What does it cost you to be efficient? Well, certainly it doesn’t cost you anything, right? Efficiency SAVES money, all business owners know that. But efficiency is also a favorite procrastination excuse for many people.
And procrastination usually LOSES money, and will grind your business to a halt (if it ever gets started in the first place). This is why the question of effectiveness vs. efficiency is so important.
Some people spend time making plans and writing procedures. They want to make sure they know exactly what they’re doing BEFORE they get started. They want everything to be efficient right from the beginning. So they analyze. They graph. They outline. They rewrite. They tweak.
They do everything but get started.
Because they want it to be perfect when they finally do get started.
In the contest of effectiveness vs. efficiency, they want everything to be efficient. Smooth. Perfect.
So they keep planning.
It’s a great ideal to shoot for. Imagine if you could start a business or project and have it run at perfect efficiency right from the start. No wasted money, no lost time. You would have an incredible advantage for success.
But there are several problems with this approach.
- You can never know for certain how something will turn out. Are all the plans you’ve made REALLY going to turn out as expected? Some planning is necessary, but what happens if your plans are not as efficient as you thought?
- Trying to be perfectly efficient right from the start is often a sign that some fear is blocking you. Think about WHY you want to be efficient. Is it so you won’t anger your customers or prospects? Is it so you won’t lose money? Is it because you’re afraid people will think you’re stupid if things aren’t perfect? Look carefully, there is something that you are afraid of. Then ask yourself if that fear is really something that should prevent you from getting started right away.
- Efficiency is a PROCESS. It is not something that simply ends. You don’t write sales copy, throw it up on a web page, and assume it will work brilliantly. You don’t put a procedure in place, follow it exactly and call it done. Things change. Technology changes. People change. New opportunities will demand more of your time. What was efficient yesterday may not be so efficient today. You may discover ways to become more efficient that you didn’t recognize before.
There is absolutely no reason to start with efficiency. In fact, it is the most INEFFICIENT way to start!
The question of effectiveness vs. efficiency really comes down to timing. You must be EFFECTIVE FIRST.
Effective means that you are getting the job done. One way or another. Efficiency can come later.
Make your initial plans relatively quickly. Do your due diligence, but then begin the work immediately. Then pay attention to what is happening as you work. Track data so that you can identify areas for improvement. Write down your processes so you can analyze them.
Efficiency doesn’t come from theories or from what you THINK will work. It doesn’t come from planning alone. It comes from FEEDBACK. And you won’t have any feedback if you’re not doing any work!
Make no mistake, efficiency is important. In my next article, I’m going to give you some simple tips for how to become more efficient.
But remember, you have to get started FIRST!
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So what are you doing today? Are you getting things done, or are you still planning the perfect mouse trap? Leave a comment and let me know!
Jason…I think this is so right on! There is a book called “Ready, Fire, Aim” by Michael Masterson. He talks about similar things in that our tendency is to prepare ourselves into poverty. We get the office set up, get the business cards done, put our systems into place and so on and so forth before we actually ever have a business.
Thanks for your insight…I will definitely retweet this.
Bruce Backman´s last blog .. I Don’t Want Your HealthCare…
Bruce, when I started my first business that is exactly what I did. I had no business, but I had great looking business cards! At least I can laugh about it now.
Thanks for the book recommendation, I’m going to have to check that one out.
Thank you very much. I appreciate that your asking with brutal honesty. I always tell people that bad action is better than no action. Also as you pointed out, “Efficiency is a PROCESS”. Everything you do in life is a decision of whether to do something the way you’ve did before, the way you’ve learned from someone else, or even unconscious decisions based on physiological reasoning.
Great post Jason.
Chris Kilber´s last blog .. Can Your Marketing Have a MVP Season?
I completely agree, Jason! Being effective should definitely take priority over being efficient. When we go about things efficiently, we tend to miss some of the more important steps required to become effective.
Bruce – I’ll have to add that book to my reading list, too! Thx for sharing that!
Heather
Heather Taskovics´s last blog .. So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur! (Part 1: Figuring Out What You Want To Do)
Hey Jason! Great post. I find myself falling into the “efficiency” category too many times!!! I think a lot of people do…this was great inspiration! You are right — efficiency can come later!
Sheri´s last blog .. What Are You Doing To Be Of Service Today? Will You Be a “Johnny”?
Jason, so funny I could’ve swore you were talking to me and me alone, I’ve been doing exactly that, I have second guessed even if I have a valid niche, but I’m just now getting it. Thanks for making me realize I’m in the right place! GREAT POST!!
Jason:
Your post makes a ton of sense to me. The horse will not stand a chance of winning the race if he doesn’t leave the gate. You must start and then trim the fat along the way. Most people are afraid to start because they don’t wan to make any costly mistakes, however that’s then name of the game. You will make mistakes along the way as long as you learn from them and they are not too costly you will eventually have a successful business…..because you got it started.
RJ Briscoe´s last blog .. YOU CAN’T HAVE SUCCESS AND A “FREE RIDE” YOU MUST CHOOSE…
This is really something to think about. I think the fear of failure keeps people in the efficiency column rather than the effectiveness column. I can honestly say that I made several mistakes when I first started down the path of becoming an entrepreneur. There is always going to be so much to learn, and the best way to do that is to simply do it!
From Kellie Stewart´s blog… Thought For The Day: Courageous or Cowardice
Jason…this is a great post. I was intrigued by the title of the post and was in for a great surprise as I read on. I love this line towards the end “But remember, you have to get started FIRST!” So many don’t even get started.
< Aaron Wyssmann
From Aaron Wyssmann´s blog… Killer Business Coaching Contest
Jason, I could really learn something new from you everyday. Great content on this entire site. This post was just what I needed to read today. I think at one point we’ve all been accused of being efficient in procrastinating.
[...] control of their businesses and lives, and to create the lifestyle they’ve always wanted. Effectiveness vs. efficiency is one area that can hold people back or propel them forward. You can learn more strategies about [...]
[...] control of their businesses and lives, and to create the lifestyle they’ve always wanted. Effectiveness vs. efficiency is one area that can hold people back or propel them forward. You can learn more strategies about [...]
Jason,
What a great post! I think what resonated the most with me is that the need to make things perfect is coming from some type of fear. Thank you for sharing your insights! This is definitely going to help a lot of people who are just getting started!
From Melissa´s blog… Getting started on the journey…
wow. brilliant/efficient post