Priority Setting in Business

If you lead others for your living, there's one simple rule you cannot succeed without. That rule is to always "prioritize your work." Influential leaders understand that their time and energy are valuable resources and prioritize their work to maximize their impact and productivity. They develop strategies to ensure they focus on the most critical tasks to maximize their abilities at the right time. Here are the key ways to prioritize and make work happen: They start by defining and reminding their team of the vision for their organization. They collaborate with their people developing goals that align with the vision and quickly know which tasks and activities are essential to reaching these objectives. They understand the difference between what's urgent and important. Urgent tasks demand immediate attention, but essential tasks contribute significantly to long-term success. Striking a balance between prioritizing important tasks while addressing urgent matters efficiently is necessary. Effective leaders recognize they can't do everything on their own delegating projects to competent team members, empowering them to take ownership and develop their skills. Delegation allows you to focus on responsibilities that align with your expertise. They use time-blocking techniques to allocate specific time slots for completing their work. By scheduling blocks of time for your work, you avoid distractions and can maintain a focus on the most critical organizational priorities. Leaders that prioritize base their decisions on data and insights. They gather relevant information, analyze it, and use it to make informed decisions about where to invest their time and resources to achieve the best outcomes. They remain flexible in their approach to work prioritization, recognizing that circumstances may change and other needs may arise. Learning to adjust priorities requires never letting go of long-term goals. They pay attention to their physical and mental well-being, ensuring they have enough rest, exercise, and relaxation time when needed to boost productivity and decision-making abilities. As a leader, you must learn to prioritize tasks that leverage your unique strengths and expertise. You provide the most significant value to your team and organization by doing what you excel at, achieving better results. It's not enough to show up at work "as the boss" wanting to extract the organization's priorities from those on your team. You must organize, prepare, engage, and do your part, often leading by example. By implementing these strategies, you can lead with purpose, efficiency, and effectiveness, ultimately guiding your teams to individual and organizational success. If you're not thinking about your work priorities, neither are the people on your team. #ceos #leadership #priorities #execution To learn more about strategy execution and other leadership topics, subscribe to my newsletter at: https://lnkd.in/gKaqqhPC

Do you and your team struggle with competing priorities? Regardless of your role, business leader or practitioner, over the years I've learned that no matter the company, industry, start-up or enterprise, we have too many strategic initiatives and it gets in the way of focus and progress. 😤 What creates distraction from what we truly need to accomplish is: ✅ New TRENDS, TERMS, and TECH TOYS! ✅ There's more work than resources & funding. This creates DRIFT ✅ As things drift, we experience a lag with closure, resulting in FATIGUE ✅ As fatigue sets in, we forget our original PURPOSE and we digress. The cycle then repeats and it feels like an endless loop of projects without proper closure and celebrations. While this won't solve everything, it'll be a good start. It's worked for me in the past: ✍ Create a list of all the things that's requiring your time or the teams time ✍ Tag them as H (high value), M (medium value), L (low value) [you choose how you define value. For me I've used loose rules like "Is it aligned with our priorities and the companies mission? Keep it simple] ✍ Anything of H & M keep, anything tagged as L think about how to offload. [It may require a talk with your boss to say these lower value activities are distracting the team from the high-value activities, is there a way to delegate to de-prioritize? OR. It may require a discussion about constrained resources and budget, and how to best prioritize efforts so you can apply resources accordingly] ✍ Always prioritize resources and funding to the H's, and whatever is left over to the M's. [When asked about progress on the M's, you say the team is doing the best it can with the workload of the higher priority times. If things need to progress faster, its a good idea to discuss capacity & funding] ✍ When someone asks you to do something else, DO NOT immediately say 'YES'. [You say "I know the work is important and it needs to get done, I want to help. let me assess the teams capacity & bandwidth so I can get back to you with realistic timeframes to make sure its acceptable for you", or. something like that] ✍ Watch out for your own issues with over committing. Be reasonable about what you can and cannot accomplish in a 50-70 hour week. [Sorry I can't help those who have a 40 hour work weeks, never had that 😢] More to come ... sign up for my upcoming Newsletter! https://lnkd.in/ejvkkuGi (I'm a practitioner turned C-Suite exec 4x's over and one of the first Chief Data & Chief AI Officers appointed back in 2016. I have a lot of scrapped knees & bruised elbows to share). 

