Learning how to properly think of and define your work efforts can mean the difference in a clear understanding and specific plan for achieving your goals. This week, I went to a workshop by my business coach, David Josephson, The Growth Coach of Jax. I always enjoy sessions and workshops with Dave. I think he’s great. This workshop was no different.
While in general, I view myself as successful. I have a good business model. I have customers, and I make a profit. I have found that small distinctions have a way of making big changes. I found one of the most interesting dynamics and small distinctions in the workshop from this week to be about the terminology of work efforts.
Key Terminology of Work Efforts
We are all tying to determine how to work smarter not harder. We look at what we do and try to streamline processes. We try to figure out what we can do more of or less of to make better profits, but this is the first time that I’ve really had all of these processes defined for me.
Productivity – achieving the greatest results in the shortest period of time.
Leverage – achieving the greatest results with the least amount of effort.
Effectiveness – doing the right things to produce superior results.
Efficiency – doing things right to produce consistent and rapid results.
Strategic – planning for and executing on high-level, high priority, and high-leverage activities that produce optimal results.
How do you define your work efforts?
If you are like me, you see these definitions and analyze your company. Then you ask questions.
- What am I doing in my business that can be done better? How can we be more productive?
- How can I leverage activities that I’m already doing to create more business or more profit, vs creating new business?
- Are there things that we are doing that are simply not effective? If so, how can I reduce or eliminate them?
- There is a difference between effectiveness and efficiency. Now that I’ve determined what the right things are, how do we make sure that we do them right? For me, this is usually about defining process.
- Is my business plan up to date? When is the last time I’ve looked at it? Am I using it as a road map to success, or does it just sit in the desk drawer?
For me, it all comes down to a plan and process
In my business, I find that while I never knew the definitions provided by Dave, there was one thing that helped me meet most of the wickets. Developing a business plan and a process list has always kept me on track. The business plan kept me on track. I knew my goals and all decisions were made based on whether they helped me achieve those end goals.
The process keeps me on track on a day to day business. It helps me be sure that I’m not only
- productive (I don’t waste time – I’m focused),
- that I leverage my current activities (since my process includes activities like farming and blogging on current or completed jobs),
- I’m effective (because my business plan told me what the right things were),
- I’m efficient (I know exactly what comes next and nothing slips through the cracks, minimizing fires to put out),
- and clearly my system is strategic.
So, what about your business? Does this help give you a differentiation? Are you asking any new questions? Are you able to define your work efforts with this key terminology?
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