Less is more (achievable).

My recent work efforts focused on supporting districts as they refine strategic plans. Part of this exercise considers other districts’ strategic plans to determine elements they find valuable. A surprise for many is how lengthy these plans can be which leads to a discussion about the likelihood of achieving success.

In The 4 Disciplines of Execution, the key takeaway is that we need to frame a wildly important goal for our team (WIG). Why focus on just one thing? The honest truth is that most people are already busy with the things that they are required to do within their job. One statistic cited in this book is that most staff spend 75% of their day in the whirlwind. When we create lengthy plans for them to implement, they cannot reasonably achieve those things because they don’t have the time or capacity in their day. It has little to do with their beliefs or values, it is a competition for their time and energy.

What should leaders do with this information? Focus on what is most important. We can’t achieve 20 goals for our district. If there is one thing that matters, what is it? Chase that!

McChesney, Chris, et al. The 4 Disciplines of Execution. Second ed., Simon and Schuster, 2022.