Gentle reminder from Steve Jobs: Start with the Customer, Not the Technology. In a candid exchange, Steve Jobs offered profound insights that remain timeless in their relevance. Reflecting on his journey, Jobs articulated a philosophy that has arguably shaped the most successful products and companies: Start with the customer experience and work backward toward the technology. Here are the core tenets from Jobs' approach: 1. Customer-centric innovation: True innovation begins by envisioning the customer's journey, their challenges, and aspirations—not the technology in a vacuum. 2. Reverse engineering success: The best products are born from the benefits they offer, not the features they boast. 3. Cohesive vision over isolated breakthroughs: Cohesion in vision ensures that individual innovations contribute to broader business goals, such as Apple’s market success. 4. Learning through scars: Jobs didn't shy away from admitting his mistakes. He wore his scars as lessons that taught him the value of aligning technology with customer needs. 5. Product Lifecycle: This approach to starting with the customer experience is ingrained in every Apple product lifecycle, from exposure to support, creating a competitive edge that’s hard to replicate. Whether you're developing a product, a service, or a strategy, let the customer's voice guide you from conception to execution. What's your take on starting with the customer experience in your line of work? #CustomerExperience #Innovation #SteveJobs #Leadership #ProductDevelopment #Technology #BusinessStrategy

In the past, I've worked at a variety of organizations that encouraged and rewarded activity but didn't always prioritize impact as much as we should. Welp, we saw where that led in the era of growth at all costs... In the pursuit of success, it's crucial to recognize the difference between activity and impact. We often find ourselves engaged in countless tasks, but if they don't translate into meaningful outcomes, we risk burning out without tangible results to show for our efforts. As we navigate through the year of efficient growth, let's shift our perspective towards hyper-focused and laser-prioritized actions. It's not about doing more; it's about doing what matters most. Aligning our efforts with strategic goals and themes enables us to create not just blips but booms 💥 of impact. Remember, it's not the number of tasks we complete, but the quality and significance of those tasks that define our success. Let's cultivate a culture of purposeful productivity, where every action contributes to our overarching goals. Key Takeaways for Efficient Growth: 1️⃣ Hyper-Focus: Identify the core activities that directly align with your objectives. Concentrate your energy on these key areas to maximize impact. 2️⃣ Laser Prioritization: Prioritize tasks based on their potential impact. Not all tasks are created equal; focus on those that move the needle and contribute significantly to your goals. 3️⃣ Strategic Alignment: Ensure that every action is aligned with the broader strategy. This alignment creates a ripple effect, amplifying the impact of individual efforts. 4️⃣ Quality over Quantity: Shift the focus from the volume of tasks to the quality of outcomes. Meaningful contributions have a lasting impact and contribute to sustainable growth. I'll be a broken record this year reiterating the importance of alignment and prioritization so we can all create the impact we need to grow efficiently and be proud of our results. #growthmindset #impact #prioritization

