1 min read
How to live your values
I’ve had an absolute sh*t of a few weeks. I’ve made some of the hardest choices I’ve ever had to make in my personal life, in the face of...
Prioritisation takes place every day in every organisation. However, if priorities are not set at the strategic level, judgement calls are pushed down the chain to management and delivery staff.
Aside from being unfair, this means that trade-offs aren't driven by strategy. Instead, they're driven by capacity, capability and a whole host of unpredictable external factors.
My thoughts: organisations should worry less about selecting the wrong priorities, and more about failing to prioritise at all. Because continuing to add new "priorities" is not a strategy - it's a formula for exhaustion.
"When we don't give our teams clear directions about what NOT to do, and just keep piling it on, we drive engagement and productivity downward. If everything is treated as a priority, then nothing really is."
When we don't give our teams clear directions about what NOT to do, and just keep piling it on, we drive engagement and productivity downward. The fact is, if everything is treated as a priority, then nothing really is.
Strategic focus operates a bit like a camera lens - zooming in and out to sharpen our attention and illuminate our perception.
1. Awareness
Right size the decision frame with a deep understanding of internal and external context. Acknowledging gaps and bias early sets the scene for targeted action.
2. Alignment
Precision alignment builds ownership and underpins performance. A strong line of sight creates confidence, momentum and clarity from decision to delivery.
3. Intention
Prioritise with intent. Courageous leaders make strength-based trade-offs at the strategic level, empowering whole organisations to succeed.
1 min read
I’ve had an absolute sh*t of a few weeks. I’ve made some of the hardest choices I’ve ever had to make in my personal life, in the face of...
2 min read
I’ve always been close with my Nanna. I’ve turned to her a lot over the years as I’ve juggled kids, work, study, friends, relationships and...
1 min read
What do you do for work?” Gulp. When you work for the government, sometimes it’s tempting not to tell people. Primarily if you work in local...
Have you ever heard of Not My Job (NMJ) syndrome? There are some particularly hilarious examples on the internet. I like this one:
2 min read
I was at a wedding on Saturday and, thanks to what I was wearing, received some inquiring comments about a tattoo that’s usually covered. It sits...
1 min read
Early last year, I visited the M.C. Escher exhibit in Melbourne and enjoyed having my mind blown by some of the mind-bending perspective pieces...