Defining Balance: A Leader's Guide to Prioritizing Strategy while Managing Day-to-Day Work

2023 October Roundtable Banner Prioritization

Imagine this scenario:

You're a director at a rapidly growing tech company. You have big dreams of becoming more strategically oriented, but your days are perpetually bogged down in operational tasks. You feel like your superiors are micromanaging you, and the pressure to oversee every detail has trickled down to your team. The result? You prioritize tactical responsibilities over strategic thinking, often burning the midnight oil to find the time for high-level work.

If this situation sounds all too familiar, you're not alone.

In today's fast-paced business environment, the tug-of-war between the day-to-day grind and strategic or knowledge-based responsibilities is a shared struggle among leaders, whether in large multinational corporations or nimble startups. This blog post aims to help you reflect on what you (depending on your level within the organization) can do to break free from this cycle at times, regain your strategic focus, and steer your ship toward success. Whether you're at a large corporation or a nimble startup, the principles discussed here apply universally.

Setting Priorities: A Conscious Act

"Prioritizing is a conscious process that should be connected to the company's strategy" (BCG 2023).

Regardless of your position within the organization, your daily actions should align with your company's strategy and be subject to periodic review. The most critical question you should be asking yourself is: who should be responsible for setting the priorities?

Depending on your organization's structure and stage, your focus might be dictated by:

Investors
Board members
Your immediate supervisor
Current or potential customers
Your own team

While this isn't an exhaustive list, the core principle remains the same: curiosity about how priorities are established is key, and they should always be rooted in the overarching company strategy.

Action Step: Identify Your Key Stakeholders

Begin by identifying the key stakeholders who play a role in determining your daily focus. A time audit, tracking your interactions and tasks, can provide valuable insights into your current reality. You might discover a disconnect between your job description or performance goals and the actual allocation of your time.

Engaging in Difficult Conversations

Once you've gathered data on how your time is being spent and reflected on your organization's prioritization process, it's time to drive change. Even if you're a solopreneur, transitioning from your current operational routine to align with your identified priorities can be challenging. If you operate within an organization, fostering open lines of communication with superiors, peers, and subordinates is crucial. Discuss the challenges of balancing tactical and strategic responsibilities and seek support in aligning your role with the company's vision.

Consider various perspectives and tailor your communication to make your proposed solutions actionable for your unique stakeholders.

Action Step: Communicate Your Insights and Solutions

Use the data on how your time, and possibly your team's time, is spent as the basis for discussing potential improvements. Remember that not everyone may see the prioritization challenges from your perspective, so be prepared to communicate differently with each stakeholder.

Unlocking the Power of Strategic Prioritization

Investing in strategic prioritization has been shown to deliver 40 percent more value to organizations (McKinsey 2012).

Before you begin setting strict boundaries, blocking out your calendar, or implementing a new prioritization strategy, it's crucial to analyze the current situation. The feeling of being unable to prioritize efficiently is often a symptom of more extensive organizational issues. By understanding where your time goes and who influences your time-related decisions, you'll have the data and confidence needed to engage in critical conversations with yourself and others, taking the first steps toward shifting your focus.

Ready to Reclaim Your Strategic Focus?

Join our #PeopleBeforeStrategy Roundtable, a forum where you can connect with fellow leaders, share experiences, and explore solutions. Together, we'll elevate our organizations to new heights. Register for our next roundtable event and embark on your journey toward strategic leadership.