2.1.1 Taking Responsibility – Setting Priorities

Particularly in our society today, no one needs to worry about not having enough to do, or a lack of activities to fill one’s schedule. On the contrary, if one does not live their life intentionally, their life controls them. “ Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:25-27)

Consequently, effective self-management means taking responsibility. A distinction is made between different levels of responsibility. In order to do justice to the different levels, priorities and objectives need to be established. It should be noted that actions alone do not necessarily lead to successful self-management. The aim should be to be as effective in completing a task as possible in as little time as possible. The “Pareto principle” is a good guideline for this, which assumes that 80 % of the results can be achieved with 20 % of the total time or effort expenditure. The remaining 20 % of the results require the most work with 80 %. Especially for leaders, this guideline is challenging, but absolutely desirable (Leadership: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell).

• Invest 80% of the time in 20% of the most essential things.
• Forgo 80% of the non-essential things just for the sake of perfection.
• Delegate 80% of the non-essential things to your employees.
• Give 80% of your time to the 20% of your best employees. 
• Listen 80 % of your time to your employees and talk 20 % yourself.
• 80% of the ideas should come from the team, 20% from you.