Doing the Right Things Right

Doing the Right Things Right Plot Summary

Introduction

In today's rapidly evolving business environment, the distinction between being busy and being productive has never been more critical. Leaders at all levels face the constant challenge of achieving maximum results with limited resources while navigating unprecedented change. The pressure to deliver more with less continues to intensify, forcing executives to rethink how they allocate their most precious resource: time. Effective leadership isn't just about doing the right things—it's about doing the right things right. This crucial intersection between effectiveness and efficiency represents the sweet spot where truly transformative leadership happens. By mastering the "3T Leadership" approach—focusing on Strategic Thinking, Team Focus, and Tactical Work—you'll discover how to align organizational strategy, build high-performing teams, and execute with precision. Whether you're a seasoned executive, a middle manager, or an emerging leader, these proven principles will help you eliminate wasteful activities, sharpen your decision-making, and create sustainable success in today's complex business landscape.

Chapter 1: Align Strategy and Focus on High-Impact Goals

Strategic alignment forms the bedrock of effective leadership. At its core, alignment means ensuring that every action, initiative, and resource allocation supports the organization's primary objectives. Without this alignment, even the most well-executed tactics become meaningless—like a ship sailing swiftly in the wrong direction. Consider how Brenda Knowles, Vice President of Marketing at Shaw Industries, approaches strategic alignment. Rather than imposing directives from above, she first ensures her team understands the company's growth strategy through regular management meetings and strategic planning sessions. With this framework established, she empowers business units to develop recommendations that best meet customer needs while anticipating market forces. "It's about empowerment and accountability," Knowles explains. Her approach creates natural alignment by giving team members both the big picture and the "guardrails" within which they can innovate. This empowerment-based alignment produces remarkable results at Shaw Industries. When team members understand the company's direction and feel ownership over their contribution, they naturally align their efforts with organizational goals. They're not just following orders; they're actively engaged in advancing the company's mission through their specialized knowledge and insights into customer needs. To create similar alignment in your organization, start by clarifying your core values and mission. These foundational elements provide the context for all strategic decisions. Next, break down organizational goals into departmental objectives and individual performance targets. Make sure everyone understands not just what they're doing but why it matters in the broader context. Regularly review progress, making course corrections as needed while maintaining focus on a few major goals rather than diluting effort across too many initiatives. Remember to celebrate achievements when goals are reached. This reinforces the value of alignment and creates positive momentum for future initiatives. As the leader, your role is to continually reinforce the connection between daily activities and strategic priorities, helping team members see how their work contributes to the organization's success. When people understand the "why" behind their tasks, they become powerful agents of strategic execution.

Chapter 2: Build a Culture of Innovation and Adaptability

Creating an adaptable, innovative culture means embracing the only true constant in business: change. Rather than resisting evolution, effective leaders actively search for opportunities to leverage change for competitive advantage. They understand that stagnation leads to obsolescence while purposeful adaptation creates resilience and growth. At Nokia in the early 2000s, leadership made a critical error that perfectly illustrates the importance of adaptability. Despite having a superb technological team that could have given them a significant head start in smartphone development, they chose to focus on "dumb" phones instead. Their failure to adapt to changing consumer preferences allowed Apple and other competitors to dominate the market. Only years later did Nokia attempt to recover with innovative products like the high-end Lumia, recapturing just a small portion of their former market share. This cautionary tale demonstrates how even market leaders can falter when they fail to embrace change. Nokia had the technological capability but lacked the cultural adaptability to pivot toward emerging opportunities. Their rigid adherence to what had worked in the past ultimately cost them their market dominance. To foster innovation and adaptability in your organization, start by encouraging calculated risk-taking. Create an environment where team members feel safe sharing new ideas and where failure is viewed as a learning opportunity rather than a career-limiting mistake. As Microsoft's Chief Security Officer Mike Howard advises, "Part of continuous improvement is allowing people to make mistakes. If they make the same mistake twice, that's a problem." This approach encourages experimentation while maintaining accountability. Practical steps for building adaptability include regularly monitoring industry trends, rewarding efficiency improvements, and responding quickly to emerging opportunities. Implement what Steve Gangwish of CSS Farms calls "intentional communication"—regular team meetings where everyone reviews current operations and plans for the future. Gangwish observed that farms implementing this simple practice consistently outperformed those that didn't, moving "from low average to above average" performance. Remember that innovation thrives on diversity of thought. Encourage cross-functional collaboration and expose your team to ideas from different industries. The most valuable innovations often occur at the intersection of different disciplines—just as Silly Putty emerged from wartime attempts to create an artificial rubber substitute. By creating space for creative thinking and remaining open to unexpected solutions, you'll develop an organization capable of thriving amid constant change.

