How to Prioritize 2020 in Two Steps – ElPropósito3 min de lectura

A simple model for deciding what makes the cut next year

Over my career I’ve worked on initiatives from many angles. On some I was the architect, on others I led execution, and on others I advised on how to carry them out. As I mentioned in an earlier post, every year-end I go through my Strategic Planning Process, which tells me which goals, initiatives and projects I’ll take on the next year. Even with that order and structure, I’ve still had to prioritize. Read on to see why it matters.

One of the main reasons most initiatives get dropped halfway is that they aren’t aligned with a Purpose, and the resources they need are poorly managed or measured. Measure those two variables well from day one and you gain a clarity that boosts your odds of success. Measured properly, they also tell you which initiatives move forward and which to put off.

Christmas and year-end are coming, and every one of us, children, adults and companies alike, has a letter to Santa Claus, the Christ Child or the Three Kings. In theory, that letter holds the recipe for the bright future anyone wants. Aligning it with a Purpose means knowing which wishes, once granted, will steadily improve our wellbeing and that of the people around us.

Just asking of each wish, "how much closer does this bring me to my Purpose?" is already prioritizing. It tells you what’s in, what’s out and what can wait. The energy and willpower we’ll need by mid-year to keep any initiative going and see it through come from building something aligned with our Purpose.

By resources I mainly mean time, effort and money, among others of the same kind. Measuring this big variable through its components is the key to assigning and sequencing tasks and timelines well when it’s time to execute.

Finally, cross-check alignment with Purpose against the resources required and you get a prioritized list of everything you wanted to tackle next year. Initiatives that are fully aligned and need the most resources deserve the most attention and planning, because their success hinges on commitment, willpower and steady work toward the agreed dates. And steer clear of the trap of focusing on initiatives with little alignment that need few resources (I hope to write about that trap in more detail later).

Warm regards and all the best,

Rodrigo Baccaro

This week’s VELA:

• What I’ve been Viewing: The Irishman. A film by one of my favorite directors, Martin Scorsese, with great actors like Pacino, Pesci and De Niro. A gangster story set in the US and the role of a truckers’ union. My takeaway: the role of Jimmy Hoffa, a leader of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. It opens a new chapter in the books I’ll be reading soon.
• What I’ve been Listening to: The value of being different. A teacher explains how we fear rejection and why we need to accept ourselves as we are.
• What I’ve been Reading: Kintsugi. A Japanese practice that makes broken pottery beautiful. My takeaway: a good article on how, after a big defeat, we can come out victorious, carrying lessons that somehow make our spirit, soul and body more beautiful for what lies ahead.
• What I’ve been Learning: The technology behind Tesla’s batteries. After watching Tesla unveil its new Cybertruck, I wanted to know what’s new in its batteries, and I was surprised. A good article on the progress and outlook in a market steadily shifting from fossil fuels to electric.

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

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