Feb. 27, 2017, U.S. Army photo

In the spring of 2012, I heard some advice during a professional development session that caused me to reevaluate my daily routine. That morning, the Deputy Commanding General of Operations (DCG-O) conducted PT with the officers of our battalion. After PT, we assembled in the battalion classroom for a professional development session. We were all eager to hear from an officer who had an exceptional reputation as a leader and warfighter.

During the session, the DCG-O described his time in multiple leadership positions from platoon leader to his current position. He talked about the responsibility entrusted to us as commissioned officers along with some of the best practices he learned over decades of service.

The session did not reveal any “secrets” to success and although the information was valuable to this group of officers, what he said next has stuck with me for the last several years. The DCG-O said that if he had to change anything throughout his time in service, the only thing he would change is that he would give up less late nights and weekends.

Hearing this from a man who served for over a quarter of a century caused me to reflect on my experience as a military officer. At the time, it was common (almost standard) for me to head into the office for a few hours after church on Sunday. I was always the first one to arrive and the last to leave. I loved to work and none of this felt even remotely wrong. I was out of balance and I did not even know it.

After that session, I knew I had to evaluate my work habits and establish an equilibrium in my life. Realistically, I know an equilibrium is a fantasy, but I do believe we can manage the ebbs and flows of work and family requirements even in the most demanding jobs. However, this requires self-discipline.

Below are a few of the ways I used a disciplined routine to manage all of my competing requirements and move closer to the equilibrium I wanted to achieve.

Establish a Battle Rhythm: Establishing a personal battle rhythm is like planning for combat and as Helmuth von Moltke the Elder would say, “no plan survives first contact with the enemy.” Be comfortable knowing that every day will be a battle to ruthlessly protect your schedule because multiple entities compete for your time and energy. Take comfort in knowing that your battle rhythm will change daily, but it will also keep you focused on the “big rocks.” Knowing what the “big rocks” are allows you to refrain from getting caught up in the “tyranny of the present.” Time management is hard and quite frankly, leaders do not have enough time to waste time! 

Learn and streamline every system: One of the major friction points in our profession is dealing with an endless list of requirements. We get consumed by task saturation and it puts undue friction on the organization. My initial response was to invest more personal time, which meant committing to more late nights and weekends in the office. The DCG-O’s advice provided me with a sense of purpose to address this issue. I immediately committed to learning as many systems as possible and streamlining those processes. I learned valuable time management techniques as I committed myself to streamline every system the Army expected me to maintain. This investment paid huge dividends because it saved time that was better spent leading rather than reacting to contact.

Be comfortable with delegation: A mentor once recommended getting more comfortable with delegation. This implied that we should be focused more on the end than the means when we are in positions of authority. Of course, as leaders we must ensure that the means do not violate any legal, moral, or ethical standards, but we must also be willing to provide our subordinates the freedom to meet objectives without being micromanaged. Being comfortable with delegation means you free yourself up to maintain awareness on the “big blocks” that require your attention. As an organizational leader, you may delegate authority, but being comfortable with delegation does not mean you relinquish any responsibility. Leaders who are comfortable with delegation empower their subordinates to complete critical tasks. This also prepares those subordinates to assume positions of higher authority. So, I challenge you to perfect the art of delegation, empower your team, and manage the pulse of the organization with intent, not direction.

Be a “Rooster” or an “Owl” but not both: There are only 24 hours in a day and you cannot commit every minute to work. We have all met “workaholics” who take pride in being the first to arrive and the last to leave. First, I offer that hours of work do not necessarily equate to increased performance. When you burn the candle at both ends, you risk premature burnout. Your career is a marathon, not a sprint, and you should treat it as such. Additionally, you cannot expect yourself to operate at peak performance all hours of the day. Some of us are naturally productive in the morning, while others are more productive at night. It is important that you are aware of whether you are a rooster or an owl to help maximize your efficiency. Finally, I believe that being a rooster AND an owl can place unnecessary stressors on our personal lives.

At this point in my life, I needed to increase my level of self-discipline or succumb to the same pitfalls the DCG-O challenged us to avoid. To increase my self-discipline, I attempted to maintain a predictable battle rhythm, streamline all administrative requirements, and become more comfortable with delegation. My battle rhythm kept me focused on the most critical tasks, which was extremely important to maintaining organizational effectiveness. By making a large investment to streamline processes, I saved time in the future, and by becoming more comfortable with delegation, I better managed the most critical issues of the organization. I also prefer to be a “Rooster” to minimize disrupting my family life. All of these techniques required self-discipline, allowed me to be a more efficient leader, and resulted in greater organizational effectiveness.

These are my personal thoughts on a complex issue and while I fail to provide a “right” answer, I hope that my thoughts are helpful in your self-reflection.

Major Agustin M. Gonzalez currently serves as a General Wayne A. Downing Scholar at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. He is a Master of Public Policy Candidate with a concentration in National Security. MAJ Gonzalez commanded three companies in both airborne and special operations units. Follow him on twitter @amdg11b.