There is a rather graphic, old saying that I have frequently referred to during the course of my 40 year career in business. The saying, and it is really an excellent piece of advice on how to manage your career, goes like this. “When you are up to your behind in alligators, it is difficult to remember that your mission is to drain the swamp.” I believe we all survive many days of our employment fending off alligator after alligator, only to arrive at the end of day and inquire, ‘What did I really accomplish today?” If the answer to that question forces us to admit that almost nothing was gained, then, in reality the alligators have won yet another battle.
The alligators never have to win. We can fend off those crafty beasts, or at least force them back where they belong; if we merely remember to keep our focus always on our mission. I was reminded of how important the mission really is just this past week, when I spent an unusual amount of time battling those pesky alligators on all fronts. Technology was failing at every turn. My team could not access sites critical for their work. The client was breaking down the doors because many of their users had difficulty accessing our online training system. Interruptions kept nipping at my heals as I attempted to wear many hats, attend all required meetings and somehow keep feeding that insatiable beast we call bureaucracy. The alligators were waging a spirited battle and I was feeling more weary with every passing day. Where did all those gators come from?
It was then that I recalled my swamp advice and paused to reflect on what had become of my mission. I discovered that I had been battling the unnecessary and insignificant all week, I was handling other people’s problems, reacting, not planning, and I was now paying the price in terms of a badly battered behind. The alligators were absolutely giddy with excitement as they chased me all over the swamp. I had fallen victim to the tyranny of the urgent and had forgotten essential nature of the important. What is important in life rarely becomes urgent, it merely nudges us on occasion as if to jolt us back onto the proper path. My daily thrashing at the feet of the alligators had blurred my vision and I had allowed those vicious beasts to control the playing field. It had to stop. I had to continue draining the swamp.
Throughout most of my business career, I have reacted to emergencies, pleas from my boss to solve problems, requests from human resources to fill out yet another form or complete another required training course. All of these distractions confuse and cloud my days, bringing fog to the swamp and giving the alligators an unnecessary edge. I have frequently attempted to slay as many alligators as possible,all the while forgetting that there will simply be another alligator and another problem to resolve. You cannot slay every alligator, there will always be another to take his place.
It was then that I rediscovered the vital importance of maintaining a laser focus on my mission; both personally and professionally and it was then that my victory over those gators was assured. I dedicated myself on how to best drain the swamp ,remembering that it is only a swamp and that there are far more important ventures in life than a daily battle with those dirty alligators roaming at will in an environment that simply has to be drained.
I realized that with so many urgent forms of communication available today, by instant message, text, phone and video conference, that time,which had once been so plentiful, could now be invaded in an instant, by a colleague, friend, supervisor,customer, family member, salesperson or client, and that I could react to each of them as they occurred, for the rest of my life. Yet, looking back at the nature of these interruptions, I discovered that almost all of them were thinly disguised as budding alligators, clamoring for attention, which mostly, they did not deserve. The stark reality is that in today’s busy world, we may simply be too available for those alligators.
Alligators, like people, demand attention. And attention diverted to them, means not focusing on our mission. What is truly important? What must be accomplished in our business and personal lives in order to be successful? What should I really be spending my time on? I am confident that it is not battling alligators of someone’s invention or spending yet another day, struggling with those gators, when I should really be spending time with my family.
I have grown to realize over the years, that the urgent matters of the day are rarely the important matters of the day. What really matters are those we love, making life better for those people and living life on my terms. So often we let the urgent defeat the important and when that happens, we will lose our focus and the alligators will win. The swamp remains undrained.
This week, I will recommit myself to my mission. I will constantly drain that swamp and release those alligators. The urgent, annoying, constantly demanding issues of the day will soon fade back to the unimportant. The day is young and I am not. Time to complete my mission.