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Hi All

I feel obliged (in the nicest sense!) to officially say hello now, having lurked for about 2 weeks, as I've posted a comment re new enhanced feeds (woohoo!).

I am really enjoying (and learning) from the podcasts and forums and find them a useful, informative and integral part of my day.

:) JD

jhack's picture

Welcome, JD.

John

jemflower's picture

Thanks for the welcome :) Am really enjoying exploring the forums.

ctomasi's picture

Jemflower,

Welcome! It's great to "see" a new face.

Please share a little information with us. What is your role? What challenges do you face? How can we help? We'd love to get to know you better.

HMac's picture

Welcome de-lurker!
I'm enjoying your posts.
-Hugh

jemflower's picture

[quote="ctomasi"] Please share a little information with us. What is your role? What challenges do you face? How can we help?[/quote]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I'm based in the UK and am head of a small legal team. My role is a mixture of operational (day to day, I need to make sure we can service our clients), technical (I have to provide specific legal advice) and strategic (e.g. building profile of legal dept, aligning our longer term goals with those of the company in which we operate, succession planning, etc).

I'm very comfortable with my operational and technical roles. I am on a steep (and very enjoyable) learning curve with respect to the strategic aspects of my managerial/leadership role. I am very much a detail person (my comfort zone) but I'd like to feel more comfortable with formulating and taking a helicopter view of things. For example, I feel that I formulate some great strategies but they are often more by instinct and experience rather than any formal process (and I'm totally okay with that). I suppose I just want to be sure that I've explored all ways to become (I hope) a great manager and (I hope) a great leader.

One of the things that I've really enjoyed at MT is that it has re-affirmed alot of what I'm already doing but equally has given me LOADS of ideas that I can build on, explore, try out, etc.

In terms of where I am at the moment, probably my number one "note to self" is to remember to set aside time to think in order to develop as an effective manager and leader. I do a lot of firefighting and although I think I am very good at delegating fairly and effectively, its easier for me to "prioritise" reactive work and push back time that I've previously blocked out for my own leadership development. I think I'm getting better but it's definitely one of my key development areas.

Sometimes, I feel like command is a lonely post (and trust me, I'm a talkative person)!

:) jemflower

ctomasi's picture

Jemflower,

Thanks for the introduction. We share many of the same characteristics - enjoying the tactical and a tenancy to push off the strategic. I too am working on this.

One tip from the David Allen "Getting Things Done" plan is to set aside some time - make an appointment on you calendar - to work on just that. Do it as frequently as you feel necessary. Keep that appointment with yourself or reschedule only if absolutely necessary. This is YOUR time to get in the helicopter and do your high level view, forecasting, visioning, and what ever else you feel necessary. It could be an hour a week, it could be an afternoon a month. What ever you feel is necessary. Make a commitment to it and stick with it.

Peter.westley's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

Welcome Jemflower!

Always great to see new contributors on the forum - both asking questions and offering help or responses.

In my opinion strategy certainly does require thinking time and unless space is made for thinking, it doesn't happen.

Good luck with it.

jemflower's picture

[quote="Peter.Westley"]...both asking questions and offering help or responses.[/quote]

I hope to do both in equal measure! Thanks for the welcome!

:) jemflower