Getting Shit Done

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Rules
Write down your unique value proposition in one sentence.
Reject any project not aligned with your written strategy.
Add 50% to all time estimates for tasks and projects.
Schedule 2-hour uninterrupted work blocks daily.
Keep all device notifications off during work hours.
Complete your top 3 priority tasks before noon each day.
Delegate any task that can be done 80% as well by someone else.
Review and update strategy on the first Monday of each month.
Include "what," "who," and "when" in every task assignment.
Decline any meeting without a clear agenda and outcome.
Limit work in progress to a maximum of 3 projects at a time.
Allocate 80% of your time to tasks directly tied to key performance indicators.
Set measurable weekly goals for each team member.
Start each day by identifying your single most important task.
End each week by measuring progress against your strategic objectives.

GETTING SHIT DONE: THE STRATEGY-EXECUTION GAP

“Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” - Japanese proverb

“I don’t care whether the cat is black or white so long as it catches mice.” - Deng Xiaoping, former leader of China

“Real strategy lies not in figuring out what to do, but in devising ways to ensure that, compared to others, we actually do more of what everybody knows they should do. Strategy is not about understanding something-or planning to get around to it. It's about having the courage to make it happen.” - David H. Maister

“The essence of strategy is choosing to perform activities differently than rivals do. Trade-offs are essential to strategy. They create the need for choice and purposefully limit what a company offers.” - Michael Porter

“Strategy is the great work of the organization… it is a unifying theme that gives coherence and direction to the actions and direction of an organization.” - Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Build the strategy: 
Are you clear about how you add value to customers in a way that others don’t?  
What business or opportunities will you say no to?    
Is your strategy realistic?

Why Shit Doesn’t Get Done on Time

“Lost time is never found again.” - Benjamin Franklin

“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.” - Stephen R. Covey

“You can either get stuck or get results. Period. Case closed.” -The Oz Principle

What are the main drivers of Shit not getting done on time? 
Poor Planning 
Poor Time Management

Poor Planning Leads to Unrealistic Expectations

Planning Fallacy
We fail to consider how long it's taken us to complete similar tasks in the past.
We assume that execution/projects won’t encounter any complications/ delays.

UER - Underestimation Ratio

The idea of the UER is simple. For every instance where you communicate a time estimate to yourself or others, you need to apply a factor to multiply your initial or gut feeling for how long a task will take. If you find yourself constantly late or behind on your promises, the Under-Estimation Ratio will give you the time buffer you need to do the job well without feeling rushed or disappointing others.

Here’s how it works: 
The first step is to write down your gut feeling for how long something takes you to do. 
Estimate a best-case, worst-case, and most likely scenario for task time and lay out the contributing factors in each. 
Apply your gut estimate of how much you typically underestimate the length of a task (a factor of 1.5-2x is common) 
Ask others for their input to complete the same task.

Even though the calculation probably isn’t exact, it doesn’t matter- the point is to arrive at a solution that addresses your implicit bias to underestimate time.

Without a system or methodology to organize and complete our work, we often fall victim to inaction or, worse, busyness- where we spend a lot of time doing something, but nothing gets accomplished.

Instead, we easily fall victim to the fact that if we don’t have a mindful system or consistent discipline, that time will begin to disappear into the void. A meeting here, a quick conversation there, emails, and then it’s time to go home again- another day lost. All people must exhibit ownership over their time, priorities, and output to improve organizational efficacy in strategy-execution.

The primary questions we should ask ourselves are: 
How should we approach our work and priorities to maximize efficiency and effectiveness?  
How do we create a large block of uninterrupted time to focus intensely? The key to effectively using your time at work is to understand where the time goes and what could change to reduce time spent on non-value-added activities and build the discipline in your routine to safeguard against the time you have.

Leaving time unguarded is like leaving the front door of your house open.

Yet, with your time, your most precious asset, you leave it entirely unguarded.

If you allow yourself to exist in a state of perpetual distraction, your focus is weak, and your effectiveness is low. It doesn’t matter if you’ve mastered all the productivity hacks in the world; the faster you dig, the faster the world keeps flooding in.

Instead, time is protected and maximized by focusing relentlessly on getting one thing done at a time. Intentional bursts of focus will provide the most significant impact in the shortest amount of time. Effective and efficient execution means knowing with absolute clarity what things you should do to create the outcomes you want, what things you should say “NO” to, and then single-mindedly focusing on doing those things.

Consider the three questions below concerning how you approach work: 
Are you set up for success with long stretches of uninterrupted time that allow you to slip into a state of maximum creativity and productivity? 
Are you in an environment where distractions are at a minimum? 
Do you know what you plan to accomplish in a specific day or timeframe, or do you throw your body into the surf to be churned by the waves of “urgent” emails, conversations, and meetings?

Each day we are gifted with time, and stealing it from us should be treated as a criminal act. Create, experiment, and hone a system that allows you to take back ownership of your time to enhance your productivity.

We don’t get stuff done because we have an inadequate system of planning and replanning. 
We don’t get stuff done on time because we are too distracted. 
Commit to Being 100% present on critical work. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted, and allow circumstances to dictate how your time is spent. 
Planning is essential, but the goal isn’t to create a plan. The goal is to develop and sustain a clear, concise focus, effectively execute it, and do it repeatedly. 
Stop strategic planning. Commit to strategic management. 
Focus on the essential matters. As you begin each day, ask what important matters are being put aside for trivial matters that seem urgent. Focus on your essential contribution first, not around the edges of trivial matters. 
Stay un-distracted. Turn off all “push” notifications on your phone and computer. 
Managing time creates the freedom to work creatively by prioritizing and systemizing communication to increase the available time. Take control of time and focus. Review the tasks that must be completed and complete those that add to the organization's most significant impact. Guard your time like it is the most important asset you have.

What tasks or work are you doing that can or should be delegated to someone else to have more time to focus on the big picture and keep the pieces aligned and moving? 
Do you allow distractions to enter your world and steal your time? Review your phone and computer settings and set them so that you decide when to engage with them. 
Are you clear in setting expectations with others and respecting their expectations? 
Are you focusing on the 20% of things that matter or everything with the same level of prioritization? 
Are you effectively motivating others by instilling a Sense of Urgency? 
When plans or strategies are communicated, do you take the time to understand the assumptions and targets and then the available resources to determine if a strategy is feasible?

In short, to close the strategy-execution gap, you must always seek to answer these three central questions again and again (AND AGAIN): 
What needs to be done? 
Who is going to do it? 
When is it going to be done?

The journey to strategy-execution starts here, with you.

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