I used Dickie Bush 🚢's framework for removing bottlenecks at Miva. We identified 4 key bottlenecks that we’re now working to remove. The framework is a game-changer. It's called the 3Is. Here's how it works: The 3 Is: 1. Identify the bottleneck   Write it down.    For Dickie — he wanted to lose weight but he didn’t want to be hungry all the time. So the REAL problem he needed to solve is taking in fewer calories than he burns, while still feeling full.   2. Inhale information   Take in as many resources as possible, covering different approaches to solve the problem.    Dickie researched and compiled TONS of different diets, from high carb to high protein.   3. Iterate Start testing different approaches, based on what you inhaled.   Eventually, he landed on a keto diet because he could eat things like steak and eggs and still feel full.   For MY team, we identified a bunch of bottlenecks and applied the 3Is framework. A few examples: 👉 Bottleneck: Product knowledge gaps - Inhale: AEs to consume Gong libraries on gaps - Iterate: Build Loom videos (learn via teaching) 👉 Bottleneck: Lackluster shared demo environments  - Inhale: Top Miva ecomm store examples - Iterate: Build unique custom demos that address top pain points 👉 Bottleneck: Channel partner messaging too broad - Inhale: Reviewed Gong calls on specific top customer pain points - Action: Refocus messaging on what matters most 👉 Bottleneck: Distracting cross-departmental requests - Inhale: Requests that can be outsourced - Action: Outsource basic tasks to 3rd parties Guess what?  Dickie lost the weight. And we sharpened our go-to-market motion. Feeling frustrated by bottlenecks in your team?  Try sketching out the 3 Is. And watch the (metaphorical) weight fall off. Thanks for the awesome framework, Dickie.

Time Management Insights for Improving Productivity ⏰💡 I have been mentoring several people around the topic of time management. These are some pointers to help you master your time, boost productivity, and achieve more with less stress. 📈 1. Self-Assessment: Track and Analyze Your Time 📊 Track Your Time: For the next two weeks , keep a detailed log of how you spend each hour. There are tools like Toggl or RescueTime to help simplify this process.  I will put link to their sites in the comments. John Jensen also has a spreadsheet he utilizes that is a great framework for sales people. Categorize Activities: Once your log is complete, sort activities into categories such as planning, deal management, prospecting, admin tasks, internal and external meetings, and personal time.  Do you also understand what your high-impact activities are? Evaluate: Reflect on your log. Are you dedicating enough time to high-impact activities? Are personal activities getting the time they deserve? 2. Identify Areas for Improvement 🔍 High-Value vs. Low-Value Tasks: Pinpoint tasks that drive your goals forward. Delegate or eliminate low-value tasks. High-value tasks are often those that only you can do. Time Wasters: Identify activities that consume time without adding value, such as redundant meetings or excessive email checks. 3. Set Clear Priorities 🎯 Define Your Key Responsibilities: Clarify your role and responsibilities. Focus on activities that align with these and have the most significant impact. Goal Setting: Set clear, measurable goals. This will sharpen your focus and help you prioritize and delegate tasks effectively. 4. Improve Delegation 🤝 Identify Delegation Opportunities: Based on your time log and priorities, find tasks that can be handed off, freeing you to focus on high-level strategy. 5. Continuous Improvement 📈 Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-ins to review your progress, discuss challenges, and adjust strategies as needed. This keeps you accountable and allows for timely adjustments. Personal Insights from My Experience 🌟 When I first started tracking my time, I was amazed at how much of it was spent on low-value tasks. By categorizing and analyzing my activities, I identified key areas for improvement and began delegating tasks that were consuming my time without significant returns. Setting clear priorities and goals was a game-changer, allowing me to focus on high-impact activities and achieve better results. Implementing these steps transformed my productivity, and I'm confident it can do the same for you! 🚀 #TimeManagement #Productivity

