Staying Focused & Flexible

This week I am sharing insights and strategies for managing stress and preventing burnout. We?typically associate burnout with work fatigue but?in a crisis like the one(s) we are facing today, many different sources of stress?compound to put?us at greater risk.

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Monday we explored stress and the brain?and?Tuesday we put our emotions in perspective. Today we'll?talk about how to talk about these challenges as a team.?Wednesday we talked about?how to talk about these challenges?as a team. Thursday we looked at how to lead in a (long) crisis. Today, to complete our series, let's talk about how to stay focused?on delivering what matters.

One of the easiest traps to fall into when we're faced with a?crisis?is to put our heads down, push harder and work longer to get everything done. But what if?everything?doesn't need doing? After all, the?word "crisis" comes from the Greek "to separate, to sift," which means to be discerning, to keep only what is worthwhile.?

We need to make choices on where we focus our time, energy and attention.?These are our most valuable resources and they are not limitless. We must get?clear on what?is most critical?to business success, and focus on delivering against those priorities. And then let the rest go for now. Here's how:?

Organize & Prioritize:?Consider whether?the items on your list are urgent and important. Then use the 4 D's to decide whether to?do?it now yourself,?delay?it for another time,?delegate?it to someone else, or?delete?it entirely.?

Stay Creative, Not Reactive:?In a crisis, we tend to default to reactive mode.?If we approach our work like we're putting out fires, we're likely to miss opportunities to?pivot strategically, leapfrog competitors and explore new territory. See?the SOAR?model below for a fresh approach to strategic planning.

Let the Rest Go:?As we?adapt and accelerate, we need to let go of old projects and processes that?don't serve the mission and only?slow us down. But to do this, we need to first identify and then intentionally conclude them.?Make a list of initiatives?and investments?(including of time and energy), and apply?the questions below?to identify what your team can reduce or eliminate completely:

• What client/customer need does this satisfy?
• How well does it fit with the current strategy?
• Is it cutting-edge or out-of-date?
• What resources does it consume?
• Where else might these resources be applied?

For each item you decide to let go, make a plan to do so responsibly, and to allocate the freed-up resources toward innovation and impact.

Remember, in?times like this, doing what we've always done isn't just dull. It's a distraction.?

Practices:?Focus & Flex

For Myself:?My colleague Tom Dowling has a useful shortcut for staying focused. He continually asks himself, "What is the most important thing I can do?right now?" Try it the next time you need help cutting through the clutter.??

With My Team:?The old SWOT strategic planning matrix (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) has helped businesses react to changing circumstances for decades.?The alternative?SOAR?(strengths, opportunities, aspirations and results) invites us to plan with a growth mindset: strategically vs. reactively, with long-term aspirations in view and concrete results included.

• Strengths:?What existing strengths?can this team leverage in this moment?
• Opportunities:?Where can we get stronger and build our business (with the client)?
• Aspirations:?How do we want to emerge on the other side of this challenge?
• Results:?What key results are we aiming to achieve? What will success look like?