GETTING STUFF DONE.
So, who does what by when?
It’s bloody hard to get stuff done. We pretty much all know what needs fixing: the structures, processes, quality or type of work, presentations, meeting or team set-ups, [type in any problem here], you name it. The list could go on forever.
Most of the things that bother us are pretty easy to tackle. They are small changes in our everyday work life. So how come it often feels like we’re not making any progress?
In my experience, many people just love to moan or complain. Others are a bit more proactive in telling you (very eloquently) what needs fixing and how it should be done. Most observations are even bang on right. But, you know what? The funny thing is what happens next – after all those conversations and meetings – pooooooooof. Nothing. Nothing happens. Or only very little. And we’re back to groundhog day.
Most people tend to duck or are too busy whenever extra tasks appear. Or they come up with other creative excuses why it can’t be them getting said task done. Or they say they do it, but then don’t actually end up doing it. And I get it, I really do. Because it’s bloody hard work and requires additional energy to change old habits or systems, take on an additional workload or initiate something new. But if you wish to make a difference and advance, there’s no other way.
The other day, I spoke to a dear friend who interviews successful fancy people on a regular basis. I asked him, what’s the secret behind their successes? His response: there are those who talk and there are those who simply do. It’s as simple as that.
So who do you want to be?
The work always flows to where it is done.
If you want to be part of the core team or a star player, you roll up your sleeves. You lean in and lead. You raise your hand when things need fixing, you feel accountable for agreed tasks and you get others to do their part, too.
How? Every time when there’s a task at hand, agree on the next steps. There’s not a single meeting where I don’t ask my “Who does what by when"?" question. (Even if the meeting is only with myself.) To me, this is how you can easily get clarity, commitment and ownership. Let’s break this question down for a second:
WHO: Who gets the task done? There can only be one person, one owner. So whenever two people raise their hand, agree on one owner. Of course, more people can work on any task, but there can only be one person who’s responsible for getting it done. (If you have two or more owners, people will hide behind the other task owners and you end up not making much progress.)
WHAT: What needs to get done? Be specific about any required action.
WHEN: By when? Decide on a date. Don’t use terms like “beginning of next week” or “end of the month”. Give the deadline a specific date. This gives clarity and calls for commitment. (And it allows you to follow up as soon as a deadline is missed.)
Once you agree on who does what by when, make all of the tasks visible on a Trello, Teams or [insert any tech here] board. Assign people to specific tasks. Share the deadlines. And then regularly follow up in a status meeting or check-in. Make it a team effort. No one wants to look bad in front of their colleagues. And if deadlines can’t be met, you can jointly make decisions on how to course-correct together. This is how you start getting things done together.
I know all of this sounds incredibly and uninspiringly boring and not very much like the key to career success. But it is. Getting stuff done is the key driver to advance your career. I promise. If you show commitment and deliver your part, people will notice and start giving you more responsibility – and visibility.
If you don’t believe me, just google Barack Obama getting stuff done. Even he agrees with me. So hopefully soon you will, too. Simply give it a go and see what happens.
I know, you too, are a doer. So go out there and get stuff done.
In a nutshell: