Stop wasting energy: a visual reminder for smarter village leadership
I came across the below image the other week in a LinkedIn post by George Stern.
It is a rather simple visual reminder about knowing the difference between what’s in your control, and what isn’t.
As we make our way around the country, we speak to Village Professionals like you who tell us about all the day-to-day things that place demands on your time. What you get caught up in. Unsurprisingly, most of the time they are things that are outside of your immediate control.
Think, residents’ expectations, external opinions, surprise maintenance issues, even what others think or say about you. These things can be frustrating and exhausting if we let them dictate our energy and focus.
As Stern’s image reminds us, there’s a lot that is within our control. This is where the greatest impact lies.
As we explored in our recent professional development days with Jacqui Perkins, you can control how you communicate, how you react, how you adapt to change, and how you set your own boundaries.
As we discussed with Lisa McInnes-Smith at Village Summit, you can focus on your work ethic, your habits, and how you see yourself as a high performing professional.
These are the areas that help you build trust with residents, lead your team effectively, and navigate the inevitable curveballs that come your way.
We talk often about self-leadership and emotional intelligence, the latter of which we are focusing on heavily in our Knowledge Centre in 2025. The reason for this is they are are the foundations of great village management.
As I look at this image, I find it fits perfectly within the conversations we have with many of you. If you find yourself stretched or overwhelmed, it’s worth asking: am I spending time on things outside my control, or investing energy where I can actually make a difference?
I have already printed it out and have it beside my computer at the home office. It has already served as a reminder to reflect at the end of a tough day. Sometimes, a good reminder is all it takes to reset and focused. And its cheaper than a glass of wine.
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