We all want to be leaders known for building high achieving and highly fulfilled teams. But when demands are ultra high and resources are less, the wellbeing of your team can suffer. April is Stress Awareness Month and a perfect time for leaders to look at realistic ways we can reduce stress and skyrocket success.
Highly dedicated and achieving-oriented team members may have trouble saying no. Such high performers may also be inherently perfectionistic around not just getting it all done, but getting it done well.
Fostering a more sustainable, less stressful approach means reminding them (and modeling) that 1) done is often better than perfect and 2) it’s often okay to drop non-critical items in favor of the bigger picture. That requires being clear on priorities to ensure teams are working on the right things and not burning out.
TRY THIS: My favorite method of reprioritizing and freeing up time is to use the 5 Ds.
DO: Anything that aligns with your team’s highest priorities – those high impact items that move you toward big objectives are “Dos” and you have to figure out a way to do them. (That’s the first of the 5 Ds.)
DUMP: Anything that clearly doesn’t is a “Dump.” After that, it gets less obvious.
DELAY: Programs that have to be done but that can wait, need to be put into a catch list.
DELEGATE & DEVELOP OTHERS: Ask the questions, “Does it belong with my team?” “Is it assigned to the right person?” “Can I swap an assignment or two to develop someone?” Or as the sticky note on my computer says, “Who else can do this?” Obviously, that doesn’t mean throwing it over the fence and saying “not it!” Someone else has to be advised and empowered to do it.
DO IT DIFFERENTLY: This is where innovative thinking is needed and you may find new ways to scale. I was just working with a team looking at a process that when mapped out was going to be a six-month, 400-person job. The team leader decided to change the playing field and is implementing a pilot test program first to demonstrate progress. Ask yourself: Are the time, quality and cost ratios correct? Could you do it faster and roughly right? Is there a way to streamline? Are there self-service options like creating “do-it-yourself” instructions that others can follow?
Once you and your team members reprioritize using the 5 Ds, it’s essential to communicate your new plan to key stakeholders. If you’re delaying something, say so. If something’s being reassigned to a new team member, let others know. My 5 Ds approach takes a little “Doing” – and the space and momentum it creates are worth it.
