A fort is defined as a fortified building or strategic position. It’s also viewed as military construction or building designed for defense. Leaders need that same protection against a breakdown inside an organization.
The FORT has four solid pillars that make up its design.
A FORT can be defined as a strategic position or a castle like your own home, company, organization or office. That strategic position takes four approaches. Or, you can view the place as being built on solid ground with four solid beams.
The FORT and its four pillars can create a solid foundation and strategic plan to lead. So, remember FORT: Focus, Organize, Research and Time Management
F – Focus on the plan at hand. Every leader should have goals for himself as a leader and for the organization. In order to achieve the goals, you have to focus. Do you have daily agendas, short and long-term goals? Do you have strategies in place to achieve the tasks at hand? Lists, calendars and agendas help people stay focused.
O – Organizational skills help the leader stay focused. Your notes, briefcase, office, car, departments – all need to be organized and in order. Clean environments offer clarity of mind. Often people clear their desks of every other thing other than the project they are working on. This is part of being organized and focused.
R – Research helps you find the information you need. You don’t know what you don’t know sometimes. I had a client who wanted to start a service business and throughout a coaching session, repeatedly said, I don’t know how to do that. I asked, what can you do to find out or learn how to start a business. Leaders research. They look for answers. This is a skill I picked up as a journalist – search for facts – find information.
T – Time management is essential to success. As Stephen Covey noted, the focus should be about the roles you play and not the actual time. How we manage is based on the priorities we put on the roles. Are you a parent? Are you spouse? Are you an executive? Are you a business owner? Write down those roles. We have all heard the term “finding balance” in life. Are you living hour to hour and day-to-day looking at what is most immediately pressing? Are you mistaking urgent things with important things? Every area of your life demands your time. We need to look at life one week at a time. We all have the same hours in the day. How we manage that time will determine what we accomplish. Put visions into action with a plan. Stay focused day to day by looking at life week by week. Are you just writing down tasks or you focused on your mission and goals? Schedule your priority relationships first. Spend time on what matters most. When you think about time management, think about the BIG PICTURE. What are you trying to accomplish?
Perhaps consider using a visual. Actually, draw a FORT with the four pillars and a strategy and plans for keeping each pillar standing strong.
At Denha Media Group we offer corporate, leadership, and career coaching that can help refine and strengthen your FORT.
Are you and your team on the same page in terms of organizational goals? If the answer is ‘no’, ask yourself why? Coaching can help you and your team get there!
Inquire today about our coaching program!
