All content copyrighted and may not
be republished without permission.
Lee E. Meadows, PhD.
Professor of Management –
Authored: Silent Conspiracy &
Silent Suspicion
Focus on future goals when
doing daily tasks
In the middle of a consulting assignment, I was fortunate
enough to have a no-holds-barred,
let's-put-it-out-on-the-table-for-all-too-consuming discussion among several
layers of management about the competitive nature of their business. The first
three rounds of finding fault, pointing fingers and laying blame finally ended
with someone acknowledging that holding their grandparents hostage for the
reality of global economics did little to resolve the fact that something
different needed to happen.
The focus of the discussion moved toward ideas for restoring
the company to a strong competitive position. "Who has time to think about
those kinds of things when my desk is running over with projects, people and
tasks that don't seem to have any bearing on the company's goals?" asked a
Regional Director. It was a good question asked at a time when individual
careers and organizational goals are seemingly stifled by the nuances of just
trying to get through the day-to-day.
It is hard to focus on specific items of importance when so
many general tasks weigh in with, supposedly, equal consideration. However, the
path to organizational renewal and career advancement is not about looking down
at the obstacles that have to be moved, but looking up at the opportunities
waiting to be plucked. Here are some things you can do to exchange the mundane
tasks for events that bring your organization back into focus.
- Task Profiteering: Put
each one of your tasks under a 'profitability' microscope and when its
clear that certain tasks aren't contributing to the bottom line, simply
inform your immediate manager that these particular tasks are costing the
organization 'x' amount of dollars to perform. Make sure you follow up
that analysis with an event that is waiting to be done and will generate
'x' amount of revenue when fully realized.
- RIM Commitment
(Reduction-In-Meetings): Everyone laments about the
one thing that can't be decided without a meeting. The advent of e-mail,
video conferencing and other time saving technology was supposed to free
up organizational meeting time for more creative and profitable
activities. I think we all know the result of that issue, so it remains
with those of you who call meetings to really ask "Is this meeting
necessary?" Guess what happens to your creative juices whenever the
answer to that question is 'No'?
- Fly Under the Radar: Many
an idea has died a quick death because you spend too much time talking
about it and not enough time actually doing what you’re talking about.
When an opportunity is hanging in front of you waiting to take advantage
of it, Don’t Announce it, go
ahead and work on it unbeknownst to the powers that be and when the time
is right, Announce the positive
results!
- Count Your Results: A
task is only a task until it’s completed, then it becomes a quantifiable,
measurable, tangible result that adds life to your resume and career. As
much as companies have a desperate need for good talent, what they need
more than anything is good talent that produces good results. You have to
demonstrate that you can consistently get it done. What better choice of
tasks to take on than those lying dormant and in need of completing.
It’s doesn’t always have to be the large tasks, but a string
of small completed tasks that help inch the organization forward can go a long
way to establishing you as an insightful employee focused on the details of the
organizational picture.
The rules for career advancement are constantly changing to
accommodate the wind blown shifts in organizational direction. Finding those
obvious opportunities to take on and complete can only help to accelerate your
career movement while bringing the organization into sharper focus.