Coach Presents: Creating Your Culture at Work Part 5: Discipline Yourself to Stay Focused
Working all day at our 9 to 5’s can start to drag us down. Sometimes the problem is that the work we are doing isn’t keeping us fulfilled, other times there is so much work that it is keeping us buried at our desk. With all the extra hours you are putting in the office you are bound to start to feel a bit wore down. This series has been focusing on building a culture at work that you can be proud of, and making your corner of the office a place where your hard work won’t go unnoticed.
“Disciplined people, engaging in disciplined thought who then take disciplined action.” This is a great quote I read from Jim Collins in his famous book Good to Great. This quote relates closely to the previously discussed concept of narrowing our focus to produce great results. As a leader, work to be disciplined enough to adhere to your singular focus. It is tempting to get caught up in all the other office happenings, but work to stay focused on what will make you and ultimately your organization successful. Strive to have the ability to focus solely on what the company, your team or organization can be the best at. One of the most common ways to find success is to have an almost fanatical adherence to your singular focus. One of the most common ways to find failure is to start focusing on everything else.
Often times we think of the word discipline as negative or as a punishment. However, that is not the case, try to think of discipline as a positive. As a coach I like to study other coaches. I once viewed a quote from Booby Knight regarding discipline and I thought it summed it up very nicely. Discipline is “Doing what has to be done. When it has to be done. The best way it can be done…and do it that way all the time.” It’s simple, concise, and ultimately true. Doing what has to be done, and doing it well, and being consistent are qualities that will never hamper your success.
Remember to have the discipline to stay focused on your goals. You have been doing the work, now stay focused to reap the rewards.
~Sean Hogan has coached hockey at the international and collegiate levels for over ten years. He has spoken at numerous events about culture building, goal setting and healthy lifestyles. He holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Recreation and Sports Science with an emphasis on Coaching Education from OHIO University.