“To figure out what to eliminate, you have to figure out what is necessary,” I continued.
“That’s going to be tough. Just because our headcount is lower doesn’t mean that we can relax our standards. Everything still has to get done,” Marissa resisted.
“Everything?” I nudged.
It had not occurred to Marissa to examine the things in a typical workday to determine what is truly necessary.
“I suppose, we could,” Marissa stopped. Deciding necessity was more difficult than she thought. She was used to the routine, and eliminating unnecessary steps was throwing her off-balance.
“Marissa, I want you to try this. The project we talked about at the Monday meeting, you said, would take a week to complete. I want that project completed and emailed to me by this Wednesday instead.”
“No way,” she protested. “Impossible.”
“Yes, possible. And what’s more, if you are forced to complete the project by Wednesday, I guarantee, you will drop out everything that is not necessary. This is more than just an exercise, this a new way of looking at productivity.”
A reminder of Lee Thayer’s: Making necessary what’s possible and possible what’s necessary.
Truth is no one knows what is possible especially those who say: That’s impossible: man on the moon, four minute mile, a Dick Tracy Blackberry.
“The art of all great leaders has been their uncanny creativity in making necessary what no one has yet seen or experienced, what’s belieed to be “impossible” — that is, the art of making necessary whatever might be possible.” (pg. 321 Leadership: Thinking, Being, Doing)
Wise words from< Ozzie, very good last statement of the year from Tom.
Indeed the ability to distinct what’s absolutely necessary from the nice to have, is an exercise many of us had to made the last weeks. Not evident after a time of prosperity.
It comes down to the same thing: If you want to travel fast, you have to pack light. ;-))