Behind the walls of corporate America, the workforce clocks thousands of hours executing workstreams and bodies of work to deliver against common goals. Through a defined approach or model, knowledge workers ideate, plan, and execute steps formulated by management to drive the pillars of work. However, understanding what needs to be done is not always clear, and obstacles or roadblocks can hinder efficiency when teams are unable to move quickly due to these challenges.
While there are multiple reasons why teams schedule meeting after meeting to gain clarity and move forward, there’s often a gap in identifying the root cause of delayed output. The Work Resolution Report published by Zapier identifies these findings:
- Knowledge workers say they typically spend 5.8 hours, on average, doing meaningful work each workday and 3.8 hours, on average, doing busy work each workday.
- This suggests that, on average, knowledge workers are working 9.6 hours a day.
- Despite this, knowledge workers feel it takes them 6.9 hours, on average, to effectively do their job in a typical workday based on how productive they are at work.
leveraging the four disciplines of execution (4DX)
Clayton Christensen’s Four Disciplines of Execution (4DX) provides a robust framework that executive assistants [EAs] can use to empower their teams, driving the adoption of new approaches and capability design. By incorporating heuristics into this framework, EAs can facilitate a seamless transition to a modernized workforce.
1. focus on the wildly important
To adopt a new approach and capability design, it’s crucial to identify and focus on the most important goals. These are the “Wildly Important Goals” (WIGs) that will have the greatest impact on the organization.
Action Steps for Executive Assistants:
- Identify key areas where AI and heuristics can streamline workflows and improve productivity. Refer to this Zapier report on the “State of Business Automation” to gain insights into where to start.
- Prioritize tasks and projects that align with these goals, ensuring that the team remains focused on high-impact activities. Check out this resource by Asana that provides a guide on how to prioritize better using the Eisenhower matrix.
2. act on lead measures
Lead measures are the actions that directly influence the achievement of WIGs. Unlike lag measures, which track the outcomes, lead measures focus on actionable steps that drive results.
Action Steps for Executive Assistants:
- Implement AI tools and platforms like Perplexity to automate routine tasks and gather insights. Read the article by Forbes, “How Perplexity.ai is Pioneering the Future of Search.”
- Develop simple heuristics for decision-making to help team members quickly identify the best course of action in various scenarios. Learn how to train your mind for quicker decisions by reading Verywell Mind’s article on the use of heuristics.
- Train the team to use these tools and heuristics effectively, ensuring they understand how to leverage them to achieve their goals.
3. keep a compelling scoreboard
A visible scoreboard keeps the team engaged and motivated by showing progress toward the WIGs. It should be simple, accessible, and updated regularly.
Action Steps for Executive Assistants:
- Create dashboards that track the progress of key initiatives and ensure the design is understandable and accessible. Learn more about dashboards in this McKinsey article, “Made to Measure.”
- Encourage the team to contribute to and review the reports regularly, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability. Check out our post on navigating complexities to help steer your strategic partnership forward while also bringing the workforce along.
4. create a cadence of accountability
Regular check-ins and reviews help maintain focus and drive continuous improvement. These meetings should be used to review progress, address challenges, and adjust strategies as needed.
Action Steps for Executive Assistants:
- Make the most of regular team meetings to review progress on WIGs and lead measures. Check out our post on effective meetings.
- Foster an environment of open communication, where team members feel comfortable discussing challenges and brainstorming solutions. Check out our post on what sparks that fire in you.
adopting a task-oriented approach to reduce technostress
Traditional methods of communication, such as constant emails and chat messages, often lead to inefficiencies and cognitive overload. Adopting a task-oriented approach addresses these challenges by providing clear, actionable tasks that streamline processes and allow executives to focus on high-value activities. Technostress and burnout in corporate America are accelerating because the lure of checking emails 24/7 and being active on social media channels has become a significant distraction. This article by CNN on the right to disconnect laws addresses the trending term technostress. A number of countries are starting to pass laws, with France being the first to pass the right to disconnect law and Italy, Belgium, Argentina, Canada introducing similar laws. This Forbes article mentions that while the United States does not have federal laws prohibiting employers from contacting employees after work hours, some efforts are underway in certain regions. For instance a bill is being debated in New York City to make it illegal to force employees to answer work communications outside of work hours. This insightful abstract outlines how Volkswagen and BMW in Germany banned after-hours work communication: company phone service turned off at the end of the day and was not reactivated until the following morning—emails sent after official work hours were put on hold or deleted.
Taking the above into consideration, exploring new ways of working and introducing new methods will prepare organizations for the future, ensuring they remain competitive and resilient in the face of ongoing technological advancements. Digital transformation will continue to evolve and digital adoption platforms will bolster the end-use experience by tailoring the learning experience by job family or role. Take a look at this case study on how Zoey powered a new approach and discover ways to inspire your workforce to join the journey. Start disrupting the busyness in your life today!
