Warning: Upgrade your personal operating model

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Update now or risk losing access to your company’s systems and services.” Executives have likely seen this kind of message regularly sent to their company-issued mobile phone or computer. And when it pops up, they know exactly what it means and why: upgrading a device’s operating system can help protect it against bugs or unlock new features for more effectiveness.

As a leader, updates to your own operating system can be just as critical—if not more so. Your operating system—what we call your personal operating model—defines the way you get work done and ultimately determines your impact. This system comprises the choices you make about your priorities, the roles you choose to play, how you spend your time, and how you sustain your energy.

In this article, the author explore the four drivers of the personal operating model, critical questions associated with each, and best practices for building and maintaining such models at both the individual and organizational levels. Making space to regularly reflect on and adapt your personal operating model is a keystone habit for executives. 

The personal operating model consists of four drivers: priorities, roles, time, and energy. Depending on the professional and personal circumstances executives face, these can be either a drain on productivity or a source of personal resilience. As new realities emerge, leaders need to continually question their approaches to managing each of these elements.

1. Assess your priorities.  Effective leadership begins with defining clear priorities—the work to be done, the highest-impact problems to be solved, and the biggest opportunities to be pursued. To help sharpen their priority setting, leaders can consider the following questions:  Do you fully understand your mandates?  Are you ready for your most critical leadership conversations?  What can you quit doing now?  
2. Understand your role.  Once their priorities are set, effective leaders create a map of the tasks they will handle themselves and the work they will delegate to others. The following questions can help with this crucial step:  Are you focused on the work that only you can do?  Are you creating positive leverage to get work done?  Who has your back?  
3. Manage your time.  Once you have established your priorities and roles, you need to think about the most productive ways to manage your time. Top leaders focus on their most important work while allowing themselves the flexibility to handle emergencies, engage in strategic thinking, and create space for personal time. Consider these important questions.  Do your boundaries enable tight but loose schedules?  What rhythm have you established to manage your time?  How can you redesign meetings for maximum impact?  
4. Optimize your energy.  Now that you have a handle on managing your time, you can focus on bringing the right energy to your work. This involves protecting your physical health, maintaining strong relationships, and making your work match your meaning. Explore the following questions as you think about supporting your energy.  How do you protect your health in a demanding role?  Who are your real friends?  Why does this work matter to you?