Soft Skills for the Professional Services Industry

CHAPTER 13Self‐Management

YOU ARE THE STARTING point of effective and successful management. If you cannot manage yourself, you cannot manage others. That is why your personal work methodology and productivity is so important. Self‐management is closely related to the principles of focus and results orientation. In addition, self‐management is the bridge to your goals. Figure 13.1 shows the connections.

Focus and results orientation are the principles that should be at the core of a professional's self‐management. Their personal work methodology is focused, designed to get results, as well as professional and personal goals. Setting and attaining goals are the key tasks of a professional. Self‐management serves to realize these goals. Figure 13.1 shows that the principles of results orientation and focus are the starting point for a professional's actions. If you do not know exactly what results you want to achieve and do not focus on them, you will not accomplish your goals. Goal clarity is the prerequisite for a professional to direct their self‐management activities in a result‐oriented, focused manner towards their goals. Focusing helps to concentrate on the essentials. Every professional should already have the end in mind at the beginning. It is always important to have the targeted result in mind within the framework of self‐management and the planning of professional and private activities. Accordingly, all activities should be directed towards the desired results. ...