May 23, 2024 | By David M. Wagner

Part of my advice last week to conserve energy (not time) – “Do Less” – made a colleague laugh out loud.

It might be surprising advice because it conflicts with a cultural emphasis on doing more.

Getting more done. Having more impact. Providing more services.

Growth is a critical goal for any organization. Which can mean doing more of some things. But just as often, growth requires that you do less – of whatever no longer serves your mission.

Identifying What to Let Go Of

When I took over as supervisor for a team years ago, I discovered a timekeeping practice that was well-intentioned, but also…dubious.

The situation was a common one: the team was simply doing what they had “always” done.

How do you know when an activity or process is no longer essential to your mission – and may even detract from it?

1. Get clear on your vision. Does an activity or process no longer conform to your values or core mission? My team’s timekeeping process conflicted with some core values. Also revisit functions that aren’t contributing to your target outcomes and goals.

2. Assess your current operations. Ask people inside and outside your organization: What’s working? What isn’t? What could we be doing better? You may find that some activities have outworn their usefulness or have room for improvement.

Making the Change

Once you’re clear on what would serve your mission best to stop doing, you may face resistance to putting an end to those functions.

Here are three steps to overcome that resistance and guide your team through change:

1. Communicate your thinking. Make sure everyone understands why it’s important to stop some activities. I explained to my team why the timekeeping approach posed a risk to the organization.

2. Make it a two-way street. Give your team a chance to weigh in on the decision to let go of something, what they could do instead (or how things could be better), and what they’ll need to make the change stick. My team and I discussed their concerns about how a different timekeeping approach might stand in the way of their work.

3. Reinforce the change. Put support in place for staff who will transition to new tasks or to new ways of doing their work. Set clear expectations and reward those who meet them. We made the new timekeeping process easy and flexible so the team could continue doing their work without interruption.

Use your vision to decide what no longer serves your mission. Then partner with your team to craft a plan to stop doing those things (and start doing something better).

A professional facilitator can also assist with all the parts of this process, especially as an objective voice in assessing your current operations. That’s one example of the value I provide through facilitated strategic planning. Set a free consult to discuss how I can help your team get back to focusing on what matters most for your mission.