“What is the one thing, that by so doing,makes everything else easier or unnecessary?”

makes everything else easier or unnecessary?”

Gary Keller

Last year I started learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). It is a blast. I’m hooked.

The workouts are fast, furious and sweaty. I work really hard. I’m super exhausted by the time I’m done.

Now, I started this sport already in good shape (I’ve taught an intensive fitness class for the last 10 years.) Both in terms of strength and stamina, I have an advantage over many of the people I’m matched against.

Unfortunately, BJJ specifically teaches smaller, weaker people how to out-grapple and submit bigger stronger opponents.

I’m a white belt. In the BJJ system, I will remain a “white belt” for years. BJJ white belts are, essentially, for people who thrash around a lot without accomplishing as much as they could or should.  (In most other martial arts, a practitioner will advance beyond “white belt” in a few months. Advancement is based on other criteria.)

To achieve “blue belt,” which is next, I have to learn to only do what is necessary. Advancement comes when I only move in a way that should produce an intended result. No additional effort. No thrashing around.

When I grapple with an upper belt, I routinely get beat by smaller, weaker people.

By routinely, I mean that is my only experience.

They don’t work as hard as I do.

They never get as tired as I do.

They always seem to know what they just did and what they are going to do next.

Frequently, while getting squished into the mat or tied into a pretzel, my partner will helpfully say, “You are working too hard.”

Yes, I am.

There appears to be very little connection between how hard I work and getting submitted less.

The Divide

When working with successful, senior leadership a clear divide emerges in terms of productivity, lifestyle, and work habits. One either side of this divide are two kinds of leadership:

Effort-Focused Leadership: There are leaders who work very hard. They put in long hours. They feel constantly busy – often putting out fires or dealing with emergencies. They are often rushed and stressed. There is never enough time to be caught up. Truth be told, they often love the adrenaline of it all.

The effort is equated to success. Some came up in industries that (insanely) still associate the number of hours billed with productivity. Others were raised with a work ethic where pats on the back were only given to people who were constantly busy.

Priority-Focused Leadership: These are leaders who work very precisely. They don’t equate the number of hours worked with productivity. They easily leverage resources around them so they don’t need to work as hard. They seem to have time.

Results are equated to success. Because of this, they are able to focus very tightly on accomplishing those results. In fact, they are able to experience the freedom that comes with accomplishing more while doing less work.

Only Priority-Focused Leadership will produce more with less effort.

Leaders who develop very clear and simple priorities for themselves, their team and their organization will “win” every time. They are the “upper belts” of the leadership world.

Everyone else is working too hard.

Despite however much an Effort-Focused Leader might accomplish – their effort : results ratio is off. They could be accomplishing far more. Or working far less. Or both.

After years of executive coaching, I’ve learned that the Effort-Focused Leader will nearly always push back against my assertion that they are, “working too hard.” They resist it.

I get that.

It’s like BJJ.  When I feel someone slowly start to maneuver for a choke, it is the most natural thing to work harder to get free.

So, I thrash.

And eventually, wear myself out or make a mistake.

But I’m learning.

How To Identify (or become) A Priority-Focused Leader

When selecting senior leaders, Effort-Based Leaders often look like obvious choices. They work hard, they are determined, they aren’t afraid to lean into it. They stand out against everyone else who doesn’t seem willing to put in the effort.

But you don’t want a senior leadership team that focuses on effort. You don’t want people who are unable to differentiate 60-80 hour work weeks (AKA “thrashing around”) with achieving results.

They’ll wear themselves (or others) out. They’ll make avoidable mistakes.

You don’t (or shouldn’t) want to be that leader either.

You want leaders who are focused on priorities.  Leaders who understand what the last move was, are clear on where they are at now and know what they will accomplish next.

Three ways to identify a Priority-Focused Leader

A leader who is focused on priorities and results will naturally and consistently do the following:

• Have Personal Clarity: They know what their priorities are, they can articulate them clearly and their priority list is barely even a list.
• Have Team Clarity: They know what the organizational and team priorities are and they create alignment between personal, team and organizational priorities.
• Create Clarity: They help others create clarity about priorities. They ask questions like, “What are we trying to accomplish in this meeting/project/policy?” They ask the Gary Keller question, “What is the one thing, that by so doing, makes everything else easier or unnecessary?”

If you want to build a senior leadership “A-Team” then you need to have Priority-Focused Leaders.

Leaders who know what they are about, what their teams are about and how to align with each other and leaders who don’t tolerate ambiguity.

Anything less is working too hard. For fewer results.

Want to Stop Fighting Like a White Belt?

Would you like to increase your personal effectiveness?  Would you like to experience what it is like to accomplish more without having to do more? Is there someone on your team who you realize is working too hard for the results they are getting?

If your answer is YES, then I have something for you. I use the only coaching methodology in the world—developed by best-selling author and leadership expert Marshall Goldsmith—that measurably increases your leadership performance. Guaranteed.

I’m no longer accepting applicants for February. However, if you’d like to be considered for a March start date please contact me directly.

I’m only accepting two individuals or one team in March. This will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis. Serious inquiries only.

Email me at Christian@vantageconsulting.org or call me at 907 522-7200.