We recently read through Stephen Covey’s book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The truths laid out in this book, written over 30 years ago, have transformed how we think about personal growth, company growth, and, yes, even partnerships. As we grow at CoPort, seeking to help companies grow through partnerships, we took the content in that timeless book and applied it to what we do everyday.

We're going to take the next several blogs to lay out each habit, provide inspiration, and then give practical application so you, and I, can grow as partner leaders. 

Because we know that when we get better with partnerships, our companies win.

Put first things first.

“Effective management is putting first things first. While leadership decides what, “first things” are, it is management that puts them first, day-by-day, moment-by-moment. Management is discipline, carrying it out.” - Stephen Covey

You know you can make the change you want to make. You now have a mission statement reminding you where you’re going, by when, for what purpose. Now, get going. This habit in Stephen Covey’s book brings action to our why and our direction.

Now we need to decide what to do first.

Even if you haven’t read Stephen Covey’s book, you’ll probably have heard of his “Time Management Matrix" where you analyze activities on Importance and Urgency. It’s where we decide if something is Important/Not Important, and Urgent/Not Urgent. It's the daily disciplines that will help drive our programs forward. For just like in all areas of our life, when we do the work that’s Important/Not urgent, that’s how we help our companies grow. If we’re stuck in the rat race of Urgent/Important, or worse, Urgent/Not Important, we end up burnt out, exhausted, and with very little results to show for it in the long run.

This is the hardest discipline I see in partnership leaders. We’re naturally entrepreneurs, building something out of nothing, so there’s this sense that we have to be busy and do the work to grow our programs. We have quotas or metrics to grow our program to a certain number. We end up with a mile wide partner program, with an inch high results. And we wonder why we struggle to get buy-in from the rest of our organization.

Here, we’re reminded that the important work we need to be doing is plan, build relationships, prevent blockers, learn, and recognize new opportunities. When we’re caught up in the day to day urgent needs of our partners and our customers (internal and external), it can stall the growth of our programs and our careers.

Application

• Fill out the Management Matrix

• Time audit. Keep track of your day in 30 minute increments for one or two weeks. This will give you a non-judgmental view of how your spending your time.
• Find an urgency test online. Learn if you’re more prone to living in urgency rather than in important.
• Learn to delegate.  We run around putting out fires because we think we’re the only firefighter. When we remember we have others in the fight who can do the work, too, we free ourselves and empower our teams.

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” - Stephen Covey