Leadership Productivity: How Leaders Get Stuff Done

As a leader, your job is to get stuff done. How? With and through other people.  Simon Sinek says it this way: “You’re not responsible for results; you are responsible for the people that are responsible for results.”  When it comes to leadership productivity, that aligns with the Strategic Plan of your company or your department, most leaders fail to execute.  Why is that?

How to Get Stuff Done

Failure to execute can be caused by a number of things however, I have seen it distilled down to just three things:

1. It is too hard. Sometimes we agree to a task or take one on that is beyond our capabilities or our knowledge.  Kind of like deciding to go head-to-head in a golf match with Tiger Woods.  Hopefully, logic steps in and you see that doing this would result in failure.  However, I often see leaders that fail at leading a task because it is just a little too hard for them or their team.  In reality, maximum team motivation and results occurs when a leader is able to push the team ‘just’ past their capabilities.  Psychologists have determined that maximum performance for individuals or teams occurs when the task is 4% beyond their capabilities (how they know this, I haven’t a clue!).  They call this the “Goldilocks Zone.” A sweet spot where maximum motivation and performance occurs.  Leadership answer… Recognize that for the most engagement and motivation of your team, they need to work on stuff that is ‘just’ out of reach. This will get your team working for a cause that brings the whole team closer together.
2. It is too easy. When a task is repetitive and predictable, humans will get bored.  Taking on tasks that are too easy actually demotivates people.  Leadership discipline needs to kick in to inspire the team to dig down deep and do what is required despite the fact that it is mundane and boring.  Teaching your team to connect the doing of the task to the big picture and the value they are creating for customers that changes their lives needs to become part of your tool kit.
3. Your day job is getting in the way. Yes, I know you are busy doing your day job.  This is probably the number one reason implementation of strategic plans fail.  Yes, the strategic action tasks you have may fit into one or both of the reason discussed above, however, your job is to get things done with and through other people.  Your brand as a leader depends on it.  Find ways to inspire your team (and yourself) to get the stuff done that is above and beyond your day job.  Try this ‘hack’ I do…  I have two jars on my desk.  One starts off empty.  The other one is full of paperclips (I tried using Hersey Kisses but as a Chocoholic, that didn’t work out so well).  I plan each day to get stuff done that is beyond the normal.  When I complete the task (no matter how hard or boring), I move a paper clip into the other jar.  When the jar that started off empty has all the paperclips in it, I buy myself something that I have been wanting for a longtime (new pair of running shoes, gelato cone, etc…)

Want to grow your brand and your career?  Start by becoming the leader that gets stuff done.

Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, #1 Best Selling Author, International Keynote Speaker, and TEC Top Speaker of the Year for 2018. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, connect with Robert on LinkedIn.

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