Five Practical Ways to Turn Small Moves into Big Wins
Let’s be honest: sometimes our brains are the biggest roadblocks to getting things done. Burnout can leave us staring blankly at our screens, wondering if coffee is the solution or just part of the problem. Anxiety about "fires" has us squinting through a mental fog, and overwhelm means our to-do list looks like a pile of spaghetti—where do you even start? Lack of confidence?
Well, that’s when we start thinking maybe it’s safer to just alphabetize our email inbox instead of tackling anything meaningful. Soon enough, we find ourselves on autopilot, clinging to routines like a security blanket. But, spoiler alert, that’s not exactly what your strategy—or your inner go-getter—needs. It’s like trying to run a marathon with your shoelaces tied together; no wonder progress feels slow!
Fortunately, there’s hope! Even if you feel like you’re trapped in an endless loop of bureaucracy (think: paperwork purgatory), you’ve got more options than you think. Those tiny, seemingly insignificant decisions—like where to focus your attention or whether to eat lunch at your desk or actually take a break—add up over time. Master the art of the small stuff, and suddenly you’re storming the castle, overcoming obstacles, and taking on strategy with the confidence of someone who just found the office coffee machine in working order.
Ready to bring strategy into your daily grind without losing your sense of humor? Here are five ways to sneak it into your everyday practices.
1. Identify the actions that matter (and avoid those that just make you look busy)
Every day is a new opportunity to focus on stuff that actually moves the needle for your strategy. Sure, you might spend some time pretending to understand what “synergy” means, but why not channel your energy into things that make a real difference?
Here's a game plan: First, scribble down your team’s strategy, even if it’s on the back of a napkin (hey, greatness starts somewhere). Second, pick a time window—like the upcoming week or whatever you can realistically remember. Third, jot down the best actions you can take (or get others to take) during those “make-or-break” moments. When you’re crafting your ideal schedule, remember to block off time for these high-impact, strategy-friendly maneuvers:
- Making critical decisions, such as where to focus, how to win, where to deploy resources, and how to incentivize people. Bonus points if you don’t just bribe them with donuts.
- Identifying and interpreting signals from customers and employees, then figuring out how to respond. (Hint: “Reply All” is rarely the answer.)
- Convincing colleagues to think and act in new ways—like anticipating the needs of future customers, or finally switching from Internet Explorer to something from this decade.
- Tackling difficult behaviors that impede progress, such as complacency or overconfidence, and rewarding exemplary behaviors. Because nothing says “good job” like a surprise pizza party.
Next, add in time for being visible with employees and stakeholders as well as for the management tasks you can’t get out of, such as making approvals and attending meetings. Include a buffer for emergencies, and whenever possible, learn to tactfully say no (Or not yet) to anything that could be an unhelpful distraction.
Finally, prioritize important work, not just urgent work.
Use the powerful Eisenhower Matrix popularized by Stephen Covey to map your team’s workload and define a course of action. This framework will help you neutralize an “always-urgent” culture, eliminate time-wasters, and make more space for deep/ strategic work.
Once you’ve captured all of your work in the respective quadrants, use this as your guide:
High Urgency & High Importance: These are your highest priorities. They demand that you act quickly.
Low Urgency & High Importance: These tasks have a much greater impact on helping you achieve your long-term goals. This is the sweet spot – you’re proactive, decreasing the number of pressing problems and making time for meaningful work.
High Urgency & Low Importance: These are everyday distractions – daily fires that suck your team’s focus, energy, and time. Delegate to others or deprioritize – especially when someone else has imposed the urgency.
Low Urgency & Not Important: These tasks shouldn’t be on your team’s to-do list right now. Get rid of them!
This activity is a wake-up call for managers. It provides a clear picture of the actual workload, promoting a conversation about what’s rewarded: Being busy and running from one fire to another, or doing impactful work that matters?
Focusing on what’s important minimizes emergencies, allowing them to be treated with the proper importance before they become a fire.
Pro Tip: If most of your projects fall in quadrant 1 (e.g., High Urgency/ High Importance), try using the Action Priority Matrix. Click here to learn about it.
2. Focus on the most important problem
Zero in on that one problem screaming for your attention—the one that keeps you up at night and probably needs more than just coffee to fix. Ask yourself: if you could fix just one thing and look like a hero, what would it be?
To do this, interrogate reality with questions like:
- What’s the real challenge here for me/us now? (And no, “too many emails” doesn’t count.)
- What is the biggest opportunity we have to address? (Bonus points for seeing problems as opportunities—your therapist would be proud.)
- Why does it matter? In other words, how does solving this help us achieve our strategy, or at least reduce future migraines?
- What do we need to do to address this opportunity? (And can we do it before lunch?)
3. Explore the choices you face (Because Yes, You Actually Have Some!)
Believe it or not, you have more options than just “panic” or “email everyone.” In any situation—be it a meeting, task, or the infamous “quick chat”—consider your choices and how each can make you look like you planned this all along. These choices relate to your:
- Role: What does this moment really call for? Maybe a brilliant idea, a healthy dose of skepticism, or just a well-timed meme. Remember, you’re more than your job title—sometimes you wear several hats, and occasionally, a clown nose.
4. Decide and Commit (Even If It’s Scary)
Now that you’ve weighed your options, it’s time to make a decision. Yes, you’ll have to pick something. Remember, indecision is still a decision—but it usually just leads to more meetings.
5. Celebrate (or At Least Breathe) and Iterate
Bask in the glory of having made a choice, even if it’s a small one. Take a victory lap, grab a donut, and get ready to refine your approach. After all, success is just a series of awkward first drafts.
Click here to download the 7 Rules Strategic Leaders Follow. A one-page guide to help bring a strategic view into your daily workflow.
To your greater success and fulfillment,
Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT
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