Are you even solving the right problem?
A very strong theme that comes through from almost every senior leader I work with is the desire to spend more time on thinking creatively and strategically, when this feels impossible, swamped daily by the seemingly unfightable tide of to-dos.
The sheer volume of work makes this, often, extraordinarily difficult.
And yet, when you look more closely, it’s often not just the volume of work. Capable people are rewarded for being fast, decisive, useful. So it’s tempting and so common to jump to defining the problem just enough to get going… and then take off, using up time and energy that could well be better directed elsewhere.
The work expands to fill the time available (and some that isn’t!) while the creative and strategic thinking shrinks.
Here’s a simple set of triage questions that can be surprisingly powerful in helping you prioritise in the moment:
What problem am I about to solve?
What problem actually needs solving?
If I stop this now and focus elsewhere, would tomorrow me agree?
Until next week,
Madeleine
I help accomplished professionals untangle difficult career questions so they can thrive in work and life.
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