Is a lack of urgency killing your business?

This word urgency has swept through the start up world. Many business are trying to follow suit and become more agile.

“Move fast and break things” as Facebook told us.

The question is asked in leadership meetings everywhere,

How do we create a sense of urgency?

Look up the word urgency and the word anxiety is used as a synonym.

For good reason too.

What tends to lead to the question is a sense of anxiety in the leadership.

“I’m panicking that we aren’t moving fast enough but they don’t seem to get it”.

I’ve heard a version of that more times than I can count.

There are two ways to go about it.

The most common one spreads:

Anxiety

Fear

Gossip

Conflict

Stress

Overworking

Constantly being on call

When the boss is on edge everyone is on edge.

People try to make sense of why (gossip).

People predict company risk.

People want to escape the environment (stress).

The boss perhaps exaggerates risk in an attempt to spread urgency.

People work MORE but less effectively.

People start checking emails and slack at all hours. (Increasing stress)

Trying to spread urgency CAN drive a business into the ground.

On the flip side,

It’s also undeniable that when skill and time pressure meet it is possible to move at great speed.

So if trying to spread feelings is the unskilful way to spread urgency, how do you spread it skilfully?

Prioritisation - Each individual in the company must have clarity around what’s most important as well as what they are specifically focused on in their calendar.

Permission - They must have permission to focus on the priorities and down prioritise anything will make meeting the deadlines impossible.

Deadlines - there is nothing wrong with tight deadlines, they do spark creativity. They just need to be agreed and aligned with what’s already happening.

Skilful communication - when asking someone for something, ask them for what you need while also agreeing it’s genuine level of priority and when they can genuinely provide it by as determined by the calendar. The aim is a genuine exchange, rather than people pleasing or suffering in silence. (Common)

Expectation alignment - it’s ok to ask for speed. But permission to make mistakes must be present. Be clear on what quality level you’re looking for.

Create processes that include these 5 key ingredients and you’ll have a recipe for real speed.

Calm, confident and balanced energy is the only thing a leader should be emanating.

Urgency should never be a transferred feeling, it should be a strategy.

Which type of urgency are you spreading?

Want to receive emails like this one straight to your inbox? Sign up for the CXO Secrets Newsletter HERE