Perhaps a poor metaphor given the recent wildfires that have afflicted so much of North America this year but nonetheless something that will resonate with many small to medium-sized organizations. After years of cost-cutting, searching for efficiencies, and now dealing with inflation on top of the fallout from Covid-19; many leaders and their key people are having to fight more and more figurative fires, daily.
All types of organizations are affected, for-profit and not-for-profit alike. Leaders and managers seem to pinball from one hotspot to another barely having time to react much less react in a focused manner. Their carefully planned activities for any given day last only until the first emergency before things unravel leaving everyone stressed, frustrated, and even further behind than when the day started.
I have fought these figurative fires most of my career. I have been fortunate to have some excellent mentors, patient bosses, and co-workers, and have learned from the many mistakes and failures in my career. There is a way to successfully put out your fires, but more importantly, there is a way to get ahead of them, anticipate them, prevent them, and when necessary, react in a way that helps you to accomplish your goals without derailing your plans.
Whether firefighting or managing change, both of which are usually intertwined, the first lesson is to accept you will lose some days. It happens to me; it will happen to you. When it does, do what you can but never forget this truth, and don’t let it frustrate you, try to think in terms of “short, medium, and long terms goals” or targets. Short-term means today or in the next few days. Medium-term, weeks, and months. And long-term months and this year. Keeping your goals within an arc that encompasses your goals will allow you some days that you will fail without jeopardizing your medium and long-term plans.
There is never enough time. Trying to be a leader and/or effective firefighter will mean those extra hours may be necessary sometimes and that not every task will get completed. To get ahead of situations, especially in the beginning, extra time is required. As tasks and problems are encountered, try to focus on systems and process fixes rather than patching and band-aids. While a temporary fix works “today,” revising systems and processes to eliminate the cause is a better use of your resources, including time.
You cannot get ahead of your fires by doing what you have done before. Your thinking and the thinking of your team will have to change. Sometimes this is more difficult in an organization that does some things well than it is in an organization that is failing at all levels. Some people are defensive, very rigid, and resistant to new ideas; however, new, and creative thinking is the only way forward. Regardless of your organization’s place in society, your experience is limited to what you know, have seen, or have done; you need to look beyond, other people have experienced the same or similar situations. See and learn from what they have done; copy, modify, and tailor for your situation. Some situations will require unique and innovative solutions so it is important to learn from the past, but not to be handcuffed by it.
You need help. People create many of our headaches but people are also instrumental in helping us to put resolve these headaches and fires. I have seen leaders and managers try to work excessive hours trying to carry the load all by themselves. I once worked 60-70 hours regularly and even then, I failed to put out all the fires and I very nearly lost everything. Your people are able and want to help, make them part of the solution, they will learn and grow, and you will not have an early heart attack and you will enjoy life.
Connect and collaborate to set ground rules. Your firefighters might be part of a permanent group or ad hoc, regardless there should be some agreed-upon ground rules or team charter. Include in your agreement these basics, who is part of the team, acceptable rules for behavior, making decisions, accountability, when meetings are, and how the work to be done is completed. As a leader provide the leadership needed by the group through empowering, engaging, encouraging, and supporting.
Make a plan – Part 1. The starting point for any problem/process resolution is to start with brief, concise, and short statements of what is to be accomplished. The process may follow a traditional approach with a structured: initiation phase, planning phase, execution phase, and closing phase or it may follow an agile approach because factors are changing and/or are unknown and the plan will change and evolve as the environment in which the organization changes and evolves. Both have their place.
Make a plan – Part 2. Examine all the tasks that need to be accomplished. Break tasks into simple one-line statements. I like to use Post-it notes. You can write down as many tasks as you can think of. This approach is a Kanban organizational approach.
Make a plan – Part 3. Prioritize the tasks. Which are the biggest fires or needs. Don’t worry that the priorities may change and evolve as time passes, but at this moment triage your post-it notes. Using a wall or whiteboard arrange the tasks under a header called, “Work to be done.” Some people call this a “to-do list” or “Work Reservoir.” Consider using different colors to denote priority, for example, one color for things that are blazing on fire, things that are smoldering, and things that might be a danger in the future.
Appreciate that what we all do is fluid and some priorities may shift up or down in priority. Remember that multitasking is a myth. Too many people and organizations are overwhelmed because they have dozens of issues in process at any given time … this simply does not work. At most, even the most organized person or group can only do 1-4 things at a time before productivity suffers and frustration builds. The individual or group should choose the most important 1-4 tasks and move the Post-it notes to a new heading called “Work in Progress.”
Keep the number of fires being fought to a manageable number for the individual or the group with the emphasis being on the most important fires. Regularly, take the time to update the priority of the waiting tasks to be completed.
As tasks are completed to the satisfaction of the powers that be, move the Post-it for those tasks to another heading called, “Complete.” Do not underestimate the importance of closure to organizations that are fighting multiple fires. Individuals and teams need to be reminded tasks do get completed. Too often people feel overwhelmed and frustrated because they are not aware problems and tasks are completed. Victories need to be celebrated, do not miss this step.
Take the time as each task is moved to the “completed” heading have a brief meeting to discuss and write down the “Lessons Learned.” Discuss the good, and the no-so good, both are important before starting the next task. Real fire departments do this religiously, they learn lessons to help with the next fire, and our organizations can benefit as well. Do not trust that people will remember; by documenting, the lessons will be accessible in the future for the organization to use as a resource.
As tasks are completed, select the next highest priority fire for action from the “Work to be done” heading and move it to the “Work in Progress” heading.
It is easy to be overwhelmed; I have been many times. Being overwhelmed leads to frustration. Frustration leads to failure. This process is simple and can help any organization with virtually no cost. It is designed to be highly visible and should be posted in a visible and accessible location for your people to see, follow, and comment about. They can see the work ahead, what is in progress, and what has been completed.
I am grateful for those who have helped me learn the skills to find a place of traction and put out the fires I have experienced and continue to experience. This post is simply an outline as a place to begin and can easily be expanded as necessary.
Good luck,
Paul.