Being Present and Beating Distractions

Last weekend I took my 13 year-old daughter on a father-daughter trip. For the weekend I made a commitment to myself to turn off and not check my devices (phone, tablet, etc.), and asked my daughter to do the same. It was hard for both of us on the first day but by the end of the weekend, we saw a 180 degree change in the depth of our conversations to a type we’ve never previously had. We were truly being present with each other and it showed.

Distractions From Not Being Present

Last week I did a talk for a small group of CEOs. During my talk, the chair of the group texted one of the members who was in the room. When the member’s phone vibrated, the member exposed the chair saying, “I thought we weren’t supposed to use technology during the speakers!” It stopped my talk but we discussed it with the group as an example of how distractions are created by not being present.

At EOS we say “less is more”. With goal setting, it is 3-7 goals, and 3 is better than 7. Stephen Covey says if you have 3 goals you will most likely accomplish 100% of them. If you have 7, you will probably get 2 complete. This is all about focus.

Being Present and Focus Are Two Sides of the Same Coin

Time and again this truth is proven, whether with family or in business. We get more done and build better and deeper relationships when we remain present.

When are you not present and not focused? With a colleague? With a family member?

So I leave you with a challenge: pick a person with whom you will be present for the next week. When you are with them, disconnect from everything else. Yes, harder than it sounds but like with my daughter, the rewards are well-worth the effort.

Next Steps:

• Watch this video about addressing personnel issues for the good of your company.
• How strong is your company? Complete the EOS Organizational Checkup to find out.
• Schedule a free 90-minute meeting with an EOS Implementer.