Too often emails are sent with the word urgent in the title. Frankly, I’ve found the matter in the email rarely is actually urgent and I firmly believe this term is quite overused in the workplace lexicon. As a leader in the middle (LIM), my time is limited, so I tend to ask, “but is it actually urgent though?”. Do I need to hang up on this long-time client, whose multimillion-dollar order did not arrive on time to ‘urgently’ give my take on our menu for the company workshop three months from now? Hmmm…is that really urgent though? *Rubs temple* This week we’re all about finding out how LIMs, like us, can fail at performing important tasks by focusing on ‘urgent’ issues to only create urgent consequences further down the road.
Urgent vs Important: What’s the Difference?
Look, it’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s another deferrable email with the word urgent in all caps! To avoid any mistakes, let’s start by defining both words. In my book, Serve Up, Coach Down, I use the following definitions to explain each term:
- Important tasks are proactive activities we need to do in order to develop our business, our people, and ourselves. They are almost always designed to lead to positive results and getting better at what we do.
- Urgent tasks are usually the result of things that are happening to us or our teams as a result of problems or requests, and thus, reactive. Not all urgent tasks are negative—some are immediate opportunities that are great—but even those can become negative when they get in the way of what is really important.
So, in this case, all things are not created equal. While there are often cases where important and urgent tasks do intersect, it is often rare. Following the rules of the Eisenhower Matrix, important tasks have long-term consequences on your business and your business relationships. However, as a LIM, you can often delay urgent tasks for the interim or delegate them to a competent employee. These are the instances that make perfect coaching moments.
I’m not going to spend too much time on the Eisenhower Matrix today, there are a lot of very helpful videos on the web that do deep dives on this useful tool. However, I’ve shared a personal favorite template that I’ve sourced from medium.com for you to use as a reference.
Urgent vs Important: What are the Actual Consequences?
I’m sure you’re often tempted to tackle those ‘urgent’ and quickly resolved tasks on your very, very long to-do list. It’s an easy victory and provides that dopamine hit that gives you temporary euphoria.
“The consequences of not doing the urgent tasks are often not as devastating in the long term as important ones, but the pain is more pronounced and immediate. Humans prefer comfort over pain, so leaders in the middle tend to focus on those urgent tasks, no matter how small.”
As a leader, focusing on these small wins can often distract you from managing more dire situations that require your knowledge and experience.
“The consequences of not doing important tasks are devastating but rarely result in any immediate short-term pain. The damage may not be felt for weeks, months, even years. The work they require takes time to take effect so leaders in the middle put them off.”
Afterall, this is why you’ve been given or have taken on the leadership mantle; you and others, believe that your skills make you capable of coaching your team to victory and handling tough situations. With such weighted pressure, you have to make the time to perform important tasks. There is no one else to capable of filling your shoes; people are looking to you for answers. Essentially, you are your own white knight.
Final Thoughts
As a leader, you will always be called on for your input. It is up to you to make the right choice and focus on the important tasks. Delegate, coach, and trust that your team is capable of handling the smaller and more urgent tasks.
Hey, down here! Did you know that my family and I recently opened our very own retreat? The Retreat Ranch is the perfect place for you to escape from the pressures of being a leader in the middle. Come, bring your favorite book and unwind with us.
Visit our website, theretreatranch.com, for more details.
