Technology itself has enabled a single person to create a great deal. In the time it takes me to write and post these words, I will likely have also checked my email, sent correspondence via instant messaging, and arranged travel for a business conference. If the average businessperson accurately listed the tasks undergone in a particular day, the results would be surprising. At first glance, the sheer number of items completed will tend to create a sense of accomplishment. Who wouldn’t be proud of checking off thirty or forty items on a list? Dig a little deeper, though. Take a look at the tasks and determine which of them actually resulted in a benefit to the company? How many of them helped to fill a day but really meant less to the success of the venture than the time spent with them?
Now, multiply that activity by the number of employees working for you. There are certainly hundreds of activities happening every day that likely don’t offer anything in the way of accomplishment. This doesn’t mean your employees are bad or shirking duties. They probably go to bed at night just as tired and just as overworked as you do. It does mean, however, that every employee ought to learn what tasks impact the company. For example, I have known salespersons who spend hours “preparing” to make phone calls and others who stay on the phone constantly but somehow can’t consistently close business. I’ve known programmers who can write beautiful code but spend their time on features that have little benefit. Ultimately, it’s the responsibility of management to take the best efforts of the employees and ensure that they are directed properly for maximum effect, to turn the activity into real accomplishment.
How much of what your company does is just activity?
Thanks for that information, I agree with this wholeheartedly – activity alone does not create a successful business….needs constant management and direction to accomplishment
And I was just wondrenig about that too!
Great post – bring on another! The business folks need to stop spinning with a foot nailed to the floor….activity for purpose only!
I found this post earlier today while in the office Very useful Sent the link to myself and will most likely bookmark tomfedro.com when I make it home
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Good stuff – Super jaezzd about your blog entry here on priorities and making sure what you work on is worthy of the time given it.
I really appreciate free, succinct, insightful posts like this.
You are right – activity is not necessarly progress – you certainly understand how to keep a reader interested. Congrats. I truly enjoyed your comments!
Free knowledge like this doesn’t just help, it promotes others to start blogging. Thank you.
Gee whiz, this shouldnt be so easy to understand – i thought start ups were hard! jk… thanks for the post, keep at it.
I will make sure my acitvity counts!!
Thanks for sharing! Very useful info!
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Now I know who the braniy one is, I’ll keep looking for your posts.
cool, clearly, you get it, you’re a stud!
Zinke! You da man!
Oh yeah, faubolus stuff here – keep up the good work!
More posts of this quality! Thats whay i am looking for….. Good insights on sports and business – activty can be worthless if it has no direction or goal….good stuff!
Great quote from John Wooden! so true and appropriate for business as well as sport…