Five Ways to Speed Up Your Organization (and stand out)
Happy Friday,
A five-minute conversation shouldn't take two weeks to happen.
Yet that's often what happens. You need a quick decision from a colleague, check their calendar, and their next opening is two weeks from Thursday at 2:30. Ugh!
Meanwhile, the decision waits. The project slows down. The opportunity wanes. Other people are left waiting.
We've confused scheduling with getting things done, inadvertently creating systems that institutionalize delay.
A few simple changes to how we communicate and make decisions can make an enormous difference, and they're great opportunities to distinguish yourself as a leader.
1. Make yourself accessible.
Leaders are supposed to get interrupted, i.e., be responsive. That’s the job. So don't make every conversation a scheduled event. Encourage people to call when they need a quick answer. A five-minute conversation now may save two weeks of delay and keep an entire team moving.
Better yet, empower your people to make decisions without you whenever possible. Remove bottlenecks; don’t become one.
2. Make decisions.
If you're authorized to make a decision, make it. If you're unsure, then have a quick conversation with someone whose judgment you trust, decide, and move on. No decision is perfect, so don't interrupt other people's work by calling a $3,000 meeting to accomplish what you could have handled yourself.
3. Respect the cost and impact of meetings.
The best meeting is no meeting. Next best is two people, two minutes, and a decision. Every additional attendee beyond two increases the cost, interrupts someone else's work, extends the duration, and reduces the meeting’s effectiveness.
4. Make every meeting count.
A few simple habits make a big difference:
· Ask yourself: Do I really need to call a meeting, or do I really just want to socialize, demonstrate relevance, or spread responsibility? There's a lot of that. 😀
· Have a clear objective. Know exactly what you intend to accomplish.
· Start on time. Don’t penalize the punctual to reward the stragglers.
· Don’t schedule back-to-back; allow time for people to shift gears.
· End when you're done. There's no prize for using all the allotted time.
· Leave with a decision and an action plan.
5. Prioritize Real Work
If the meeting's objective is just to convey information, put it in writing instead. It's faster, less expensive, less disruptive, and gives everyone something to reference later. Always prioritize uninterrupted time, especially for the people who pay the bills.
An Opportunity to Stand Out
Good leaders create momentum, not just manage activity. Become known as someone who answers their phone, returns calls in minutes, makes quick, thoughtful decisions, removes obstacles, and helps others accomplish more.
Punchline: A full calendar isn't evidence of productivity; it may be the opposite. The accomplishments of you and your team are.
Have a great weekend,
Dave
Feedback, blowback, and suggested topics are always welcome: dave@goodnewsfriday.com
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