Urgent and Important spar for supremacy in our minds and work. Intentional and strategic thought and action is many times held at bay by the press of immediate demands flying at us. “I’ll get to it tomorrow” quickly becomes next week or month.

Then sometimes a person or event forces us to slow down, and we gain new perspective. We are forced to step out of the day-do-day and think more deeply. If you want to see Important win out in your work and life, consider creating forced slowdowns. Quarterly calibration sessions are one way of accomplishing this exact thing.

“I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” Dwight D. Eisenhower (quoting an unnamed former college president in a speech)

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Common sentiment seems to hold that we are back in a period of strong economic growth. Leader’s radar screens are filled with many new and exciting opportunities. We can get downright giddy after slogging through years of a tough market.

We may also find ourselves unprepared for saying NO to the majority of good opportunities. Yet, it is critical we do so. Instead, too many leaders will do almost anything to keep all their options open. In the end, hedging options typically slows down decision making and robs resources (commitment) from the best opportunities.

How can you limit your options?

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci

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Alan Mulally’s upcoming retirement as CEO of Ford Motor Company is big news these days.  All organizations, not just those in the automotive sector, should take note.  Mulally’s leadership in turning around Ford highlights a key Level 5 Leader practice he, and the executive leaders, used to take Ford to the top of the industry.

A tight weekly executive team meeting (Mulally’s BPR – Business Process Review) was implemented to drive both business plan execution and building a strong leadership team.  Candor, along with accountability around data, virtually non-existent in past Ford culture, have paved the way for consistent business performance.

 “Running a business is a design job.  You need a point of view about the future, a really good plan to deliver that future, and then relentless implementation.”  Alan Mulally

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Are your best resources committed to your biggest opportunities?  Let me be more specific in two ways. 

First, do you know the most significant growth opportunity for your organization looking five-plus years into the future?  Many times it’s different than your current way of business. 

Second, out of all your talent resources, are your absolute best people focused on what you know to be that largest opportunity?  It’s all too natural for the best people to be consumed with the existing business.  It’s an energy trap.

You accelerate outcomes when your best people are leading your most significant growth opportunities.

“Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.”     Ronald Reagan

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