About this time of year I think we all realize we're in a marathon, not a sprint. That we need to act with purpose and intention, and with the understanding that we were not going to be able to keep the pedal to the metal indefinitely.
Which means that one of the biggest challenges leaders face is figuring out the right pace for their organizations.
Specifically, the challenge of setting a pace that will allow you to build momentum and achieve success without burning out your team and/or falling short of your goals.
Finding the right pace (as with most organizational challenges) begins by revisiting your organization's objectives and strategy — and the ideal time to do it is right now, as we head into June.
With a full six months of data under your organization's belt, pull out your goals, strategies and metrics and step back and evaluate that information in service of determining what pivots your organization may need to make going into the final six months of the year.
To be precise, examine where your organization has gained momentum toward set goals, and where your metrics show that change might be needed.
As you look at each goal, think about the pace you would need to set to fully achieve it by the end of the year, and then ask the hard question: Does our organization have the capacity to work at that pace?
If it does, great! Keep going. But if capacity can't be created without burning out your team, or built in some other way to attain the pace required, recognize that your organization will likely fall short. To avoid that, you need to rework goals and metrics.
This means letting go of that optimistic "we can do it!" mentality that often arises simply from the passion you and your team have for the work you're doing. This type of optimism, while wonderful in many ways, may not be doing you, your team or your organization any favors. It creates the false confidence that often results in failure.
Instead, allow yourself to set reasonable goals that your organization can meet and may even be able to surpass.
Here's why it matters:
Reasonable goals allow you to set a reasonable pace, and a reasonable pace delivers rewards many leaders aren't aware of or mistakenly undervalue. For example, a reasonable pace allows teams to feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. It also motivates them to work harder but in shorter bursts which (as agile approaches have taught us) increase innovation and productivity while minimizing risk of failure.
Additionally, setting a reasonable pace can be an effective way to position your organization for the future. It will not only create a history of wins your team will be inspired to build on, but also make your organization more attractive to future stakeholders such as board members, strategic partners, investors, donors, top talent and even (pending your desires) a buyer.
Moving Your Organization Forward Faster As A Team
You can't create success without the support of your team, so they need to feel ownership of their work and of the goals of the organization.
So, examining where your organization is at the six-month mark of the year, and making changes to drive reasonable goals and pace (if needed) is also an opportunity to engage your team more deeply in your organization's vision and objectives — as well as help your team see how their priorities connect to those of the organization.
In short, a team needs to feel like a cohesive engine driving the organization forward, not like a mere cog in wheel.
It helps to think about you and your team as a peloton in bike race. Sometimes you're going to be the one at the front of the pack, taking on the brunt of the wind so others can re-charge. And sometimes you will be at the back, drafting off the efforts of your team.
Taking turns pushing and resting is a proven approach to increasing pace without burning anyone out. It's simply the laws of physics — and those happen to hold true even in the workplace.
