Busy or Productive?

Are you busy or productive? Our firm works with many different types and sizes of companies, at various levels throughout the organization, and a common - too common - behavior we see is "activity" with no meaningful outcome. This isn't out of malice, or even lack of talent or good intent, but rather lack of clear expectations of what IS expected from each contributor on the team. So instead of people asking questions or seeking clarity, they dig in and become busy with what appears to be obvious, and even apparently important, things to do. They end the day exhausted and feeling like a lot got done. And, in most cases, a lot DID get done. But deliverables towards impactful outcomes have not been accomplished and performance isn't where it is expected to be.

Why don't they ask for clarity and clear expectations? I would suggest a few reasons. First, many don't know what they don't know - they don't know they are not exhibiting the right actions and behaviors to get to the desired outcomes to even ask for clarification or confirmation. Secondly, there is significant lack of feedback, coaching, and ongoing conversation happening in organizations due to many factors: lack of (making) time, understanding of how to give feedback and set the right expectations, and even lack of buy-in on the impact this type of conversation can have. And probably one of the frightening reasons why someone won't raise their hand is the fear of doing so within an organizational culture that lacks curiosity and accountability.

Productive organizations are curious and accountable. These types of organizations don't just encourage their team to ask questions, seek clarity, and hold themselves and each other accountable, they expect it. It is part of their culture. Productive organizations have people who demand to know what the finish line looks like. They want clear expectations. They expect and ask for feedback. They want to know how they are measured. They want to know what happens when expectations are met and exceeded. Productive organizations create impact - not just to the bottom line, but for the people who contribute to the outcomes. How can you be productive today?