Don't Confuse Progress with Winning

“Never mistake activity for achievement.”

- Coach John Wooden

Ask any executive the number one quality they look for when selecting or promoting leaders - the common response is getting results.  But what happens if the task is executed effectively but does not add value to the organization?

The challenging world we live in is loaded with progress based on activities.  Coach Wooden reminds us to fully understand the difference between activity and achievement.  His message is all about the need to be aligned to a significant purpose to ensure you are moving in the right direction, not just moving.

Leadership development is often focused on the difference between efficiency and effectiveness.  Progress can be associated with completing activities efficiently, such as number of sales calls initiated.  But what if the sales calls target the wrong prospects?  By contrast, effectiveness is all about the right goals, measures, and results directly related to adding strategic value.  Value generation focuses on quality, not just quantity, and is the lifeblood of a successful organization.

I once was leading an operation that had ten teams, and one of the teams was the company leader in developing a unique software program designed to save expenses.  However, their success had a cost.  The other nine teams needed staffing help during challenging times and this team was focused on their success only.  I reminded the manager of this team that I expected each team to contribute to the overall success of our operation, and that he was not meeting my expectations.  At first he was surprised that the top ranking was actually a problem, but then realized his team was not sharing staff with other groups that needed help.  He changed his approach, won increased respect from his peers, and contributed more positively to our overall success.  This was a teachable moment to make sure goals and activities are connected to what matters most - winning as an organization.

Three keys to matching activities to success:

See The Finish Line 
Runners approach the starting line anxious to get started and even though the finish line is out of sight, it's very much on their minds. As leaders, we can also spend more time on the early stages of our work to produce a better final product.  For example, the assignment may not be well defined or may include an unreasonable deadline.  You have the opportunity to build clarity and define reality.  This requires leadership courage and challenging the process – two critical qualities necessary to be an effective leader.

Connect Your Thoughts
We often hear the phrase “connect the dots”, implying the need to understand how your work aligns with other areas of the organization.  Connecting your thoughts is an individual responsibility to make sure you have thoroughly accomplished what was asked.  Take the time to carefully assess the task at hand to find the true issue.  Resist the impulse to find a quick solution – a superficial response is not a career accelerator.    
Completed Staff Work 
Once you have determined how the challenge is aligned to organizational success and your thoughts are connected, take the time to organize your recommendation to be reviewed by a very busy decision maker.  One approach is to use the following format:

• What?
• So What?
• Now What?

Describe the challenge (What?), why it is important (So What?), and what needs to happen next (Now What?).  This is the type of decision support leaders crave - an opportunity to quickly assess a challenge with a menu of potential solutions.

Get beyond the activity mindset to search for value generation.  See the finish line, connect your thoughts, and deliver completed staff work to differentiate you as an effective leader.  Remember, the sum of unaligned activities is a number – not a win.