An equation that opened my eyes to FOCUS
I stumbled into this paradigm listening to a podcast this week. Cameron Herold is an author & former business operator, notably 1-800-GOT-JUNK, who shared this helpful framework of how he determines if companies are able to take it to the next level.
Focus X Faith X Effort = Chance of hitting goals
Focus: doing the right things
Faith: belief in the organization, economy, society, future
Effort: working hard or hardly working?
It’s a sticky formula and helpful to appreciate how interdependent all three factors to reaching a goal really is. The math of this equation helped me understand why excellence is so darn difficult:
50% Focus X 50% Faith X 50% Effort = 12.5%
(better to go to casino and bet on Red!)
Or how about this?
50% Focus X 90% Faith X 100% Effort = 45%
(still should go to the casino and bet on Red!!!)
Reflecting on this formula, success is incredibly fickle!
Effort is NOT enough. Effort & belief are NOT enough! It comes down to FOCUS.
I think the most difficult aspect of the transition of Century is transitioning from consequential to intentional. (i.e. FOCUS) The magnitude of how we spend our time as knowledge works, leaders, and executives cannot be overstated.
It's very difficult to unlearn and relearn organizational habits & mindsets to be truly intentional. Doing the right things. The right things leads to work of significance.
Work of significance is by nature ambiguous. So finding focus on a path that is not well lit requires significant amount of learning, reflection, and conversation among our teammates.
So, following this framework finding our focus and getting it to a level of 80% would get us to a "B-"
80% Focus X 100% Faith X 100% Effort = 80% (I'll take these odds.)
This requires SO MUCH humility to really work on focus. The humility and courage to not hide behind what keeps us in our comfort zone.
Onward,
Matt
PS - My "rant" continues on the three factors if your’re so inclined:
Focus
The power of focus articulated best by Al Ries of Focus:
“The sun provides the earth with billions of kilowatts of energy, yet if you stand in it for an hour, the worst you will get is a little sunburn. On the other hand, a few watts of energy focused in one direction is all a laser beam needs to cut through diamonds.”
There are so many things that are pulling us away from the important to the urgent:
Email
Teammates needing tactical assistance
Administrative work "we've always done"
Touching and reviewing the tasks "we've always done"
Being in the meetings "we've always been in"
I think focus is the most difficult one to really be honest with ourselves and each others on how best does our focus serve the leadership team and the organizations vision.
I think some of the vehicles for focus:
Well run weekly leadership meetings (getting better at this)
Decision Matrix - determining level of decisions & allowing velocity to increase
Strategic Planning sessions (speaking strategically NOT tactically)
Good digital hygeine (I need to improve on this!)
Warren Bennis famously spoke into the importance of focus: "Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right."
Keeping the main thing the main thing requires unlearning. I know I am still unlearning to properly align my focus to get it where it needs to be.
Faith
I think our competitive advantage is becoming the team’s conviction in our vision & values. An authentic belief in the way we do our work.
I think all of us have faith in the process and what we are seeking to build. A place where people are cared for and get to experience an organization that values humanity in an industrial world.
The answer isn't always industrialism. It isn't always faster, cheaper, etc. It's the different way forward that we are getting behind.
A place of accomplishment.
A place of independence.
A place of teamwork.
A place of respect.
Effort
Hard working or hardly working?
Effort is an “easy” one for our organization because we have this in spades. We are hungry and always bringing it. Day in & day out. It's tangible.
We innately appreciate Skill X Effort = Achievement. (Tap hit to Angela Duckworth of GRIT)