were numerous outcome is a message, a profound OMG). Household-related things like takeaways from his talk, what got me reminder, especially now that we're chores, pets, shopping – 1,576. And was: Time is your only real asset, so wrapping up one year and ready to on it goes. Just about everything spend it well. And in the end, it's just plunge into another. The message is we all have to do (yes right down to about the one thing any of us can about time. bathing/grooming stuff) is rolled into really control – that is, what we do Recently I watched a short video the demonstration. with it, not time itself. And one of the on You Tube called, "The Time You In the end, what you're left with things that distinguishes really good Have (In Jellybeans)," created by a guy is a neat little jellybean square with leaders from everyone else is how named Ze Frank, a 41-year-old Ameria question mark drawn in the center. they prioritize their time. Dave says can online performance artist, comthey do the important, not the urgent, That's the time you have left. poser, humorist and public speaker and they do what's right, not neces"So what are you going to do with based in Los Angeles, Calif. If you sarily what's popular. this time?...If you only had half of it, haven't seen it, I suggest you Google Bottom line: It's always about the what would you do differently? What this thing and take two minutes and deeds, not the intentions. And everyabout half of that?...[and] What if you 45 seconds of your day to watch it. thing matters. Cut one ethical corner, just had one more day?" I don't want to ruin it for you, but and there's really no way to draw the I watched this video during church. briefly what he does is pour a box of line after that. No, not on my phone or tablet; I was jellybeans onto a black floor – your view paying attention! It was incorporated I also learned (or was reminded) is from above looking down through as part of a sermon. The message was that true leadership is about the team a fast-action lens. A narrator explains about time, numbering your days well, you develop, not your own resume or there are 28,835 jellybeans, one for skill-set. In the battle of Me versus We, and taking action on all your good each day that the average American will intentions. it's a more credible leader who puts live. You might have more or you might them first. The reason the beans were "alignhave less, but you get the picture – it's So, what if there was just one ing" in such a freaky way, just then, your life in jellybeans. jellybean left? Would you do somewas because that message was eerily In a visually entertaining and thing different tomorrow? Every so echoing what I had heard just two impactful way, you quickly see where days prior at the extraordinary leader- often I try to remind myself to hold things lightly and hold people tightly your time is spent – all the while, a ship conference we just conducted in – kind of a good way to avoid future bean-counter in the top corner is Orlando. After a powerful day with remorse. Time will tell. showing how many days are left. First, Disney Institute, we featured a final Merry Christmas, and thanks one single jellybean is set apart from keynote the next morning with my for reading. the mass – "It's your very first day," friend Dave Griffith, the chairman says the voice; "a special day, but kind of Modern Group who is now the of rough on everyone involved." full-time executive director for an KIM PHELAN (kphelan@aednet.org) By the time you're 15, on the inner-city social services agency in is the executive editor of Construction cusp of adulthood, 5,475 days have Philadelphia. Equipment Distribution and director of elapsed. You'll be asleep for 8,477 Dave's a gifted storyteller – in fact, programs for AED. days. Tick tick tick. Eating, drinking, it kind of felt like a college classroom December 2013 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 7