MD-GShD

I spend a lot of time talking about what Simon Sinek calls “leading from the ‘why’.” It’s the piece we often miss. We get lost in the logistical weeds of what we’re trying to do, and we forget to engage our teams in a shared set of goals and values.

Sometimes, though, we err in the other direction. We get enamored with our grand strategies and plans, and we forget that, in the end, we still have to G. Sh. D. (Get Shit Done). I know of at least one healthcare organization that ran into this problem on a yearly basis. They’d spend a huge amount of time and energy coming up with a strategic plan, and then a year later they’d find that very few of their goals had actually been met. 

Logistics can definitely be part of the problem. Those day-to-day nuts and bolts (what, when, and how things get done) can get glossed over in the big overall plan, and come back to bite you when you try to implement it. But often the logistical plan is fine--it just never really gets conveyed to the people who are supposed to carry it out. 

The Why is important. So is the what, when and how. But more important than any of that is the who. As leaders, we don’t make things happen directly. We’re the conductors of the orchestra, the coaches of the ballclub, and the coxswains of the crew. We only make our mark by helping others do their jobs better. The tools of our work aren’t scalpels and stethoscopes, they’re communication, persuasion and inspiration.

We can, and should, formulate good strategies. We can, and should, plan smart logistical tactics. But if we want to make sure that our goals really get met, we have to find a way to empower our teams. After all, they’re the ones who get shit done.