“She’s a workaholic,” said one person to another about me.  “Why do you come to work so early?” asked another person.  “Go home, you work too much,” was another statement I heard this month.  This work ethic may explain why at the end of the last two school years I wrote about being hung over.  Hung over described my physical, mental, and emotional state at the end of each school year.  Village keeping and building, by definition, proved demanding work regardless of my community.  Historically, the success of all communities has been predicated on people concerned about ideals, objectives, and goals of the populace.  Moreover, the concerned members possessed more than a notion or appreciation for the communal values.  These folks, who I called villagers, were passionate about the positive impact these principles might have on the individuals in the community that the villagers were driven to action.  In this context, action equaled work.

For about a month, I have been prompted to talk about and think about my impassioned work. I considered why I chose to work more than forty hours a week, what the amount of time invested in my work said about me, if anything, and whether the work produced expected and favorable outcomes for my community.  My work product equaled time and consistency.  As I thought about my successes and shortcomings as a leader, I realized that any person or organization experiencing success logged hours of consistent and committed work.  My personal feelings or opinions about the sports team, the politician, or the leadership style had no release in the conversation.  Successful leaders also used their passion to energize and define their purpose and to energize their pursuits.

Here are a few things I learned about myself last month:

1. I love my work!
2. I believe in the work that I do.
3. I believe in the potential of the people, the groups, and institutions impacted by my work.
4. I believe that my work is enhanced by my village network.
5. I tend to align with other folks who demonstrate passion through energetic work-related performances.
6. I am frustrated by lazy people.
7. I am aggravated by unmotivated people who impede the work and progress of others.
8. I believe in rewarding and praising my team for their investments into the community.
9. I need to improve on my work-life balance.
10. My village is stronger when I am rested and prepared when I show up to work.

Nothing in the post is groundbreaking, but there should be a return to the foundation of my use of time, energy, and resources on a regular basis.  Additionally, I need to be mindful of the reasons that that hang over effect happens and how to lessen the probability that I repeat the things that have led to that outcome twice in the recent past.  Finally, my self-flection may ensure that I am mindful of the demands on my staff and my obligation to engage in behaviors that uplift my staff and my village. Take thirty minutes to an hour or so every month to think about your work ethic and how it contributes to or diminishes your life and that of the community you serve.  Then, figure out how to balance all of the interests so that all receive some benefit from your work.