James Cathcart
• Twenty-five years in private and public education
• Renowned humorist and story-teller
• Has worked extensively with government, financial and computer/software organizations
James received his education in Sociology and Organizational Behavior from Brigham Young University. Early in his studies, he was introduced to the works of Stephen Covey and became determined to work for the Franklin Covey Company. He has lived in South Africa, and traveled the world extensively. He has been a Stand-up Comedian, High-School Teacher and Manager of Security for the Utah Transit Authority before joining Franklin Covey in April 1994. Since then, he has worked with corporate, financial, government, military and not-for-profit organizations in an effort to not only help them grow their businesses and achieve their objectives, but enhance the quality of life of their employees as well. James’s education, down-to-earth teaching style and delightful sense of humor has made him one of Franklin Covey’s most sought- after facilitators and speakers.
James lives in Washington state with his wife Laura and their two children.
Topics Include…
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
An engaging and practical approach to principle-centered living at the personal and professional levels.
Leadership: Great People, Great Teams, Great Results
A cutting-edge curriculum, that brings to any team or organization the best material from many of the world’s foremost thinkers in 21st-century leadership.
Personal Productivity
Learn how to lead your life in such a way as to increase effectiveness and achieve greater life-balance.
Categories
FranklinCovey Consultant Blogs | James Cathcart | Time Management
To Know and Not to Do is Not to Know
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The title of this entry probably sounds like something the great Jedi Master Yoda might say, but it’s actually a quote from Stephen R. Covey. A couple of times over the last week, I’ve heard people say that they tried the FranklinCovey methodologies for time management in the past, but they didn’t work for them. When I asked why, they said something like, “well, I would write stuff down, but then forget to look at it, so…what’s the point?” I explained to one of them, in a lighthearted way, that this breakdown wasn’t so much a problem with the system, but with the user!
So often, we take great pains to accumulate vast amounts of practical knowledge, but never really apply it. We take pride in the fact that we “read the book” or “attended the seminar”, and that’s the end of it. The question I posed to one individual, when he told me that he had “gone through The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People some years ago” was, “yes, but did the 7 Habits go through you?”
I sometimes wonder if we need to stop frantically searching for fulfillment in the latest fads and trends in the marketplace, and start rolling up our sleeves and getting down to the hard work of applying some of the simple truths we’ve already learned. I firmly believe that people should always have a thirst for learning, but also recognize that to learn and not to apply, is wasted effort.
The Compass and the Clock
Over the last year, I have immersed myself into some of the time-management literature that is wildly popular right now. I began with David Allen’s Getting Things Done.
First of all, let me state for the record that I like and respect David. I think that he has a lot to offer. His distinction between projects and tasks (or, The Next Action Items as he would call them) is an excellent observation. I believe that ignoring such a distinction is one of the primary reasons people get overwhelmed by their goals.
But, as I read some of the blog and forum comments of those who are impacted by this new batch of organizational literature, I cannot help but think that we are taking a few steps backwards.
People are becoming overwhelmed with the sheer weight of information that constantly presses upon them. In a desperate attempt to alleviate the pressure, they turn to efficiency programs for aid. “I just need to learn how to organize my inbox” one might say, or “If I could just get my desk uncluttered, then I’d have a handle on things”.
Many of the new authors in the field of organization and time-management share some excellent tips to help us get more things done, but there is a component missing from these approaches if we’re not careful. That component is “should I be doing a lot of these things in the first place?”
The clock is the tool that we use to measure the amount of time that we have, and drives us towards efficiency. “What time is it?” or “When will this meeting be over?” are both clock-related questions.
The compass indicates our direction, and helps us know whether we are on or off course. This is the symbol of effectiveness.
As Stephen R. Covey has often said, “It doesn’t really matter how fast you are going if you’re headed in the wrong direction.”
So, as we move forward into the 21st-century, and as time-management evolves into its next incarnation, I believe that one thing must never change. That one thing is the price that we all have to pay to understand what our primary purpose in life is, and whether or not we are adhering to the principles that help us to achieve that purpose.
When we focus first on the compass, then the clock, we truly begin to unlock our potential and set ourselves on a course for fulfillment and greatness.