March of 2020 threw every leadership team into an unprecedented situation. Overnight, teams had to come together to focus and make decisions like never before. We confirmed what we already knew: the rallying power of a crisis presents unbelievable focus, teamwork, execution and results. So why do organizations still struggle with too many priorities, silos, and confusion on the most important business objectives?
The highest performing leadership teams have figured out how to harness the power of a crisis in the regular course of business. They do this by defining and aligning on a singular, short-term, qualitative thematic goal. It’s both possible and imperative to get an executive team to discuss and commit to an overarching goal and the defining objectives necessary to achieve it. Aligning on these shared objectives across a defined time horizon like 3 or 6 months creates intense focus on what can be tangibly achieved.
How to get started? Get your leadership team in a room (or Zoom) together and carve out time to discuss and debate the question “what is most important, right now?” Think about it in terms of summiting a mountain – if you want to summit Mt. Everest, what is the first, most important step you must take to get to base camp 1? Now, what is your organization’s “Mt Everest,” and what is your most important first step? That’s your first thematic goal.
Take a stab at it (and don’t let perfection be the enemy of good). And then drive your team every week to focus on decisions that move you forward in achieving that objective.
“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan and not quite enough time” – Leonard Bernstein
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Extra quotes:
“There is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency, something that should not be done at all.” ― Peter Drucker
“Suspend your disbelief just a little bit, and ask your people how they could be best productive,” Bell said in an interview with The Washington Post. “Our people will have great answers for us if we just trust them.”
– Rolls-Royce North America CEO Tom Bell