The Paradox of Little Things

Friday, 04. 17. 2009  –  Category: Ranger Wireless Solutions

They say that “the devil is in the details.”  And they are exactly right.  When it comes to business, however, it always seems like it is small tasks that keep us from our high-payoff activities.  So which is it?  Should we be focused on doing the little things to be successful or are we compromising our ability to tackle greater challenges by being distracted by them?  It depends on what you really consider to be little.

Planning is the Key

When it comes to the “small stuff,” it really comes down to understanding the relevance of each activity.  These days, it’s rare to find anyone who has an abundance of time on their hands.  It is crucial that our time (and attention) is focused on those projects that can have the most impact on our company’s bottom line.  Often, we lack the sufficient resources and man power to make our projects happen, so prioritizing our time becomes even more important.

The 4-Point Quick Check

As a project manager, you can be faced with a million components of a project bombarding you on a daily basis.  Therefore, it is vital that you screen all of them to be sure that your time and energy is being focused in the right direction.  Before deciding to divert your attention to a task, ask yourself these four quick questions:

1.  Does this relate to my current top priorities? Despite our best efforts, the temptation is always there to divert our attention towards the easiest projects available to us.  It is in our nature to want to feel like we are accomplishing something.  We rationalize that it will only take a minute, or that it will help keep another project going.  However, it is that same rationale that takes our focus away from the project(s) that need to be dedicating our efforts towards accomplishing.

2.  What is the impact of not executing on this task? This is a difficult idea for many project managers to consider because it goes against what it means to be one—finishing projects.  In our drive for the perfection of getting everything done, we often fall short in our objective of completing the assignment because we tried to do too much.  Sometimes, there are some details that, while adding to the project, are not essential to the project’s survival.  In crunch time, eliminating a non-essential task could be the difference between success and failure.

3.  Does it need to happen now? These days, it seems like the only due date of a project is “now.”  The reality is that unless you have unlimited resources, this is just not going to be possible on a long-term basis.  Sure, you may be able to squeeze in a series of all-nighters and get the big projects done.  But in the end, it turns into a vicious cycle that involves the little things slipping through—inevitably to the point of no repair.  If you can prioritize your projects and not see everything as a fire drill, you can help yourself even out the work flow and reduce the mistakes associated with rushing.

4.  Can anyone else do this for me? As workers, we are ingrained with the idea of being the overachiever.  As project managers, it seems the bar is set even higher.  Too many times, however, we refuse to delegate for fear that the efforts of others will not match our own.  However, what we fail to realize in our rationalization is that because we have not delegated anything, our work is at a lower quality that we should expect.  In essence, we are sabotaging our own project for fear others will do it.  The reality is that delegation is not only important to the success of the project, it breeds trust and support in your work environment.  It also is an effective way to cross train your team.

The next time you consider grumbling about a small project that is interfering with your work flow, ask these four quick questions and see if a lack of planning isn’t making you the cause of your own frustration.

David Fleming is the Director of Corporate Communications for RANGER Wireless Solutions® and CornerWorld Corporation.

Tags: article, David Fleming, planning, priorities, project management, resources, strategy, success