The 7Ps – Prioritise
Glenda @ Mitchell News
Be intentional about what you choose to do. Be intentional about actually doing it.
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The 7Ps – Prioritise
The Art of Doing the Right Things
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*Hot Off The Press*
I am excited to report that my husband Walter & I are about to move into our own home for the first time in over 7 years. We have loved the extensive travelling and the experiences that have come with living for short periods in Canada & Argentina and extended periods in Italy, but are looking forward to putting down roots in Australia again. That said, the idea of being in one place for a prolonged time and having the responsibility of owning property brings with it a new set of challenges that I am yet to deal with – my mountain to climb in this season.
Needless to say, house hunting has taken a lot of time and energy for almost as long as my memory allows, and emotion has been high over the last month. I am very grateful that my interactions with people through speaking engagements, coaching sessions with clients and even the exercise of writing proposals have been keeping me sane. Thanks to those people who have continued to support and engage with me, keeping me balanced – I do love my work!
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*Prioritise – The Art of Doing the Right Things”
Have you ever tried to impress someone with your culinary skills, preparing and cooking a meal in record time using the minimum number of ingredients and making the least amount of mess? Efficient? Yes. Then you realised that you made something they don’t like or worse still, they’re allergic to? Effective? Not so much.
The words effective and efficient are often used interchangeably, but they have some key differences worth noting. Although both words are valuable and generally mean ‘capable of producing a result’ it’s useful to understand the difference and relationship between them.
Efficiency: The Art of Doing Things Right
The word ‘efficient’ is generally used to describe producing a result in the best possible way. When you are working efficiently, you are achieving the maximum levels of productivity for the time and resources contributed.
Efficiency is like that person in school who finished assignments or exams in half the time. Or the cashier that serves a line of customers in a timely fashion. It’s all about doing things quickly, like a well-oiled machine.
But here’s the body blow — being efficient doesn’t always mean you’re doing the right thing. If the answers were incorrect, the lightning-fast student failed the test. It’s like using the most advanced GPS system to get to the wrong destination faster. Or spending all your money investing in a Ferrari to go grocery shopping — overkill and slightly missing the point.
Effectiveness: The Art of Doing the Right Things
Effectiveness could be called the cousin of efficiency. It’s all about doing the right things, even if it takes a bit longer. It’s about knowing where you’re headed and taking action to move there, where you’re not just running fast but also in the right direction. The word ‘effective’ is used when actions have led to the desired result.
Efficiency vs. Effectiveness: The Tug O’ War
Balancing efficiency and effectiveness is like riding a bicycle to work. It requires clarity of purpose to be effective and operational savvy to be efficient. It’s like deciding whether to take a shortcut or the scenic route. Ultimately you do need to know what destination you have in mind so that you choose the right actions that take you in the right direction. Going south to reach a northerly end point is unlikely to get you there. Effectiveness requires knowing where you’re aiming.
Knowing the direction you’re aiming takes us back to the core of the 7Ps – understanding your passion.
Knowing what’s important to you and those around you allows you to make intentional choices about what you choose to do. It enables you to identify and prioritise the right things. Using your passion to prioritise your activities means that you put the best of yourself towards those actions that have the most value and make the greatest contribution to your goals.
Refer to https://mitchell.news/2024/03/08/march-2024-glenda-mitchell-newsletter/
Conclusion: Finding Your Balance
Efficiency means doing more with less (or the same) financial, physical and human resources. It’s about completing tasks in the quickest, most timely, and cost-effective way. It’s maximizing output. Effectiveness is the result that those resources deliver.
Effectiveness is what you accomplish.
Efficiency is how you accomplish it.
When we hit the sweet spot between the two, magic can happen. Both are combined to identify and execute priorities with laser-like focus and careful planning.
The issues arise when efficiency and effectiveness aren’t aligned. The key is to find that sweet spot where you’re not just doing things right, but choosing to do the right things — and hopefully, with a smile on your face.
So, next time you’re about to optimise something to the max, ask yourself: “Am I running efficiently in the wrong direction?”
Because, in the end, it’s not just about the speed; it’s about the journey and the destination.
Stay effective (and efficient) out there!
Do you have examples of efficiency vs effectiveness from your life? Please share them with me.
Look out for the October newsletter to complete the “P” series. Have you missed out on reading about any of the previous “Ps”? You can catch up at Newsletter – Mitchell News
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*Quote of the Month*
“Efficiency is doing the thing right. Effectiveness is doing the right thing.”
Peter Drucker
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*Kicking Out The Bucket List*
For further information or to order the book directly (signed copies available)
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If you would like to discuss anything that you’ve read, I’d love to hear from you!
Glenda
The 7Ps – Park 
The 7Ps – Party #2 
The 7Ps – Party 
The 7Ps – Purge 
The 7Ps – Persevere 
Introducing the 7Ps