I know what's slowing you down

I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I really didn’t. But I just couldn’t help myself.

On a recent camper trip, Nicole and I found ourselves across the path from a pair of couples with tents.

On the morning of their departure it was fascinating to watch both couples go about dismantling their tents to pack everything into a pair of Jeep Wranglers.

One couple was orderly and rehearsed. They had what appeared to be a checklist and were methodically working together – and in parallel – to pack up for the next stage of their adventure. It was evident, as I eavesdropped, that they had done this before. They seemed to have complete clarity about what they were trying to accomplish and how to best accomplish it.

The other couple was a bit more haphazard. Not fully chaotic, but they were negotiating every step of the process as though it were new to them. There was more tension in their verbal exchanges and they found themselves packing, unpacking, and repacking when things didn’t fit as they hoped.

Their lack of clarity and iffy communication was making it more difficult for them to move quickly and efficiently.

The orderly couple finished roughly the same task set much faster and with markedly less frustration.

(Side note: Nicole and I have been both couples along the way.)

This campsite vignette highlights an important difference between regular teams and Impossibly Effective teams.

Impossibly Effective teams have incredible clarity about what they are here to do and how they need to do it. And every time they do the thing they do, they learn how to do it better. 

Everyone knows their role and they have established processes and protocols that ensure there is no room for confusion, and no need for frustration.

Both kinds of teams get the job done, but Impossibly Effective teams do so faster and happier.

OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION: Ask your people, “what is the most important work on your plate this week?” Follow it up with, “How do you know?” to learn what they see as their destination and how they prioritize their work to get there. The tone is curious, not challenging.

My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results—without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets