SET PRIORITIES
WHY IT MATTERS
With everything a leader can do, it is imperative they are able to define what they must do. There will always be more to do than an individual or an organization can ever accomplish. It is left to the leader to sift through the possibilities of everything that could be done to determine what should be done. Leaders that set clear priorities give their people a clear target to aim for. They harness the collective strength of the whole organization to focus on achieving a clear direction. Leaders that fail to set clear priorities will dilute the strength of their organization over too many efforts, setting them up to potentially fall short. They will cause confusion, misalignment, and frustration for those who just want to know what they are expected to do.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that excel at setting priorities recognize every good thing is not worth doing. They know there will always be a limit to what can realistically be accomplished. They know that you simply can’t do something just because it sounds like a good idea. They see the world through the eyes of good, better, and best, and choose to focus on only a few of the things that truly matter most. They can say no to work, even if it’s benefits are clear, for the sake of staying focused on the things that will make the biggest difference.
Leaders that excel at setting priorities look to the vision and mission of their organization and translate them into actionable priorities for everyone else to follow. They know if what they choose to do doesn’t align to the vision, then it isn’t worth doing. They don’t select priorities at random. They are thoughtful in their choosing. They draw on data to determine what they should do. Their priorities are easily defensible.
Leaders that excel at prioritizing work involve others in the priority setting process. They rely on feedback from other leaders, work colleagues inside and outside their direct line, voices from outside the organization, and their customers and stakeholders. They listen carefully to the perspectives of all constituents but don’t require decisions be based on popular sentiment. They hold fast to their responsibility to decide where to focus.
Leaders that set priorities effectively communicate those priorities clearly to everyone that needs to know them. They ensure people also understand why the priorities were chosen. They resolve concerns, answer questions, and do everything possible to ensure people know what to work on and why to work on it.
Leaders that set clear priorities guard against scope creep once their work has started. They define their priorities’ limits. They weed new work out that seems important in the moment but detracts needed energy and focus. They ensure others do not dilute their investment of time, resources, and energy on things that aren’t important.
Leaders that are good at priority setting are good at knowing when to change or modify their priorities. They stick to their priorities unless they have no other choice but to take new priorities on. They are sensitive to influences that would dictate a shift in focus. They can change priorities without losing important momentum while keeping everyone still pointed in the same direction.
BELIEFS
BEST PRACTICES
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
With everything a leader can do, it is imperative they are able to define what they must do. There will always be more to do than an individual or an organization can ever accomplish. It is left to the leader to sift through the possibilities of everything that could be done to determine what should be done. Leaders that set clear priorities give their people a clear target to aim for. They harness the collective strength of the whole organization to focus on achieving a clear direction. Leaders that fail to set clear priorities will dilute the strength of their organization over too many efforts, setting them up to potentially fall short. They will cause confusion, misalignment, and frustration for those who just want to know what they are expected to do.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that excel at setting priorities recognize every good thing is not worth doing. They know there will always be a limit to what can realistically be accomplished. They know that you simply can’t do something just because it sounds like a good idea. They see the world through the eyes of good, better, and best, and choose to focus on only a few of the things that truly matter most. They can say no to work, even if it’s benefits are clear, for the sake of staying focused on the things that will make the biggest difference.
Leaders that excel at setting priorities look to the vision and mission of their organization and translate them into actionable priorities for everyone else to follow. They know if what they choose to do doesn’t align to the vision, then it isn’t worth doing. They don’t select priorities at random. They are thoughtful in their choosing. They draw on data to determine what they should do. Their priorities are easily defensible.
Leaders that excel at prioritizing work involve others in the priority setting process. They rely on feedback from other leaders, work colleagues inside and outside their direct line, voices from outside the organization, and their customers and stakeholders. They listen carefully to the perspectives of all constituents but don’t require decisions be based on popular sentiment. They hold fast to their responsibility to decide where to focus.
Leaders that set priorities effectively communicate those priorities clearly to everyone that needs to know them. They ensure people also understand why the priorities were chosen. They resolve concerns, answer questions, and do everything possible to ensure people know what to work on and why to work on it.
Leaders that set clear priorities guard against scope creep once their work has started. They define their priorities’ limits. They weed new work out that seems important in the moment but detracts needed energy and focus. They ensure others do not dilute their investment of time, resources, and energy on things that aren’t important.
Leaders that are good at priority setting are good at knowing when to change or modify their priorities. They stick to their priorities unless they have no other choice but to take new priorities on. They are sensitive to influences that would dictate a shift in focus. They can change priorities without losing important momentum while keeping everyone still pointed in the same direction.
BELIEFS
- There will never be an end to the “good” and “better” work you could do. The key is to clarify what work is “best.”
- Leaders need to re-communicate priorities. It is the inclination of every organization to lose sight of priorities over time.
- If you involve others in setting priorities they will be much more likely to adopt and act on those priorities.
- You can only set the right priorities if you first know the vision and mission you are trying to achieve.
- If you don’t know where you are going, and if your priorities match, you have missed the whole point of having priorities.
- Once you have priorities you need to stick to them. However, if there is justifiable reason to change, be flexible.
- There is a balance in priority setting. Too many and nothing gets done. Too few and you won’t be making the best use of resources.
- If a leader doesn’t step up and set priorities nobody else will. It is one of the unique roles that only a leader can play.
BEST PRACTICES
- Gain commitment to your priorities.
- Focus people on the things that matter most.
- Gather data to inform your priority setting.
- Clarify what the priorities are not.
- Make the decision to not do “good” things.
- Differentiate critical and nice-to-do work.
- Let go of trivial things to focus on what matters.
- Don’t set too many priorities at once.
- Stick to your priorities once they are set.
- Ensure priorities are clearly understood.
- Assess priorities to see if they need to change.
- Don’t be distracted by lower priorities.
- Use defensible data to determine priorities.
- Defend why you choose your priorities.
- Share the “why” behind your priorities.
- Recognize that priorities may change over time.
- Ensure that actions are in-line with priorities.
- Clarify the priorities again and again.
- Reprioritize work based on new circumstances.
- Avoid distractions to your priorities.
- Turn vision and strategy into actionable priorities.
- Make sure people really work on priorities.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I sit down and assess which of all my work is “good,” “better,” and “best,” or do I treat all work the same?
- Do I have a vision for what really matters most, or do I have so many priorities that I stretch the organization too thin?
- Do I say no to work if it is not on the list of priorities, or do I always try to take on one more thing?
- Do people clearly see the alignment between the priorities and our vision, or do they see a disconnect between the two?
- Do I involve others in the priority-setting process, or do I try to determine priorities by myself?
- Do I over-communicate priorities to ensure appropriate focus, or do I fail to communicate them sufficiently?
- Do I guard against scope creep, or do I allow the list of priorities to expand and continue to grow over time?
- Do I change priorities at just the right moment, or do I change them at times that leave people feeling confused?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t be so firm in your priorities that you refuse to change them even when it is apparent it is the right thing to do.
- Don’t allow scope creep to make you add so many priorities you might as well not have any priorities at all.
- Don’t think that just because you have set priorities your work is done, when the real work is ensuring they are met.
- I always rank my “to-do” list.
- My priorities are always changing.
- I take the time to clarify existing priorities.
- Priorities are never set without data to support them.
- Micromanaging our number one goal is not a bad thing.
- All employees should be trained on how to prioritize their goals.