What separates the person who always gets something done from the one who seems to leave things unfinished? Is it organization skills, work ethic, motivation, or perhaps just genetics. When it comes to organization, entire systems exist for planning out one’s life, and some, such as Franklin Covey, can engender almost cult like devotion. Those in the online space know that execution counts most. With so many people chasing the same dollar – from affiliates to end advertisers – novel ideas count for little, only whether you can outperform someone else. In this spirit of execution, we decided to ask a few people we knew whose reputation for simply getting things done followed them wherever they went. You know these people, or at least this type of person, the one, cliche as it is, whose actions speak louder than their words. This person simply gets things done and will keep on you to make sure you don’t cause them to fall behind. These production pros don’t flaunt their ability to get things done; they simply like to get things done. We admire these people, not the least of which because they balance out our natural procrastinating, let-it-pile-up way, and you should be so lucky to have them in your company. So that we may all perform better, we asked them for some words to live by – nothing too motivational, only phrases or a framework that has helped them live a life of execution and not just working hard but working smart – improving your focus and gaining a better grasp of your priorities. Here’s what they told us.
- W.I.N. – Everyone loves acronyms, so we’ll kick off the list with one that we hadn’t heard, and we were thankful that no one mentioned K.I.S.S. Beginning a trend that we’ll start to see with some of the other phrases, this one offers a gut-check method for knowing what to do. W.I.N = What’s Important Now. There are a lot of things you can do, a lot of things you might want to do or have to sometime, but only a few things that you must get done now. This isn’t "What’s fun to do now." It’s "What’s Important."
- Relay Race – Somewhat similar to "What’s Important Now," the idea here is to think of your job as a part of relay race. No matter what department you work in, you will have people who rely on you, and this could be anything from an account manager waiting on a price request that could lead to more volume, part of a presentation that will be used at the next company meeting, etc. If you’re in a relay race, leg one goes to two who goes to three etc. In work, make sure you get what you need so that next leg can get going. If you focus on doing what is needed for something that isn’t the next leg, you could throw off the entire team.
- Fridge – Luckily it isn’t an acronym. This is more of a framework. None of these sayings can supplant a solid organization system, which goes hand in hand with execution and productivity, but they can help you as you think about what you need to get done. what is expiring soon; what can wait. As you look to prioritize your day, think of what you have do like items in your fridge. With the Franklin Covey system they have you break down tasks into those you want to achieve today, this week, and this month. This doesn’t contradict that, but sometimes deciding what must get done can be a challenge, especially when you have a lot of it. Similar to the relay race concept, think of what will spoil if you don’t act now. What’s the milk that you have to throw out if you don’t consume it. What is the canned tuna that you might like but can hold off eating for another day. Likewise, when it comes to taking on new tasks, what will you really do? Like your wardrobe, what will you really be able to wear?
- Patience – Sounds simple enough, and it is, but in our fast paced environment, we can often rush things to the point of detriment. Patience doesn’t mean a lack of urgency. It simply means giving others time when they need it, and it absolutely applies with sales relationships. You want to make sure you deliver on what you say you will when you say you will (see the next one), but you also need to know when to let things bake. Back to the food analogy, if you are making certain dishes that take a lot of time. If you don’t have that much time, don’t make that dish. If you make it but rush it, then it won’t taste right.
- Under-promise and over-deliver – This one has been around and might not be new to anyone reading, but that doesn’t take away its importance. As we learned from the Disney culture, people judge themselves by what they say while others judge them by their actions. Under-promising and over-delivering helps you avoid the trap of thinking you have done more than your actions showed. If you can’t do something, make sure you communicate that. People understand when you can’t do something. You only risk truly disappointing them if you keep them waiting for bad news. Come through when you can, every time, and more than you say you will. That’s a sure recipe for success.
- Know Yourself – A friend pointed us to a recent blog post by Mark Cuban, recognized as much for his success in business as he is for his emotions sideline when watching the basketball team he owns, the Dallas Mavericks. He writes about a point in this post we heard echoed as well. People spend a lot of time trying to work on their weaknesses and often overlook their strengths. Know your own boundaries; know what you can do, what you do well, and what you don’t do well. Delegate or pass on the things you don’t do well. Take and focus on what you do. It’s ok to be you. Just make sure others know you and that you don’t try to be anything other than you. Otherwise, you’ll end up in the over-promise, under-deliver category.
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Everything Is Urgent – Perhaps our favorite, it reminds us of a 2.0 version of the older-adage, "Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today." That saying, though, comes across too parental. This one just gives you that extra kick in the ass to get it done and done now. Remember, Everything Is Urgent.
Have a phrase that helps you? We’d love for you to share it.
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