If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.
Jim Rohn – Author and Entrepreneur
Self management is the art of taking responsibility and the science of taking control of your behavior, health, spirit, work, career, and life. Self manageent is really critical due to COVID. So, think about these key self management questions:
- What are your strengths?
- What are your values?
- Where do you belong?
- How do you workand perform?
- What value can and do you contribute?[i]
Peter Drucker, the father of management, posed these questions 15 years ago. They have particular resonance for VUCANs. Many VUCANs are simply not equipped, ready, or resilient to deal with COVID work disruption. The numbers are depressing. About 75% of VUCAN are anxious, depressed, and have insomnia. While these are U.K. and U.S. numbers, you can see the same in many countries.
Self management is a common theme woven through this book. Your answers to the above questions can be an early indicator of how well you’re adapting to COVID work disruption and automation coming to your life and work. We call this your self management index. The higher your index, the better you’ll manage risks and solve critical problems in your life.
Work Lesson Earned: Think your boss or your company is going to look out for you? Think again. In the COVID world of work, you’re entering the do-it-yourself (DIY) world of work and career management. Companies don’t offer much guidance. VUCAN life and work is all about self-awareness and self management. We believe these practices are the basis for success. Think about it. If most professional data and information are accessible on the web, what is your personal value differentiator?
[i] ‘Managing Oneself,’ Peter Drucker, HBR, January 2005.