Tic-toc. Tic-toc. It shouts at us every day: “You’re not finished!” “Just another hour!” “The boss is still in HIS office!”
What time is it, anyway?
Time is a constant in our lives and we must live and work and play within the hours that time gives us every day. It provides order, tells us when to eat, and gives us much needed sleep every night. But how much do we allow time to master our work? Are we simply contributing time to our company or are we giving them the best of our talent?
LinkedIn Influencer Bruce Kasanoff tackled the topic of time vs. talent in a recent article titled “Sell Your Talent, Not Your Time.”
“The world – your bosses and HR managers and clients – will conspire to get you to prove yourself by putting in long hours, but working long hours often has a counterproductive impact, unless you are a factory line worker. Eventually, you end up tired, in a rut, and repeating the same barely logical patterns.” (Read his entire article here.)
Long hours don’t necessarily equal exceptional talent. Sometimes, as Kasanoff admits, the more time put into certain projects can simply result in an exhausted offering of the mediocre. Conversely, taking a step back from the grindstone can often lead to an “elegant solution” that shows off our very best.
It’s all about selling results, not punching a clock.
“When you get paid for time, you set up a dynamic in which your client or boss has an incentive to monitor you all the time. But when you get paid for results, the dynamic changes to: come back when you have something to show me.”
In the end, your boss and your company want you to produce. Landing on a solution in two hours instead of 22 hours demonstrates that you’ve got the goods and you’re a highly-valued asset to the team. You’re saving the company time and making them money. Kasanoff sums it up:
“…selling results motivates you to constantly raise the caliber of your work. It is a natural incentive to adopt a growth mindset and to constantly push yourself to aim higher.”
At the time of your next performance review, do you want to know your work was noticed and valued or that your time has simply been monitored?
Time is short. Making the most of your time – working smarter, not longer – will set your talent apart from the herd.