Jim Sheils: Balancing High Performance and Quality Family Time
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Our guest Jim Sheils owns a highly successful real estate investment company and is also the entrepreneur behind Board Meetings, which helps busy high performers and executives foster a deeper connection with their children and families. In our chat today Jim offers some words of wisdom on staying focused on what is important in life, and how to use your entrepreneurial skills to maintain quality relationships with the people closest to you. He also shares with us a link to a free copy of his book, The Family Board Meeting.
Figure Out What’s Important
The key to achieving balance as an entrepreneur or executive is to first determine what is most important in your life. Meditation is an excellent way to eliminate distractions and focus on what’s most important. The clarity you achieve will enable you to say ‘no’ to opportunities that lead you in the wrong direction and will prevent you from chasing too many things.
“The biggest thing that I overcame was being OK with what I was good at”
Jim also stresses that entrepreneurs need to understand not only their strengths, but their weaknesses as well. Staying true to the areas where you excel will help to simplify your life and will keep you from being drawn to new opportunities where you are less likely to find success.
Crabs in a Bucket
All crabs in a bucket will try to escape. When one almost makes it out, however, the others grab it and bring it down.
These “crabs in a bucket” tend to come about at critical moments in our life. Right when you are on the verge of a major decision, someone will inevitably come out and try to pull you back into the bucket by discouraging you. However, it is not worth getting distracted by them unless you know them, trust them, and they are an expert in the area they are advising in.
Put simply, “If you want to learn how to make bread, go to a baker. Don’t go to a butcher.”
About Board Meetings
The idea behind Board Meetings came to Jim as a young entrepreneur. In his mid 20s, older entrepreneurs confided in him that they weren’t spending enough time with their children. Thus, the idea for Board Meetings was born.
The first goal of Board Meetings is to bring back the basic idea of quality time. Designed for entrepreneur families, the company hosts retreats and teaches high performers how to conduct ‘board meetings’ with their children.
Board Meetings retreats typically include 15 to 20 parent-child couples and focus on three areas: Personal Development, Financial Intelligence, and Relationship Skills. The goals of the retreat are to foster family bonding, as well as give entrepreneurs an opportunity to teach their children the lessons they’ve learned from their business and life - these are the kinds of lessons kids don’t get at school.
The Power of Four Hours
At the core of the Board Meetings concept is scheduling a 4-hour board meeting with your child every 90 days. In these one-on-one board meetings, no electronic devices are allowed and your child will be allowed to choose a fun activity with focused reflection at the end.
Though 4 hours every 90 days may not sound like much, the meeting gives you a chance to connect and communicate with your child at a significantly deeper level than you would in regular day-to-day interactions. For a lot of families, scheduling parent-child board meetings has been a complete game-changer.
Getting Started
Connecting with family on a meaningful level is an area where many entrepreneurs and high performers struggle. Do not feel embarrassed or ashamed about your situation. Instead, take action.
Schedule the first board meeting with each of your children today. When it comes to your spouse or significant other, reconnect with them by scheduling a date each week.
It’s also worth pointing out that the Board Meeting strategy is just as applicable to young and single entrepreneurs as it is to those with families. Don’t hesitate to schedule a board meeting with a sibling or parent if you feel like you are drifting away from them.
Make sure to check out…
Download a free copy of The Family Board Meeting by Jim Sheils
