As an operator, one thing I've found massively helpful in my output is having a bias towards action.
But what exactly is BTA? And how do you cultivate it? π€
I've written an article on exactly this. π
Bias towards action contains four steps:
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STEP ONE
Are *you* the one that needs to do the action?
For every request you say yes to, you're saying no to something else. Is that trade-off worth it?
Below are two questions you can ask yourself if you're a manager or IC:
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STEP TWO
π Is this the best thing you can do with your time *right now?*
Look at your company's goals, areas of responsibility, or action tracker for helpful hints when evaluating.
Here's a breakdown of what your role might be if you're a manager or IC:
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STEP THREE
π How can I make this action happen in the *next 30 minutes?*
IMO, this is where the real magic happens.
30 min might seem like a jarringly small amt of time, but all of a sudden one day now seems like a luxury.
This post-it is how I remember to ask myself:
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With that question, I can now encourage my team to:
-declare what they're going to do instead of asking for permission
-actively solicit feedback
-act on their declaration
...rather than waiting for me to say yes or no. With 30 mins, there is no time to wait.
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STEP FOUR
π What can I accomplish before someone *assigns* me an action?
With this, you & your team will not wait for someone to *tell* you what to do.
You will evaluate company goals, declare what needs to be done, and go do it.
That is a true bias towards action.
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In summary:
1. Are *you* the one that needs to do the action? 2. Is it worthy to do *right this second*? 3. If yes, how can you do the action in the next 30 mins? 4. What can you do *before* anyone asks you to do it?
As a coach, ops people and CoSes ask me all the time: "Regina, how do I get my CEO or leader to trust me more? How can I build that relationship better?"
There is one principle to embrace, and it's stupidly simple.
Be the person that manages up.
More on how to do it:
CEOs are constantly stressed. They have endless 1-1s, meetings, memos, and decks - the list is endless.
Don't create more work for them. Create leverage for them.
If you can anticipate what your CEO needs, they'll see you as a tall, refreshing glass of water in a dry desert.
Surprisingly, one of the easiest ways to do this is by embracing this ethos in your 1-1s with them.
Make your 1-1 the most insanely useful 60 minutes they spend in any given week.
Instead of expecting managers to prepare for your 1-1s, here's how to do it yourself: