Are You Doing Things Right or Doing the Right Things?

Ask yourself "What If?"Are you excited about 2022 – prospects for new business, in a new role, making new connections, creating change, and following the road map you created for the year? What is within your control that you can influence in a positive way to create value for the people you serve? Are you looking forward or are your eyes staring in the rearview mirror?

In the first few weeks of this year, I have heard more excitement and enthusiasm from our clients about their prospects for 2022. There is an undercurrent that this year is going to be a breakout year. A couple of years of hibernation is all that was needed to realize we can find our way. Stop for a moment and reflect on the change in you these last 2 years!

Dreams, I have dreams, when I am awake, when I am asleep.” These words sung by Brandi Carlile ring true today for business leaders. Now that you have jump started into 2022, how will you keep your momentum going? You have learned to pivot and adapt; you are aware of the pitfalls of poor employee engagement and know your product or service is under constant threat of competition. What are your goals for growth and profit, for building a sustainable business, for helping your people become successful, for your own retirement?

One way to stay on track in 2022 and be sure you are doing the right things, is to stretch the boundaries in your business. For example, in what way can your business become more visible to potential customers? You can answer this by periodically focusing on “what if” thinking that will lead to breakthrough ideas. Going for quantity, create a list of ideas, without criticism or naysaying, answering these questions:

  • If you did not have to think about the cost or the how, what would you change?
  • What would you change about your people, customers, products, and services?
  • What would you change about yourself?

The list may be overwhelming from 20 to 100 items and will reveal both existing problems and groundbreaking ideas, old and new. The final question is to sort the vital few from all the of ideas:

  • What are the top 20% ideas that will make your business more visible to potential customers?

This is an example of the 80/20 rule established by Vilfredo Pareto. Reaching the top 20% can be done on your own or with a team. If you are collaborating with a team, give each team member 3 votes to select which actions they personally think need action. The selections with the highest votes are the actions to be addressed.

This is one example of shifting your mindset from “doing things right” like following your road map in isolation to “doing the right things” for yourself and your business. Credit goes to Susanne Madsen, author of The Power of Project Leadership for recognizing this as a key differentiator for leaders.

How do you stay focused on doing the right things in your business?