The title above translates as ” the magistrate does not concern himself with trifles” ( the praetor was a Roman magistrate) and needs to be borne in mind by serving or aspiring leaders. Indeed it might also apply to any of us who want to accomplish our professional goals .
I have always been fascinated by leadership and what it means to be a good leader. It will be the subject of my forthcoming book when I explore the theme through the lens of my own leadership experiences.
The higher up the leadership ladder the more are the demands on our time . Time is a scarce resource and we need to use it wisely . Either you own your own time or others will consume quantities of your time . Leaders will always need to battle distractions if they are to remain focused on achieving results or delivering outcomes.
It might look to be selfish but leaders are judged on their ability to deliver on stated goals and objectives. Having a vision, , devising policy , implementing strategy and giving direction are some of the priorities of good leadership.
Lack of direction and purpose only leads to useless wandering and ineffective working. A strategic plan gives direction to our professional lives and leadership journey. The leader with the vision, strategy and implementation plan is the decision-maker who charts the course for the organisation and drives its strategic development.
Knowing the difference between being busy and being effective is crucial for any leader. It is better to make some big decisions rather many decisions . Focus on the big picture not the ” trifles”.
Stick with the centuries-old advice given to Roman magistrates and focus of what leaders should really do. Remember the words of Benjamin Disraeli ,
” If time be of all things the most precious , wasting time must be the greatest prodigality” .
De minimis non curat praetor
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