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English is really a funny language. One word here and there and your get contrasting angles to look at. Let’s consider the next statement for just a moment. Doing Things Right Vs Doing the Right Things.Tactical thinkers tend to focus on “doing things right,” and strategic thinkers are concerned with “doing the right things.” If you do something “right,” but it’s the wrong thing to do, your efforts will be futile. Conversely, if you do the “right thing,” but you do it wrong, you’ll also fail miserably. “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before the defeat” – Sun Tzu In order to be a great leader, you should be aware of the right things to do, rather than the procedures and processes. Doing things right basically isn’t the best way to do things because one will be just following a procedure, while as doing the right things generally aims at identifying and modifying efficiency and effectiveness of a company, it generally aims at providing the necessary results of an action taken, if something is wrong, doing the right thing can make wrong doers, wrong things being done or any mischievous acts being carried out in a company to be put forward for better attention. In many cases, doing things right is just another way of taking the easy way out, or focusing on short term goals. And because of this, many employees prefer to do just this, alone. However you’ll find that in doing the right thing means having the great character and confidence to stand for what you believe. In doing this, you will see that you become a more ethical person. We always have a choice to make and the choice we make, defines that are we really doing the right thing !! Efficiency vs effectiveness. These two buzzwords are often used interchangeably, especially in the workplace. But there are some key differences that are important for employees and management to understand. For businesses to be effective and efficient, all team members must first grasp the distinction between these two terms. Can you be efficient without effectiveness? And which is more important — effectiveness or efficiency? We cover all the differences between efficiency vs effectiveness and how you can use both to achieve your team goals. Efficiency versus effectiveness definedAs Peter Drucker put it simply, effectiveness is doing the right things, while efficiency is doing things right. Either requires the assumption that you can define what the right outcome is and what things should be done. Regardless of limited resources, time, or physical energy, an efficient team will always prioritize progress, success, and hitting targets with machine-like dedication. Efficient teams:
On the other hand, effectiveness means understanding that the best outcome is a moving target. Effectiveness requires using foresight to determine where resources should be invested for the best results. Effective teams invest time and energy where their impact will be greatest. Effective teams:
Let’s look at two sales rep teams for a practical example of efficiency vs effectiveness. Team A is an efficient team. They use a standardized script for their calls and work long hours to reach 200 clients a day. Of their calls, 10% lead to a sale. Team B is an effective team. Each sales rep spends more time doing preliminary research about each prospect. They reach 70 clients a day, of which 50% convert into a sale. While Team A uses a streamlined process to reach more prospective clients, Team B has a higher success rate and drives more profit. Efficiency is a productivity metric because it looks at how tasks are executed. Effectiveness is a quality metric because it refers to the quality of the achieved results. Which comes first, effectiveness or efficiency?Both effectiveness and efficiency are necessary for a well-functioning workplace. For a team to become cohesive, neither one of these can be ignored. A team that is highly efficient but lacks effectiveness may spend too much time ensuring deadlines are reached and boxes are ticked. They may do this without prioritizing the right projects. A team that prioritizes effectiveness over efficiency may be focusing on the right tasks. But not at the preferred speed or consistency that an efficient team would. That being said, before a team can become more efficient, it needs to identify what needs to be done. Only then can they optimize their work and do it efficiently. Being efficient and getting a lot of things done doesn't necessarily mean increased productivity because you could be doing the wrong tasks. In this sense, becoming effective should be the focus before efficiency. But, the ultimate goal is for a team to become efficiently effective, which means doing the right things well.
What are efficiency and effectiveness in management?Leaders carry a lot of responsibility for the outcome of their team’s work. If efficiency is doing things right and effectiveness is doing the right things, then a great leader would know how to do the right things the right way. Here are some qualities of effective vs efficient leaders. Effective leaders
Efficient leaders
How to increase the effectiveness of your teamsIf you lead a team that thrives on efficiency but struggles to adapt to change, you can make the necessary changes. Take a look at these pointers for increased effectiveness.
How to increase the efficiency of your teamsThere are many reasons why efficiency is important. It keeps workflow moving, helps us meet deadlines, and ensures that no energy is wasted. Teams that focus more on effectiveness than efficiency may struggle to meet these productivity standards. If that sounds familiar, take a look at these tips on how to increase efficiency.
An effective time management technique to do this is the Pomodoro Technique. This method uses time blocking to increase focus on your prioritized tasks.
Integrating efficiency and effectiveness togetherThe most productive teams harness both efficiency and effectiveness in their pursuit of success. Here are some tips for finding that ideal balance. 1. Ask for input from all team membersIn order to become a balanced and cohesive team, everyone’s input is necessary. You can increase your team’s efficiency and effectiveness by providing regular spaces for collaboration and feedback. This contributes to a collective understanding of what needs doing and why. 2. Align individual and company goalsEmployees that simply focus on a company’s goals can become short-sighted. As can an organization that doesn’t acknowledge the impact its objectives have on individual employees. By aligning individuals' professional goals and company goals, these separate entities can begin working together rather. Each team member should have a clear understanding of how their contributions affect the organization. This way, they can tackle projects with more discipline and with a greater sense of belonging. 3. Identify areas for improvementRegularly assessing your team’s productivity can provide valuable insight. A great way to do this is with a SWOT analysis, which highlights opportunities for improvement. Based on your analysis, you can create a strategic plan for ways to optimize your team’s workflow. Understand efficiency versus effectiveness for successWhen it comes to efficiency vs effectiveness, both are needed for a team to truly thrive. With open communication, frequent assessment, and the pursuit of progress, any team can find that sweet spot between being efficient and effective. If you are looking for ways to increase your team’s efficiency and effectiveness, request a demo from BetterUp. We can help you develop the skills and find the right approach to build a productive, happy team.
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