Chapter 3: Master Communication and Decision-Making

Effective communication sits at the heart of successful leadership. It takes many forms, but the most powerful communication consistently demonstrates clarity, honesty, and purposefulness. When conveying your organization's mission or strategic priorities, simple straightforward language creates the strongest foundation for understanding and action. At John Hancock Investments, Senior Vice President Darren Smith attributes their success in avoiding communication breakdowns to "structured communication on a scheduled basis." These planned interactions allow important matters to be addressed efficiently during designated times rather than becoming constant interruptions. This systematic approach ensures that critical information flows smoothly throughout the organization while preserving focused work time. Smith's approach demonstrates how thoughtful communication structures can dramatically improve operational efficiency. By establishing clear channels and rhythms for information sharing, John Hancock prevents the productivity drain that comes from reactive, fragmented communication patterns. Team members know when and how to share important updates, allowing everyone to plan their work accordingly. To master communication in your organization, start by repeatedly communicating expectations. You simply cannot overcommunicate when it comes to mission-critical information. Use multiple formats—verbal, written, visual—to accommodate different learning styles and reinforce key messages. Triple-check for understanding, especially when actions cannot be reversed or when misalignments would be costly. Decision-making represents another critical leadership skill. Effective leaders understand that indecision is often more damaging than an imperfect decision. As one executive observed, "Motion beats meditation—once you've contemplated the situation enough to know what actions to take." When faced with tough choices, test options against core values, desired outcomes, ROI, and opportunity costs. Then commit fully to your decision, knowing you can adjust course if needed. When making difficult decisions that affect your team, invite healthy debate. At Shaw Industries, Vice President Brenda Knowles cultivates what she calls "healthy conflict" that is "respectful yet provocative." This approach ensures multiple perspectives are considered before important decisions are made. Once a decision is reached, however, presenting a united front becomes essential. True leaders can disagree behind closed doors but must present alignment when communicating with their teams. The ultimate test of communication and decision-making is execution. Your ability to transform decisions into action determines your effectiveness as a leader. Clear communication establishes the what and why of your direction, while decisive action demonstrates your commitment to following through. Together, these skills create the momentum needed to drive meaningful change.

Chapter 4: Create a Results-Oriented Team Environment

A results-oriented team environment prioritizes substance over style, focusing on meaningful outcomes rather than mere busyness. In such environments, team cohesion naturally develops through shared commitment to measurable achievements, creating a powerful engine for organizational success. Consider the environment at CSS Farms, where Vice President Steve Gangwish has cultivated a remarkable sense of ownership among farm managers. "When people come to work in the morning and go home at night, they feel like it's their deal, their farm," he explains. This ownership mentality emerges from a carefully designed culture that balances autonomy with accountability. Farm managers operate with considerable independence, connecting with corporate leaders only weekly while maintaining full responsibility for their operations. The result is a team that consistently delivers exceptional results because they view the company's success as their personal achievement. This autonomy-based approach produces impressive results because it taps into intrinsic motivation. When team members feel genuine ownership over their work, they invest discretionary effort without needing constant supervision. They solve problems proactively, identify opportunities others might miss, and persist through challenges that would discourage less engaged employees. To create a similar results-focused environment, start by streamlining workflow processes. Constantly evaluate and improve how work gets done, clearing bureaucratic obstacles and replacing underperforming processes. Apply simple rules to business situations rather than building elaborate decision frameworks. Consider implementing sunset clauses for all projects and initiatives so resources don't remain tied up in declining efforts. Another essential element is building team receptiveness toward swift execution. In today's fast-paced business environment, the ability to move quickly without sacrificing quality provides a decisive competitive advantage. Monitor industry trends, reward efficiency improvements, and take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Create a culture where calculated risk-taking is encouraged and rewarded, especially when it leads to process improvements or innovation. Remember that a results-oriented environment isn't about constant pressure or unrealistic expectations. Instead, it focuses on clarity of purpose, measurement of outcomes, and recognition of achievement. When team members understand what success looks like and have the tools to achieve it, they naturally orient themselves toward results that matter. Your role as leader is to maintain this clarity while removing obstacles that might impede progress toward meaningful goals.

