Some people do something that sounds counter-intuitive. They sometimes do their best work by following the work easy approach rather than just the work hard approach.
Such people focus on the activities where they feel at ease and yet able to excel. They then focus on effectiveness – such as following strategies that work – and do their best to deliver excellence.
Different people do this in different ways. Whatever route they take, however, they may pursue the following themes.
Ease
Some people focus on the specific activities where they are in their element. They feel at ease yet are able to excel. Let’s look at some examples.
A footballer may play better in one position rather than in another. They seem more in control, have more time on the ball and see the whole field. They are then able to make their best contribution to the team.
A crisis manager may be better at managing some challenging situations than others. They are able to scan the situation, explore the possible ways forward and pursue the strategy most likely to achieve success.
A counsellor may be more able to help certain kinds of people than others. They are able to empathise, clarify the person’s goals and help them to achieve their aims.
Let’s return to your own work. If you wish, try exploring the following questions.
What are the activities where you feel at ease and able to excel? Who are the kinds of people with whom you feel at ease working? What are the kinds of projects that you find stimulating where you can deliver success?
Imagine that you have explored these themes. If appropriate, you can then aim to do following things:
To clarify the specific activity where you feel at ease and able to do excellent work;
To translate this into doing a specific project where you feel at ease and able to do excellent work;
To clarify the real results you want to achieve and translate this into a clear picture of success.
Effectiveness
Great workers believe in doing work that is effective. When doing a particular project or tackling a challenge, they focus on what works. Some may also aim to do work that encourages people. They aim to build on their strengths, follow strategies that work and deliver success.
They may work as a teacher, medical worker, sports coach or crisis manager. They may work as a scientist, specialist, leader, trusted advisor or in another professional role.
They may aim to create beautiful things, write inspiring articles or raise money for charity. They may run a social enterprise, improve people’s quality of life, pass on practical knowledge or do another activity.
Imagine that you are focusing on doing a specific piece of work and want to be effective. One approach is to start by exploring the following themes.
Effectiveness
Imagine that you are doing work where you feel at ease and are following effective strategies that work. You may then aim to maintain high professional standards and deliver excellence.
There are many models for delivering the goods. The following section looks at some of these approaches.
The Personal Best Approach
Great workers aim to become the best they can be. David Hemery, an Olympic Gold Medal winner, described the importance of athletes taking this approach in his 1991 book Sporting Excellence. Here is the official description of the book.
In his survey of over 50 world-class performers, David Hemery examines the common factors which separate the highest performers from the rest of the competition.
He asks over 80 questions covering subjects such as childhood, upbringing, parental guidance, coaching, personal relationships, destiny, stress and the influences of the mind.
Over the course of the study covering the performers’ physical, social, mental and moral development, various patterns emerged and these are illustrated with direct quotes taken from interviews given by the performers.
David aimed to spread this approach with his work in education, sports and business. His work includes creating a programme for schools which encourages young people to do their personal best.
The Effortless Effort Approach
Some people do work where they feel in their element – at ease and yet able to excel – and follow strategies that work. They move into action and are fully present.
Such people then aim to follow the Taoist principle of effortless effort that embodies the concept of wu wei. Here is one description from The School Of Life website.
Wu wei is a paradox. It means being at peace while engaged in the most frenetic of tasks so that one can carry these out with maximum skill and efficiency.
Something of the meaning of wu wei is captured when we are at one with what we are doing. This is likened to a state of profound concentration, flow or being in the zone.
The Enlightenment, Execution
And Excellence Approach
There are many models for doing fine work. One approach is to go through the stages of enlightenment, enterprise and excellence.
People have many epiphanies but they may only pursue a few. This can call for translating their insights into action. They can then keep working until they achieve excellence.
Andre Agassi, the former tennis player, described how many people have epiphanies but the key is to make use of these breakthroughs. He described this in the following way.
“Epiphanies don’t change your life. It’s what you do with them that changes your life.”
Great workers sometimes follow this approach. They translate their epiphany into action and aim to deliver their picture of success.
There are many ways to do fine work. Some people follow the work easy approach rather than just the work hard approach.
They focus on the specific activities where they feel at ease and able to excel. They then aim to follow effective strategies that work and deliver excellence.
Let’s return to your own work. Looking ahead, can you think of a specific activity where you may want to follow elements of this approach? How can you do this in your own way?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Leave a Reply