The One Thing

It is summer and each summer for 30+ years I have asked myself the same question. You may have heard me speak about this question in discussions of strategic planning, time management, focus or a host of other topics.  This question is so powerful I employ it in many ways. I ask myself this question each summer (more on that in a minute).

The 80/20 principle posits that 20% of what you do yields 80% of the results. (Imagine how impactful we could be if we minimized, delegated, or eliminated the 80% we do that yields little!) But taking this concept one step further, my question is this: “What is the ONE thing, that if possible, would fundamentally change our organization for the better?

You see, here is a kick in the head: When the word “priority” entered the English language there was no plural. It was priority. You could not have priorities. Of course in our high speed world we must have priorities. But the summer gives us a chance to think more essentially: “What is the ONE thing, that if possible, would fundamentally change us for the better?

My answer to this question has changed each year depending on the organization I was leading and the unique truths of that organization. Your answer, if you gave yourself the QII quiet time to necessary to discover it, would also vary widely year to year. My answers included new programs, new majors, new mindsets, new buildings; it included new training, paradigm shifts and structural changes. It was often discovered through conversations with Team One and other colleagues and often the opportunity came brilliantly disguised as a wicked problem.

After a lot of COVID cancellations I have been giving several presentations this summer. I amazed at how quickly people focus in on the ONE thing.  It resonates; it excites; it empowers.

What is the ONE thing, that, if possible, would fundamentally change YOUR organization for the better? Is it a mindset? Is it a physical object? A procedural change? A new policy? Is it a new meeting structure or format, a new focus? Is it you? Your leadership, knowledge, or style?  What ONE thing, would fundamentally change us?

This idea of essentialism is “essential” to truly transformative leadership.

I hope you are having a great summer. And I hope you find time to contemplate the ONE thing.