The Effective Executive

Effectiveness is a habit. That means it’s learnable. And if it’s learnable, you can stop treating it like a personality trait. Most effective people run the same 8-loop: Ask: what needs to be done? Ask: what is right for the enterprise? Make an action plan. Take responsibility for decisions. Take responsibility for communicating. Focus on opportunities, not problems. Run productive meetings. Think and say “We,” not “I.” The first two questions create clarity. The next four turn clarity into action. The last two make the whole organization feel responsible and accountable. Five traits that make an effective executive: Know where your time goes. Aim outward: contribution and results, not “being busy.” Ask: what results are expected of me? Build around strengths, yours and others’. Put superior performance where it will create outstanding results. Set priorities, then stick to them. Do first things first, and second things never. The alternative is getting nothing done. Make effective decisions. Fast decisions usually mean wrong decisions. Aim for few, fundamental decisions. You need the right strategy, not razzle-dazzle tactics. The steps: First, do the procedure: record where time goes, record it, manage it, consolidate it. Even this alone creates major improvement. Second, analyze your contribution: why are you on the payroll, and what will you contribute? Third, make strengths productive. A hiring trap: don’t hire people (like patent lawyers) just so they’re “on the team” and “available.” Paying a fee is usually cheaper than a salary, and “always available” can create mischief. The goal: common people achieving uncommon results. That’s what effectiveness is for.