Flex and Flack

A lot of people are not going to like this paragraph, but do not kill the messenger—I am reporting what I learned from the best. Harnessing time successfully often means that you have to get others to work to your schedule. Invincible executives usually resist what one of them termed "out of sync" work patterns. Most invincible executives, for example, do not favor "flextime" employees who do not work five days a week or employees who work different hours than everyone else in the organization. Some of them put up with it; few of them like it. They generally do not mind employees working off-site, but they find part-timers to be frustrating. For most invincible executives in traditional corporate environments, flextime puts the individual's schedule ahead of the enterprise schedule. It reduces the capacity of the executive to control time.

The legendary August Busch III of Anheuser-Busch fame, for example, has, I am told, made it clear to his direct reports that if he is at the office and needs some advice, and the person whose advice he needs is not available due to some sort of flexible schedule, he will hold the flex employee's boss responsible for any cost increase, schedule slippage, customer relations problems, or legal issues that arise because of the incompatible scheduling of his time with that of his employees. He does not prohibit employees whose schedules are out of sync with his, but he prevents it from interfering with the goals of the organization by adding a layer of responsibility for any negative repercussions.

As the world becomes increasingly technologically connected, the issue of out-of-sync timing will likely diminish. People will be able to use technology to make themselves accessible in an emergency at any time. This may not be good from a standpoint of quality of life, but it will, I predict, soften the view of most invincible executives that alternative work schedules hinder an employee's ability to progress. That means that if you have one of these flexible schedules, you should take extra steps to make yourself accessible by phone or e-mail. You should have specific discussions with your superiors about your accessibility—particularly how to reach you in the event of an emergency.