What will you allow to fail?
You are not getting it all done.
Yes, I'm talking to you – the person reading this.
Everything on your task list will not get done. All those people you need to satisfy and do things for, yep – you can forget about making them all happy. And, those goals you so desperately need/want to hit, well it ain't gonna happen.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but with all the will in the world and best intentions, some (if not most) of your goals will be partly achieved. You may get close, but the reality is 'all won't be achieved'.
How can I know this? I don't know your circumstances, or your current plight, or your context. Its a little brazen and may seem a little rude.
But, here's the deal. For years, you have been telling me this. If this wasn't the case I simply would be out of work. Our workplaces are complex, dynamic, and speeding up every year. Resources are slim and getting leaner every year while expectations keep going up. And, for all of you in leadership positions the complexities multiply almost exponentially with every direct report you have.
On the surface this may seem depressing. But, I find it liberating. Once we acknowledge this reality we can get to work on focusing on the stuff that matters and dispensing with the distractions. We can also have more powerful conversations and lay it bare for other decision makers ensuring tough/awkward/horrible conversations aren't kicked down the road (usually with much larger costs to business/reputations/clients.
So, what are you willing to allow to fail? Here are some coaching lessons from my experience:
What will be a difference maker in one year's time?
If you were to have 1x consistent capability in your team next year that is currently non-existent or inconsistent that would blow open the opportunity/productivity/confidence of your team, what would that capability be? [pen to paper is a good idea right now]
What if you did nothing?
This question is asked in medical treatments and emergencies. It is also a common strategic facilitation question. If you simply stopped and watched the world unfold, what would happen? It is a weird thing to think, but fascinating to war game. It is a clever way to recognise who and what would go on and be fine, while who/what would significantly suffer and need our attention. [pen and paper again...]
Where can you use 80/20?
You can reply on the Italians to come up with this one. Pareto's Principle is an oldy but a goody. It says that 80% of your outcome will come from 20% of your effort. It tends to be true, from product sales, to client revenue, to task lists, to projects around an organisation. Seeing your activities and initiatives through this lens is more helpful than most professionals realise. The principle is common and widely known, but the application has nuance, depth, and breadth to ramp up productivity and progress. [you know what to do – have a play]
Right now, there is too much at stake. Another year of sweating the small stuff ain't gonna make the world better. In a world where mass redundancies and business closures (especially at the top end of town) are in the news cycle almost daily, it is the perfectionist tendency of high-performers which is crippling and can even be stifling for teams. From what you all tell me, it isn't much fun either.
Liberate yourself, have the conversations you need to have up front, and then go play. Ultimately, is the business case stronger to aim for less targets and hit them or more targets and miss them?
This is for each individual to answer. A little bit more failure may be exactly what our business needs.
