Prioritising: The lost art of leadership?
In today's intricate web of leadership challenges, are you finding prioritising to be your Achilles’ heel? It's not just you - many leaders are in the same boat. Let's delve into why prioritising has become a lost art, yet a much-needed capability in the current workplace landscape that seems highly reactive and overwhelmed with systemic burnout.
Shifting circumstances, shifting mindsets
Picture yourself navigating a complex system that is constantly shifting and changing around you like a kaleidoscope. What was crucial yesterday might be insignificant today. Without prioritising, leaders find themselves lost at sea in this constant whirl of dynamic demands.
Reflect for a moment on how today's leaders are often entangled in immediate tasks, losing sight of long-term goals. This lack of focus on long-term impact (a hallmark of our modern age) leaves us reacting rather than leading.
From the science of systems thinking, we know that we must embrace complexity and uncertainty. There is no way to avoid it! This embrace requires a mindset shift from traditional linear thinking with step-by-step plans to a more holistic, systemic approach. Prioritising effectively in such a context is not just about setting tasks but about weaving through the diverse nuances of interconnected systems.
What are you trying to achieve in the long term?
What values underpin this achievement?
How do you maintain coherence by using those values to guide you?
The big picture
The broader context is even more compelling. We're not merely interacting with internal challenges, but global ones that frequently demand adaptive change and system-wide responses. (Yes, the orange man in the USA is coming to mind quickly!) It might feel overwhelming, but understand this: recognising what really matters and when is a superpower.
This brings us back to you as a leader with the capability to navigate these murky waters. To prioritise effectively is to invest in adaptive capabilities, engaging not just in decision-making but in informed, value-driven prioritisation. As an example, I am struck by Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney. Politics aside, he has made a stand for Canada based on what seems right - it's a values-based decision. H ehas decided to change Cabnada's reliance on its relationship with USA - long term. He is no longer at the whim of someone else. He has a pathway to a different vision of a different future. And it enables him to take a long-term perceptive.
Shedding the detritus of priorities past
From the big picture down to the tasks, reports and processes are left as reminders of what was important in old strategic plans. Try asking yourself and your team what doesn't need to be done anymore and eliminate those things that don't add value now. This is way harder in practice than it is in theory.
This seemingly simple task, undertaken with many teams in the last year, has focused my attention on the lost art of prioritising. Although all teams can identify these elements of work, few seem capable of actually changing their habits and stopping these items from wasting their time and energy.
So, how do we cultivate this capability?
Begin with curiosity and initiative. Ask yourself and your team reflective questions.
What are we trying to achieve in the long term?
What is the current cost of trying to do everything?
What would be the benefits of learning to prioritise?
How would it feel, look, sound and be like to be well prioritised?
What principles would underpin our prioritisation?
What could we try out as a first step to learning to prioritise better?
Experiment with new ways of prioritising and learn from their impacts. Does this feel daunting? Perhaps, but consider it your secret weapon in a cluttered world where clarity and focus are hard-earned victories.
Start today by reflecting on your role in this complex ecosystem. What needs more emphasis? What can wait?
Prioritising isn't just a leadership task; it's an art. Ready to paint your masterpiece?