Eight Key Practices for Executive Productivity

To lead others well, you first need to manage yourself effectively. This is especially true for executives, who are essentially "knowledge workers" using their expertise to make decisions. Being effective isn't hard; it just requires some specific steps and five crucial habits. An executive who isn't effective is just pretending to be a leader. To boost your productivity, follow these eight simple practices:

1. Prioritize Tasks: Focus on what needs to be done, even if it's not what you want to do. Handle one or two tasks at a time and delegate the rest.
2. Benefit Your Organization: Are you prioritizing your business effectively? Remember, what truly counts is the enterprise itself, not just its "owners, stock price, employees, or executives."
3. Create an Action Plan: Having knowledge is not enough; you need to act. But, make sure your actions are planned. Be flexible to change your plan if needed and check it regularly.
4. Take Responsibility: Ensure your team knows the plan, deadlines, and their roles. Keep everyone informed and updated.
5. Communicate Your Plan: Share your plan with your team and your superiors.
6. Seek Opportunities: View change as a chance to grow, not a threat. Don't let problems stop you from seizing opportunities.
7. Make Meetings Productive: Meetings should be valuable, not a waste of time. Keep them disciplined and end them once goals are met.
8. Think as a "we" not an "i": Focus on what's best for the organization, not just yourself.

Effective Executives: Achieving Success in Leadership

Executives, despite their brilliance and knowledge, can still struggle to be effective. Effective executives are methodical, focusing their efforts on key areas to achieve results. They are knowledge workers who help their organizations reach their goals. They go beyond just managing tasks; they also anticipate trends that will impact their organizations. However, the authority that comes with their positions can hinder their effectiveness.

Limited time.

An executive's time isn't just their own; it belongs to everyone in the organization. This means that people inside or outside the firm can interrupt them freely. These interruptions can make it hard for executives to work productively.

Operation focus.

In the U.S., executives often focus most of their attention on the departments they originally came from. This can lead to them getting stuck in operational mode. Similarly, European executives who come from a "central secretariat" background may face the same issue, focusing on their previous generalist roles.

Departmental barriers within an organization.

Many organizations have separate departments, each focusing on specific areas like accounting, legal matters, research, and data management. While these groups have their own goals, executives often need to coordinate their efforts. However, executives may not always have control over these specialized departments or get the support they need from them.

the Outside World

Executives work deep inside companies and may not interact much with outsiders like customers or analysts. But these outside connections are crucial. A company needs good results from outside, like more sales, positive public relations, and strong support from distributors, to survive. So, for any company, what happens outside is very important. Sadly, as executives move up in companies, they often lose touch with this important outside world. They start focusing more on computer data about company operations and less on what's really happening in the market.
All executives face challenges at work, which are just part of the job. But you can become more effective by developing these five habits:

First Habit: "Know Thy Time"

Maximize time with these three steps:

• "Recording time" - Keep a record of how you spend your time. Write down the duration of each task to understand where your time goes. Use this log to delegate tasks efficiently to your team. Make sure you're not wasting their time either. The more effective they are, the more productive you become.
• "Managing Time"- Do you often find yourself in time crunches, like rushing for annual tasks? Improve your planning for recurring events to save time. Sometimes, having too many people around can slow things down with unnecessary interactions. Streamline your team to work more efficiently. Cutting down on excessive meetings can also save a lot of time.
• "Consolidating time"- As a senior executive, you may only control a fraction of your time. Identify how much discretionary time you have and consolidate it for productive use. Protect this block of time from interruptions. It might require discipline, but it's essential for achieving lasting results.

Second Habit: "What Can I Contribute?"

Are you focusing too much on how your team spends their days rather than the results they achieve? A good sales manager doesn't just oversee the sales department but ensures that the company's products are selling well. An effective accountant doesn't just balance the books; they provide the financial information needed for the business to operate profitably. Instead of just focusing on your own efforts, concentrate on the key contributions you can make to the organization.

Don't limit these contributions. They can include "direct results" like increased sales or decreased costs, as well as work that helps develop the organization, such as guiding new employees or helping to build and maintain its values. Ask your colleagues, subordinates, and superiors, "How can I contribute to help you be more effective?" Then work hard to deliver on that.

Third Habit: "Making Strength Productive"

Strengths are valuable assets, including your abilities, expertise, knowledge, and personality, as well as those of your colleagues. Effective leaders always build on their strengths and the strengths of others. This begins with staffing decisions. When hiring, focus on maximizing strengths rather than avoiding weaknesses. Instead of asking, "Will this person work well with me?" think about the contributions the person could make to the organization.

During the American Civil War, advisors warned President Abraham Lincoln that General Ulysses S. Grant, known for his effectiveness, was a drunkard. Lincoln replied, "If I knew his brand, I'd send a barrel to some other generals." Lincoln and General Robert E. Lee, head of the Confederate Army, focused on results, not weaknesses. When one of Lee's generals ignored orders, an aide suggested relieving him of his command. Lee responded, "He performs." In business, like in war, results are what matters. Remember this when evaluating future and current employees.

Fourth Habit: "First Things First"

Doing too many things at once usually leads to mistakes. Focus on one or maybe two tasks at a time. It's rare for three tasks to work out well together. Some exceptional individuals like Mozart could handle multiple tasks, but most of us can't. While you might get things done by multitasking, the quality often suffers.

Instead of juggling tasks, work efficiently on one thing at a time. This doesn't mean rushing through; it means giving your full attention to what you're doing. Focus on productive activities and ditch anything that's not helping. Prioritize your tasks and be brave enough to let go of less important ones. Set ambitious goals and always look ahead. Be prepared for unexpected events by leaving some extra time in your schedule. They're bound to happen.

Fifth Habit: "Decision Making"

Deciding what to do in most cases is pretty straightforward. You can use standard rules and methods for these typical situations. The tricky part is recognizing when a situation is different and needs a unique approach. The worst decision-making mistake is treating a common problem as if it were unusual.

For instance, when production issues come up repeatedly, you can solve them using what has worked before. But a huge power outage, like the one in 1965 in northeastern North America, is very unusual. Fixing it requires special decision-making, not just following the usual rules. Knowing the difference between common and extraordinary situations is key to making good decisions as a leader.

"The Criterion of Relevance"

The value of your decisions depends on how relevant they are. This is the true measure of how good your judgment is in any situation you face as an executive. Your opinion needs to be clear and relevant because the real facts in most situations aren't always clear immediately; they usually become clear over time.

Always think that "the usual way of measuring things might not be the best." Look for other ways. For example, instead of just looking at how much money you'll make from an investment, you can also think about how long it will take to get back the money you put in. You can also think about how much money you expect to make from the investment. Each of these ways of thinking about things only gives you part of the picture, so make sure your accountants give you all these calculations. By combining these different ways of thinking, you can make the best decision.

You are responsible for everything.

As an executive and a knowledge worker, you are a crucial resource. Society relies on you, and millions like you, to be highly effective. When you are effective, your organization can be productive and contribute significantly to the greater good. Efficient organizations can improve life for everyone. This is a noble purpose. However, if organizations are ineffective, society cannot achieve this goal. To avoid this, strong knowledge workers are essential. You are a key part of the system that propels society forward. Luckily, any executive can learn to be more effective. It's all about developing good habits.