Exploring the Say / Do Ratio in Business
When you consistently deliver what you say, it's tough to quit doing work that doesn't matter. Here's a guide to help you eliminate the non-value add tasks.
👋 Hey, it’s Sara. Welcome to my weekly newsletter where I share insights to become more efficient. Each week, there will be a featured article, a glimpse into technology, a throwback to the past, and community conversation.
Read time: 5 minutes
“No individual can achieve worthy goals without accepting accountability for his or her own actions.” — Dan Miller
The concept of the Say / Do Ratio, a principle I learned during my time at GE, stands as a beacon of accountability and reliability. It's simple yet profound …if you commit to something, you own its completion. As a manager, I expect that when I assign work to an employee, it will be acted upon. If issues arise, the employee will reach out with questions or concerns. It is a culture of accountability and in many ways, I appreciate it.
But what happens when tasks veer off course or don't pan out as expected? What if the level of effort has no payback or the work becomes obsolete? This is where the real challenge lies, and where the Say / Do Ratio is truly tested.
I recall a period when I was committed to sending a weekly report, a task that involved about three hours of meticulous data scrubbing and preparation every week. For approximately 1.5 years, this report was a thorn in my routine, until GE launched a simplification initiative. During this period, all tasks were scrutinized to determine their necessity. To my relief, this report was classified as non-essential and shelved, freeing up valuable time. This experience opened my eyes to the practicality of reassessing commitments.
Shelving non-value-added tasks was easy when it was part of a major initiative. However, most of us don’t find ourselves in an environment where pushing back or stopping work is a usual activity. When faced with tasks that aren't progressing as planned, it's crucial to adapt. Here are some strategies that can help:
Set Realistic Expectations Early: If you sense uncertainty, communicate it upfront. It's not about being pessimistic but about being transparent. For example, imagine you're leading a project to implement a new software system. Early on, you realize integration might be more complex than anticipated. Instead of keeping quiet, you inform your team and stakeholders, setting the stage for more flexible timelines and reducing the pressure of unrealistic expectations.
Implement Mini-Deadlines: Regularly assess progress. If a task continues to be uncertain or problematic, it's a sign to reevaluate. Let’s say you're working on a marketing campaign with a three-month deadline. To ensure progress, you set monthly check-ins to evaluate the campaign's development. In the first month, you notice some strategies are not yielding the expected results, allowing you to pivot quickly rather than waiting for the final deadline.
Engage with Stakeholders: Schedule check-ins to discuss progress and challenges. Tailor your communication to their interests and concerns, ensuring transparency and collaboration. After a quick update, I jump into the discussion with the concerns and seek guidance from the stakeholders during the meeting.
Explore Alternative Solutions: If the original plan isn't working, don't hesitate to seek different approaches to achieve the same goal. In general, sharing issues without offering a potential solution should be frowned upon. Before proposing a stop or a pivot with a project or a task, brainstorm other ideas.
Know When to Stop: When a task seems futile, identify a stakeholder likely to support discontinuing the effort. Create an ally with the stakeholder, and then discuss it with the larger group.
Recently, these strategies proved effective during a project to build a prediction model for reliability improvements. Despite the model being built, it required substantial manual effort and offered results like the original estimates. Recognizing this, we decided to discontinue the model. First, we reviewed the challenge with the head of engineering to get support. Then we produced an updated estimate as an alternative. During the review with the remaining stakeholders, we agreed to move forward with the recommendation, rather than spend time continuing the model. This decision, though tough, was a practical application of reassessing our approach and realizing when to stop – a testament to the effectiveness of the strategies outlined above.
The Say / Do Ratio is not just about fulfilling commitments but also about smartly navigating through them, especially when situations change. It's about balancing determination with flexibility and practicality. This approach not only ensures productivity and efficiency but also fosters a work culture of accountability, with adaptability.
Tech Spotlight
When doing research for this section, I “Googled” Top Technology Trends for 2024 and came across this article. Here are the 10 items:
AI for everything - yep
Super-efficient solar cells - happy to see alternative energy on the list
Apple Vision Pro - not sure a product belongs on this list
Weight-loss drugs
Enhanced geothermal systems - yay another alternative energy source
Chiplets - super cool!
The first gene-editing treatment - scary
Exascale computers
Heat pumps
Twitter killers - what?!?!? how is this breakthrough tech?
What do you think? Does this list impress you or does it make you feel like 2024 breakthrough technology is meh?
Throwback Feature
Jack Welch was a force to be reckoned with during his time as CEO of General Electric. Jack was known for shaking things up, challenging conventional wisdom about leadership and management. He was a straight shooter, advocating for openness and honesty in the workplace. I remember when I joined GE - it was an atmosphere charged with energy and ambition. I recall the 4 E’s - edge, energy, energize and execute. The environment was competive and I loved it.
Welch's tenure at GE was marked by bold moves and a relentless pursuit of efficiency. His "rank-and-yank" policy, where employees were annually ranked and the bottom 10% let go, was ruthless. However, it was clear that he believed in a culture of accountability and performance. Under his leadership, GE's value skyrocketed.
Community Conversation
***I encourage people to ask questions in the comments of the newsletter. If I don’t have an answer, I’ll do the research and share what I find.***
If you prefer to ask questions directly, hit me up in the DMs on LinkedIn.
Thank you for being a part of our journey. If you’ve found value in our conversation, please consider sharing this newsletter with others who might benefit and contribute.
Until next time, thank you for your support and curiosity.
— Sara 🙋♀️
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Erie, PA 16415, USA
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