Busyness doesn't equal productivity. Master the Eisenhower Matrix to achieve more and stress less. 🎯 By categorizing tasks into 4 quadrants: ➟ Important-Urgent (Do), ➟ Important-Not Urgent (Schedule), ➟ Not Important-Urgent (Delegate), ➟ and Not Important-Not Urgent (Delete) —it empowers you to focus on what truly matters. Let me break it down. — 1. Do: Urgent and Important Tasks with deadlines or consequences. Examples: • Responding to a client crisis. • Meeting a crucial project deadline. • Fixing a critical system error. Tips: • Do these first thing (eat the frog). • Prevent distractions (put your phone on Airplane Mode or Do Not Disturb). — 2. Schedule: Important but Not Urgent Tasks with unclear deadlines that contribute to long-term success. Examples: • Planning your business strategy. • Investing in personal development. • Building key relationships. Tips: • Time-block these in your calendar. • Only schedule it if it's truly important to you. Otherwise, say no. — 3. Delegate: Urgent but Not Important Tasks that must get done but don't require your specific skill set. Examples: • Answering most emails. • Handling routine administrative tasks. • Plowing the snow from your driveway. Tips: • Identify tasks others can do 80% as well as you. • Give clear instructions when delegating. • Follow up, but don't micromanage. — 4. Delete: Neither Urgent Nor Important Distractions and unnecessary tasks. Examples: • Attending meetings with no clear agenda. • Watching TV indiscriminately. • Engaging in office gossip. Tips: • Identify time-wasters in your day. Set limits. • Ask yourself if it adds value to your life. If not, cut it out. — The Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful tool for getting valuable stuff done. You'll separate the trivial many from the vital few. 📌 Want to receive a high-res PDF of this one-pager?    1. Follow Ben Meer  2. ♻️ Repost to help your network  3. Subscribe to my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ewnjDzas   Follow the steps above, and I'll send you this and 10+ of my best infographics for free.

Turn your marketing team from internal order takers to a strategic unit (that says no!) by going from leading with tactical requests from others to flipping the requests to get to the root problem the requester is trying to solve instead. Marketing is a highly-visible department. And many also think they get marketing that are outside marketing :). So teams get inundated with tactical requests. → "Can we send X email?" → "Can we post X on social media?" →"We need to write X case study" → "We should redo X on the website" (I'll hit the character count quickly if I continue here, even if it's therapeutic 😅) 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: When taking requests, there's an opportunity for the team to ask what problem they're trying to solve, not the idea they have (which can be collected, too, to promote engagement, but not the main information being collected). The tactical request is often the requester's way of solving the root problem, or they haven't they haven't thought of the larger picture, which can change the request. A team I was on solved this by having a project request form linked to Asana. We directed all requests to this standardized form to ask clear, core questions. You must be diligent about directing *everyone* to this form, no matter the seniority, and in live conversations. 𝘛𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺. From there, we had a weekly project management backlog conversation where designated marketing leaders met to review the requests, determine what was a priority to bring in, and what the actual tactical work should be to solve the problem. This is a key unlock moment to turn a marketing team from order takers to a strategic unit. It's also an important process for marketers to consistently take, as it's easy to skip steps for speed. There are a million+ things marketing can work on, and work prioritization often is a top requested challenge – this is one step to help solve this. While reminders like these might not feel groundbreaking and possibly boring, creating the right processes for teams is how you increase the velocity and volume of work across the finish line while ensuring it's the right work. Anddddd improves team morale. (Win-win!)

Do less but better. Stay 100% focused on what matters most. Focus is your best competitive advantage. Why? Too many brands go way too wide early on. By focusing, you will outpace them. Focus is a virtuous cycle. Here's what I've learned first hand building GRIN: We started with a complete focus in one area. To become THE solution for ecommerce brands. → Marketing team targeted ecommerce brands effectively → Sales team learned ecommerce customers' pain points → Success team gained deep understanding of ecommerce → Product team received feedback from one customer type, improving the use-case faster The results of 100% focus? Growth rate increased, reviews improved, and we got momentum. That focus has allowed us to scale up way beyond ecommerce now. GRIN is the now overall leader and ecommerce leader for influencer marketing, with the best brands, product, and team. Focus is a competitive advantage in company building. Without it, you will never win. 📌 Three important reminders for you: 1. What is one area you can triple down on to drive results? 2. What can you focus on day-to-day to accelerate performance? 3. What items on your calendar were set by other people and don’t map to your priorities? Can you decline those meetings? I’ll bet you can - and you should.