Every Monday as her work week begins, Rebecca Anthony does something that has transformed her nearly seven-year career with HireSmart: she blocks 30 minutes on her calendar to think about her “big rocks” for the week, a practice she learned in Anne Lackey’s SMARTER Leadership program that she now applies to everything from managing her virtual team to securing her bond with her 11-year-old before the teenage years hit.
Rebecca’s journey with HireSmart began in January 2019 as a customer service representative for a U.S. property management company. As the business grew from one to seven HireSmart virtual employees, so did her responsibilities.
“As we were growing, my client saw the need for someone who would be their communicator, you know, someone who would manage the team,” said Rebecca. “And so he offered me that position to be their manager, also a customer service manager at that point. And I accepted.”
Everyone Is a Leader
With her new management role came a desire to become more effective, which led her to Anne’s leadership program.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize that in some way or another, they are leaders,” she said. “If you are a parent, you’re a leader to your kids. Or, if you’re a sibling, you’re a leader to the younger ones. And you’re even a leader to yourself. You have to lead yourself into the goals that you want and lead yourself into being a better person that you see 5, 10 years from now.”
Vision Board and Big Rocks
Rebecca had never created a vision board before the class, and it became a daily touchstone. Her goals include investing in two properties (one for each of her sons), continuing her leadership development, and maintaining her physical health.
But the “big rocks” concept, made famous by Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, became truly transformative. The time-management metaphor is simple: if you fill your jar (your time) with sand and pebbles (small tasks) first, there’s no room for the big rocks (your most important goals and relationships). But if you place the big rocks first, the smaller things naturally fit around them.
“The class taught me about, there was a lesson about big rocks, and that means that you should make sure that you have time for your big rocks first, before you settle into the little details and all that stuff,” she said.
Rebecca immediately implemented the practice at work with her Monday planning sessions.
“All of these chats, all of these messages, can get you distracted, but making sure that I am able to complete those big rocks that I’ve set for the week has made a great impact,” she said.
Applying It at Home
Rebecca has two boys: Devin, 11, and Nero, 3. Devin is involved in Taekwondo and volleyball, where his team recently won a championship. The leadership program taught Rebecca to treat time with her sons as big rocks.
“They are my big rocks,” she said, adding that her “little rocks” include making sure the house is spotless. “And so I make sure that I really spend time with them.”
With Devin approaching his teenage years, that intentionality feels urgent.
