Undervaluing Productivity

Many leaders emphasize that the time spent on a task is less important than completing it with the required quality. While this approach seems reasonable, it overlooks a critical aspect: understanding how tasks are completed more efficiently. Consider an example where you estimated 4 hours for a task, but a team member completed it in 3. There could be several reasons for this:

1. Wrong Estimation: The initial time estimate may have been off.
2. Missing Components: Some parts of the task may have been skipped.
3. Lack of Quality: The task might have been done quickly but not to the required standard.
4. New Productive Method: The team member may have found a more efficient way to complete the task.

Let’s focus on the happy path—the last scenario. If the task was completed early due to increased productivity, how do you recognize this, and how do you leverage it?

Understanding Productivity

Leaders often get happy when tasks are finished earlier than expected, with all subtasks completed and quality maintained. However, the real value lies in understanding how the task was completed more efficiently. If a team member consistently finishes tasks early with high quality, this isn’t just good fortune—it’s an opportunity to learn and improve.

The Missed Opportunity

What often happens is that leaders recognize productivity but fail to dig deeper. They don’t take the time to understand the mechanisms behind this increased efficiency, and as a result, they miss the chance to internalize and apply these methods across other tasks. This is what I mean by “undervaluing” productivity.

It’s not that leaders don’t notice when someone is productive—they do. The issue is that they don’t fully leverage that productivity. By understanding how certain tasks are completed more efficiently, leaders can generalize these methods, apply them to similar tasks, and potentially improve the overall performance of the team.

Steps to Leverage Productivity

1. Analyze Efficiency: When a task is completed early, analyze why. Was it due to a new method, better tools, or something else? Understanding the reason is key.
2. Internalize the Method: Once you understand the method, internalize it. This means documenting the approach and discussing it with the team.
3. Apply Across Tasks: Generalize the efficient method for other similar tasks. This can lead to improved performance across the board.
4. Encourage Innovation: Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable experimenting with new methods. Encourage them to share their approaches with the rest of the team.

Conclusion

Productivity is more than just completing tasks quickly. It’s about understanding and leveraging efficient methods to improve overall team performance. By recognizing and internalizing productive methods, leaders can ensure that their teams work smarter, not just harder.

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