Chapter 5: Harness Creativity and Maximize Employee Potential

Unlocking your team's full potential begins with understanding what truly motivates them and how to harness their innate creativity. Effective leaders recognize that engagement isn't automatic—it requires purposeful cultivation and a genuine commitment to employee growth and development. Robert Eckert, who joined Mattel as CEO in 2000 when the company was struggling, demonstrated this principle powerfully. At his first company-wide meeting, he thanked employees not only for their past work but also "for the even finer work they were about to do." This expression of gratitude and confidence became the foundation for a transformation that eventually landed Mattel on Fortune's "Best Companies to Work For" list for six consecutive years. Eckert's approach was built on the belief that most people come to work eager to contribute their best efforts—they simply need the right environment to flourish. This culture of appreciation and empowerment directly translated to improved business results. By focusing on employee potential rather than limitations, Mattel created an environment where innovation thrived and performance steadily improved. The company's turnaround wasn't immediate, but the consistent application of these principles eventually transformed both the culture and the bottom line. To harness creativity in your organization, consider implementing Google's approach of allowing employees dedicated time for personal projects that could benefit the company. This "20 percent time" policy (which former executive Marissa Mayer clarified was really "120 percent time," as it came above and beyond regular responsibilities) produced innovations like Gmail, AdSense, and Google News. While you might not be able to dedicate a full day weekly to such efforts, even occasional brainstorming sessions can yield valuable innovations. For maximizing employee potential, follow Brian Halligan's example at online marketing firm HubSpot. His innovative "Mini-CEO Program" appoints employees with great ideas as the CEOs of their own change initiatives within the company. This approach simultaneously decentralizes the organization and empowers team members, creating powerful motivation to contribute discretionary effort. Remember that loyalty is also essential for sustaining high performance. While lifelong employment may no longer be realistic, you can foster meaningful loyalty by treating your team with trust and respect, maintaining consistency in your leadership approach, empowering them to own their jobs, and expressing genuine appreciation for their contributions. As Darren Smith of John Hancock Investments explains, "Study after study has shown that the biggest factor in employee loyalty is appreciation, and if we can get that right, we rarely lose people."

Chapter 6: Boost Productivity Through Technology and Process

In today's digital landscape, mastering technology and optimizing processes has become fundamental to leadership effectiveness. The right approach to these elements can dramatically enhance productivity while eliminating wasteful activities that drain time and energy from high-value work. Microsoft's Chief Security Officer Mike Howard demonstrates this principle through his disciplined approach to email management. Rather than constantly monitoring his inbox, he processes email just three times daily, spending a maximum of ninety minutes on this task. This deliberate limitation prevents email from consuming his day while ensuring he remains responsive to important communications. Similarly, he applies strict criteria to meeting attendance: "I don't take meetings unless I need to make a decision or if my boss is calling for me to be there... If I'm just going to sit there like a bump on a log, I've got better things to do." Howard's approach reflects a sophisticated understanding of how technology and processes can either enhance or undermine productivity. By establishing clear boundaries around digital communication and creating decision rules for time allocation, he maintains focus on activities that deliver the greatest value to his organization. This disciplined approach has allowed him to shift from spending 50 percent of his time on tactical issues to just 15-20 percent, freeing him to concentrate on strategic leadership. To implement similar improvements in your own work, start by triaging your information intake. Use the 6-D Information Management System: Discard, Delegate, Do, Date, Drawer, or Deter. Process email in batches rather than continuously, and establish filters to automatically sort less important messages. Improve your online research skills to find information more efficiently, and adopt speed-reading techniques to process necessary content more quickly. When implementing new technology, carefully evaluate its potential impact before diving in. Will it genuinely enhance productivity, or might it create more work (what Germans call "Schlimmbesserung"—an attempted improvement that makes things worse)? Calculate costs fully, and always include an exit strategy so you can roll back if the technology doesn't deliver the promised benefits. For optimizing processes, focus on eliminating unnecessary complexity. Streamline workflows, apply simple rules to business situations, and include sunset clauses for all projects and initiatives. Monitor your meeting practices carefully—start on time, use a facilitator, limit attendees to only those essential to the discussion, and always clarify decisions and next steps before adjourning. Remember that the ultimate goal isn't implementing technology or processes for their own sake, but rather creating systems that allow you and your team to focus maximum attention on high-value activities. The most effective leaders continuously evaluate how they're spending their time and systematically eliminate, delegate, or optimize lower-value tasks.

