It’s common to hear “we don’t have enough resources for _____.” You’ve probably said this yourself.
A challenge question: Is there truly a lack of resources, or is that the self-reinforcing narrative?
In case you immediately became defensive: It could be true. You and your organization might lack something essential or helpful.
Critical insight for leaders: We believe the stories we consistently tell ourselves. We too often end our story by repeating that we lack resources. There is another way.
80/20 is fractal; the 20 has its own 80/20, and so on. This leads to what some term the 5/67 principle:
5% of your effort generates 67% of the value
5% of an issue is creating 67% of a problem
Knowing what is in the 5% is the trick, of course, but you must begin by assessing the unequal distributions of input and output. It’s always there.
Many leaders have learned that cutting back effort 5% somewhere is eminently possible, and you can reallocate that effort elsewhere. Note I say “effort” not money. You can reduce effort by stopping some work, reducing scope, shortening time investment, or automating. It may be that this 5% becomes the margin your team needs for long-term health. Or you may decide to pick up new and better work.
Try converting the story that ends with “we don’t have enough” to a story that begins with “where could we recover 5% of our efforts for a better purpose?” This will help you and your team stand out.
