Stop trying to just ‘get things done’ and ensure you are effective

He is the Founder of LEAN TeamGB, a delivery partner with Enterprising Cumbria and a Lean partner with several Cumbrian organisations.

Many management and leadership experts have emphasised that effectiveness is more crucial than efficiency. One of the most prominent figures to highlight this idea is Peter Drucker, often called the “Father of Modern Management.” Drucker famously stated, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”

Drucker believed that while efficiency is important, it is more crucial to ensure that the right goals and tasks are being pursued. This perspective highlights the importance of aligning efforts with strategic objectives and delivering value, rather than just optimising processes.

Additionally, Warren Bennis, another pioneer in the field of leadership studies, has also contributed to this discussion by stating that “Management is about doing things right; leadership is doing the right things,” thus highlighting the difference between efficiency and effectiveness. In essence:

·         Efficiency is about performing tasks in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort, it is about getting a lot of things done.

·         Effectiveness is about choosing the right tasks to accomplish; it is about getting the right things done.

Let us consider a simple a workplace example. Imagine you are tasked with sending out a weekly newsletter to your team. You create a template that allows you to quickly fill in the necessary data each week. This process saves you time and ensures that the newsletter is sent out promptly. You are being efficient because you are doing the task quickly and with minimal effort.

Now, consider that the content of the newsletter is not very useful to your team. Instead of just focusing on sending the newsletter quickly, you decide to gather feedback from your team about what information they actually need to see in the newsletter. You then redesign the report to include more relevant data and insights. This might take more time initially, but it ensures that the newsletter is valuable and meets the team’s needs. You are being effective because you are doing the right task that adds value.

In the business world, we spend our life trying to "get things done".

As an employee, these tasks or projects are typically assigned to us by our manager and we are provided with information to frame the task, ie. when the task must be completed, what resources we can call on to help, how this task interacts with others across the company etc. But as an entrepreneur, we will generate the task ourselves and have to ensure it is delivered. This is no mean challenge and requires us to be effective in delivery and hyper-efficient in resource use.

Sometimes we use being busy as an excuse for not getting things done. It is time to stop wearing “busyness” as a badge of honour. Too often, we let our "day-to-day" responsibilities and the disruptive fires that accompany them cloud our ability to be productive. We may think that we are working hard. However, it is more likely that we are ineffective and only being busy.

Think of what happens when a majority of our team members succumb to busyness; the business risks stagnating, lethargy sets in, and the key initiatives we have established to achieve (that drive our strategy) either get ignored or lose their value.

At times, business needs and circumstances may create demanding workloads requiring intense focus, which can lead to genuine busyness or overload. This contrasts with those who consistently pretend to be busy without producing meaningful results.

Organisational success can always be sustained when you have highly productive people who are focused on the right priorities. For these individuals they are always in search of systems and processes to help them improve. They help the organisation succeed because they are focused on what is most important; the annual priorities that drive our success.

Managing strategic delivery involves taking essential steps to achieve our organization’s objectives. This process includes accurately diagnosing our challenges, formulating a guiding policy, and identifying a coherent set of actions to implement. This approach ensures that everyone understands the expectations and knows how to contribute effectively.

To check if your organization is effective or efficient, you can use various methods and metrics. Here are some key approaches:

·         Measuring Effectiveness - Goal achievement

·         Stakeholder Satisfaction – Evaluate the satisfaction levels of stakeholders

·         Quality of Output - Measure the quality of products or services delivered

·         Innovation and Adaptability - Assess the organization’s ability to innovate and adapt to changes

By adopting this approach, you can establish a cycle of continuous improvement, ensuring that your organization not only achieves its current objectives but is also strategically positioned for future success. This is a hallmark of an organization that prioritizes effectiveness over mere efficiency.