When you’re running a business, there’s just about nothing worse than getting to the end of your workday and thinking, “I didn’t accomplish what I wanted today.” It seems like a day has been wasted.
Just about any successful business owner or executive fights against this happening. They know that they must move with a certain pace and purpose in order to compete and win in today’s fast-moving world of business.
They have a sense of urgency.
As the rate of change in business continues to multiply, urgency has become mandatory for success. The faster the world changes and the more quickly your industry moves, the more you need to meet that tempo on a day in, day out basis.
Importantly, executives must impart a sense of urgency to employees. Long ago, the boss could get away with issuing ultimatums to keep things moving briskly, but those days are largely gone. Research shows that employees—especially millennials—want to find a sense of purpose in their work. More and more, they’re driven by intrinsic motivation, so that sense of urgency is more likely to come from the purpose of the company. This places increased emphasis on your hiring process—it’s important to find people that share the company’s values and mission.
It’s important to note that there’s a difference between “urgency” and simply “moving really fast.” Having a sense of urgency certainly implies speed, but it also brings with it a sense of purpose and a focus on what matters most. Too often, people mistake being frantic with being productive; having focus on clear objectives is necessary in order to turn that feeling of needing to get things done into action that helps to move the company forward. As the Navy Seals say, “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”
For a business to remain successful, it’s vitally important to impart this sense of urgency to your team. It’s easy for them to wile away their days in meetings, talking meaningfully about important matters, but never actually taking any action. Consider that a recent study stated that workers spend 37 percent of their time in meetings; if those meetings don’t turn to action in a reasonable period of time, your company may find itself falling behind.
When a business has a sense of urgency, it quickly becomes apparent. There’s vibrancy to every meeting and interaction. Team members hold higher expectations for each other. And the business continues to move forward.
Contact us at 215.441.4600 or Email if you have questions or would like to discuss how this topic may impact your business.
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