Chapter 7: Maintain Balance for Sustainable Leadership Success

Sustainable leadership success requires maintaining personal balance—a truth that becomes increasingly evident as careers progress. Despite the common glorification of overwork, truly effective leaders recognize that their long-term value depends on sustaining physical and mental health alongside professional achievement. Darren Smith of John Hancock Investments offers a powerful perspective on this challenge. After struggling with workaholic tendencies earlier in his career, he developed a more sustainable approach: "First, by clearly prioritizing the elements of my life that are most important and seeking to balance them on an overall basis. Also by realizing that business, and life, are not marathons, but instead are a series of sprints." This insight allows him to "summon the physical, emotional, and intellectual energy necessary to sprint with full energy and exertion when necessary" because he knows "that pace is temporary, and the effort necessary for this level of execution will not always be required." Smith's metaphor of business as a series of sprints rather than a marathon provides a refreshing alternative to the burnout-inducing pace many leaders attempt to maintain. By recognizing the natural rhythm of intense effort followed by recovery, he's able to sustain high performance over the long term without sacrificing his health or personal relationships. To implement this balanced approach in your own leadership practice, start by prioritizing your physical health. Mike Howard of Microsoft invests "the first hour of my day in exercise" because "a healthy body equates also to a healthy mind. It gives you the endurance to deal with stress better and to manage the day better." Ensure you're getting adequate sleep (typically 7-9 hours for adults), maintaining proper nutrition, staying hydrated, and engaging in regular physical activity. Mental acuity deserves equal attention. Practice focused concentration in 45-minute sessions to enter what some call "the zone" of peak mental performance. Consider activities that stretch your cognitive abilities, such as learning a new language or taking acting classes to improve your improvisational thinking. Most importantly, maintain meaningful relationships with family and friends who can provide perspective and emotional support outside the workplace. Set firm boundaries between work and personal time. Disconnect from technology during evenings and weekends, be fully present with loved ones, and take your vacation time without apology. If you find yourself overwhelmed, consider a personal retreat—even just 48 hours in a hotel room away from distractions can provide the mental space needed to reorganize priorities and regain perspective. Remember that maintaining balance isn't selfish—it's essential for sustainable leadership effectiveness. When you model healthy boundaries and self-care, you give implicit permission for your team to do the same, creating a culture where sustainable high performance replaces the burnout cycle that undermines long-term success.

Summary

The journey to effective leadership ultimately centers on mastering the intersection of effectiveness and efficiency—doing the right things right. Throughout this exploration of strategic thinking, team development, and tactical execution, we've seen how leaders like Darren Smith, Mike Howard, and Brenda Knowles have applied these principles to create sustainable success. As Peter Drucker wisely observed, "There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." This fundamental truth reminds us that our focus must remain on activities that truly matter. Your path forward begins with a simple yet powerful step: conduct the 3T Leadership Assessment to identify your current strengths and opportunities for growth. Then select one practice to implement immediately—whether clarifying strategic alignment, fostering innovation, improving communication, building team cohesion, or enhancing your personal effectiveness. Remember that leadership development isn't a destination but a continuous journey of refinement and growth. By consistently applying these principles across the domains of Strategic Thinking, Team Focus, and Tactical Work, you'll develop the agility and insight needed to lead effectively in today's dynamic business environment.

About Author

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Laura Stack

Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, CPAE, is best known by her moniker “The Productivity Pro®.” Stack is an award-winning keynote speaker, bestselling author, and noted authority on sales, leadership, and team productivity. She is the President & CEO of The Productivity Pro, Inc., a boutique consulting firm helping leaders increase workplace performance in high-stress environments. For over 30 years, Laura Stack’s keynote speeches and seminars have helped associations and Fortune 1000 corporations improve output, increase speed in execution, and save time in the office. She is a high-energy, high-content speaker, who educates, entertains, and motivates professionals to deliver bottom-line results. Stack is a member of the prestigious CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, which has fewer than 200 members worldwide). She has earned the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speakers Association, of which she was its president in 2011-2012.Laura Stack is the bestselling author of nine books published by Random House, Wiley, and Berrett-Koehler, including her newest, The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana: Johnny Stack’s Life and Death Story (Freiling, July 2021). Her books have been published in more than 20 foreign editions, and she is a featured columnist for the American Business Journal, LinkedIn, Time Management, and Productive magazines. Stack has produced more than 50 online productivity training programs.Laura Stack has been featured nationally on the CBS Early Show, CNN, NPR, Bloomberg, the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and Forbes magazine. Stack has been a spokesperson for Fellowes, Microsoft, 3M, Skillsoft, Office Depot, Day-Timer, and Xerox. Her client list includes top Fortune 500 companies, including Starbucks, Wal-Mart, Aramark, Bank of America, GM, Wells Fargo, and Time Warner, plus government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Air Force Academy, the Census Bureau, the U.S. Senate, and the Department of Defense.

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