CEO Coaching: Efficient or Effective?
“There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all.” —Peter Drucker
I’m not sure if it is nature or nurture, but my natural instinct is a “ready, fire, aim” approach to life. I was that way when I was in leadership roles, and I foolishly occasionally default to this when trying to help my wife solve a problem. (O.K., she doesn’t really ask for help in solving a problem, but I’m sure that is her underlying intent.) I am much better off if I slow the game down and make sure that I am aiming at the right target.
Many executives pride themselves on being efficient. After all, the only real resource they have is time, and using it efficiently provides a better return on their efforts. Well, sometimes…
I worked in a cabinet shop when I was in college. I was efficient. I could work quickly and produce a lot of work. However, the adage “measure twice, cut once” often came into play. Setting up a table saw or dowel jig incorrectly and then efficiently cutting or drilling multiple pieces of expensive wood was not effective.
When you are the CEO of a company, one of the fastest ways to fail is to do the wrong thing well; to take the company in the wrong direction and then execute flawlessly. There is a line that many consultants use that goes, “it’s all about the execution.” Rubbish! Execute what?!
As you ascend the company ladder, you must think more and do less. Don’t fall victim to the popular notion—most often espoused by presidential candidates—that simple solutions will solve big problems. Wars, immigration, and the environment cannot be solved effectively by efficiently doing a simple thing or the wrong thing. Profitably addressing a market (i.e., “running” a company) is the same. It deserves robust thought, good planning, and then efficient execution.
Don’t confuse efficiency with effectiveness. Measure twice, cut once.
coaches CEOs to higher levels of success. He is a former CEO and has led teams as large as 7,000 people. Todd is the author of, Never Kick a Cow Chip On A Hot Day: Real Lessons for Real CEOs and Those Who Want To Be (Morgan James Publishing).
Connect with Todd on LinkedIn, Twitter, call 303-527-0417 or email [email protected].
