The Main Thing Leaders Should Know About Focus

Businesses limit success by losing focus on what is most important. Businesses suffer from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), too. For example, this week at a member recruitment reception at a business club, a new member introduced himself. He is an entrepreneur with nine start-up businesses. He is interested in meeting investors with capital for start-ups. That is not a place where I would invest my money – too many irons in the fire to make success look promising. The cost of spreading your resources so thin is that everything suffers. With so many objectives, nothing is done well. In addition, people are confused about what is important. People find it difficult to make good choices about the action to take. It also sets up a fight for precious, limited resources. It is easy to understand why ADD is prevalent in businesses:

1. Seems risky to have a short list
2. Requires discipline to say “no” to the newest idea
3. Believes the myth that everything is important
4. Unaware of what is working
5. Bored with business as usual

The solution is simple. Be very clear about the business you are in. Know how you create success.

1. Say “yes” to the main thing
2. Keep score
3. Change course wisely
4. Communicate throughout and at all levels so everyone knows
5. Use the grapevine to spread “true rumors”

The focus of my Toastmasters club is building our membership. We currently have 17 members. At our executive committee meeting, we discussed various ways to recruit new members. We meet weekly in a 25 story office building. The focus of our recruitment efforts is the people who work here. We have a plan. We know who does what. We have a way to measure our results. We also recognize new members want value or they will not stay. We are intentional about having new members experience a well led, organized meeting. Stay tuned….. Once you are clear about the purpose of your business and how you achieve it, you can focus on key initiatives. Keep your list short. Measure your results. Communicate at all levels your progress. Invest your energy in what is working. Leaders know that focus keeps the main thing the main thing. ©2014 Ann Elliott All Rights Reserved photo credit: Skley via photopin cc