Buzz
Are we genuinely tackling important tasks?
Recently, in ongoing discussions with personnel from companies I coach, it startled me that almost every employee raises the same concern: “I struggle to complete tasks related to OKRs because there are too many other tasks to handle”
OKRs represent a crucial method of Goal and Key Result management, aiding in aligning organizational objectives towards a common goal. Simply put, OKRs embody the 'most crucial aspect'
Let's illustrate with an example.
On a beautiful day, out of the blue, I thought health was crucial. Immediately, I signed up for a Gym membership, and to be more careful, I even hired a personal trainer for guidance.
In the initial days, everything went smoothly. I arranged my time to be at the gym punctually. After a complete 60-minute workout, I felt incredibly proud of myself, returned home, took a shower, and started other tasks.
Things went smoothly for a few days, even weeks, and then suddenly... various distractions arose. Some days were filled with late meetings, so I canceled the workout. There were social gatherings where I reluctantly skipped the gym. On other days, due to working all day, I was too tired, so I postponed the session. One day, how much more could I handle!
And so, things naturally unfold, and I abandon the workout routine!
It's said, the primary income source for gyms isn't from active members but from those who quit.
Now, let's define:
So, there's a conclusion like this:
We often act out of inertia, doing things that are hardly relevant to our goals, or worse, we don't even have our own objectives.
Why do I call this inertia? Because I've encountered the question “I struggle with tasks related to OKRs because there are just too many other things” too many times, across all businesses, all positions.
Initially, I even thought it was only a few stubborn individuals, resisting the pursuit of common goals because they disliked them. But as this repeated over and over, I understood this is a challenge that every leader needs to face.
Peter Drucker, the father of modern Management, once said:
Every business demands 'all' of its personnel, right from the start with a commitment to pursuing common goals and shared values. Without that commitment, there is no business; only a crowd.
Businesses must have clear, simple, and unified goals. The organization's mission must be clear enough and significant enough to provide a shared vision.
Goals must be publicized and continually reaffirmed. The first task of leadership is thoughtful consideration, setting, and embodying those goals and values.
Summarizing the points I want to emphasize: everyone needs to commit to common goals, those goals need to be simple, understandable, and leaders need to continually reiterate them publicly.
After discovering the danger of inertia, I revisited this statement and understood the importance of continually reaffirming common goals.
Imagine, you're a CEO, Manager, or part of a company or team with a common goal (at this moment), try outlining what you and your team will do each day next week, and also require your employees to do the same. Then, tally up how much time we're spending working towards the common goal. The results will be eye-opening.
However, if the issue lies with the CEO not clearly defining the company's objectives at this time, let's candidly acknowledge that the company is operating with 50% waste!
Posted by: Giap Pham Tuan
Keywords: The peril of inertia in corporate governance
