LEADERSHIP (Part 1)

LEADERSHIP (Part 1)
By Tommy Franks

Today, let's look at two important concepts in sound leadership…efficiency and effectiveness.
Leaders/managers must be able to focus on these two essentials. Busy leaders must manage their time and direct it to things that count for success in their organizations and in their personal lives.

In short, leaders/managers should use efficient means to achieve effective results. They do things right, but also do the right things. We must be able to distinguish between the two. This is critical to organizing efforts. Efficiency means doing things right. We use its tools to achieve effectiveness. It disciplines the pursuit of effectiveness, so that the price is not too high. Efficiency emphasizes form and process. It addresses how well we accomplished something, but not necessarily its substance; ie., clearly defined procedures, streamlined operations, timely and accurate information, and well-maintained equipment.

Effectiveness means doing the right things. It stresses substance of the outcome: A worthy cause, challenging objectives that support the mission, our focus on priorities, quality products that customers want/accept.

Efficiency and effectiveness go hand-in-hand. Effectiveness is difficult to achieve without efficient ways of managing. Efficiency is irrelevant unless applied to worthwhile pursuits.
Killing flies with a sledgehammer may be effective, but it’s not very efficient. Timely and accurate reports may indicate efficiency, but if unnecessary, they contribute nothing to
effectiveness. Therefore, effectiveness is paramount! It's senseless to do things right if they're not the right things. Those who pursue efficiency for its own sake betray their own lack of vision and perspective. They live in a world of narrow views and immature solutions… deficiencies that visionary leaders cannot tolerate.

If efficiency becomes an end in itself, it can replace effectiveness as the ultimate goal. The two may become antagonistic rather than complementary. If they conflict, they can tear down the moral fabric of organizations. Lacking a focus on effectiveness, people may work hard, yet achieve little. They'll drift into the so-called activity trap. This occurs when an organization lacks a worthy mission or its leadership fails to clarify goals or demonstrate commitment to achieving them.