Decide How
Long to Work
I
52
’m currently conducting a six-month Executive Group
Coaching project for eight executives in eight different
companies spread across the United States. We meet once
a month in two groups of four through video conferencing, and
then I write a feedback letter to all of them after the second group
session for that month.
The First Questions
My first two questions to the group were, “How many hours
do you work in a week, and how many hours do you want to
work?” The average of their answers was they work 64 hours a
week, and want to work 50 hours a week.
I then asked, “What will you have to do in order to get down
to the number of hours you want to work in a week?”
Their Answers
Here’s some of what they said:
• If I limited my work hours, I would
have to take some things off my plate.
• I’ve learned to accept that the work
will be there for me the next day. I don’t have
to finish everything every day.
• I would delegate more responsibilities
by Dan Coughlin
and let things go to other people.
• I would spend less time overseeing
people and checking up on them.
• I would attend fewer meetings.
• I would let go of some control and trust my team members
more.