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| A model of one of my Goal - Objective - Task Pyramids |
The tasks I list every day are things like: storytime at the library, 9:30 a.m., call SVP of
case subject firm B, prep lasagna, blog post write, blog post post, blog post
share, read book for book club, clean bathroom, get mail. Each one contributes to a goal.
Whenever I feel distracted, I ask myself:
Task lists are how
I make sure the answer to that question is usually yes. That
question hung on a post-it note on my monitor at my previous job for about
three years. It reminded me to stay focused by naming the tasks and then doing
them. I consider this personal leadership.
Connect the
tasks to the goal
Leadership
gurus will suggest that selling the big picture is a key leadership role. Some
leaders sell it and stop. But not everyone can see themselves in the big picture. So shouldn’t the leader fragment the big picture and sell everyone
their roles, too? This could be called personalized leadership.
I believe the
big picture’s fragmentation and understanding where your followers are in that
fragmentation are key leadership tasks.
Everyone has
a job to do
At the end
of Clemson Road some construction entity is clearing several thousand acres of
land for what will become this.
The design is a European-inspired village with offices, restaurants, stores,
and city-style walk-to-everything dwellings.
I asked Cuk
if he thought the guys who are clearing the land have seen the big picture. Has
it been communicated to them that they are creating a particular ambiance or
design? Do they know what the end product will look like? Or even what the next
team needs from the ground clearers to be able to lay curbs and streets?
Begin with
the end in mind
See, the
land clearing is really early in the process. Not only is it early, but it lays
the foundation for everything that is to come. There must be firmer, denser
ground wherever the vision has planned tall buildings. The area that will be
excavated for an amphitheater: less so. Wouldn’t the ground clearers need to
know that?
Cuk told me
that big picture knowledge helps everyone make better decisions. Knowing where
the amphitheater is going to be will help the ground-clearing, shovel-driving team
make decisions about how much time and dirt to dedicate to specific positions.
I agreed
with him and added that not knowing could lead to poor decision making at the
task level: ignoring an aspect, or corner-cutting a task that will have a
detrimental impact on other, unknown tasks.
Be a Visionary
As leaders,
when we articulate the big picture, we have to know what the path for execution
looks like, or at least have some idea of how to make “that” happen. This is a
complete vision, not just a fancy-sounding goal.
Not all
people need managers to define the tasks for them, but some do. And good
leaders can discern who those people are and be prepared to offer that extra
piece of coaching.
I am a
believer in the big picture knowledge. I think people need to be given
sufficient data to facilitate a healthy questioning of their own
decision-making when warranted. Whether they’re willing to do so is a subject
for another time.
I also think
people should at least know that their actions impact the tasks and actions of
others on the same project and in the same process. This is how we mature from
a follower to a contributor.
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