I was on a call earlier this month with a client, and he was describing recent changes in his company. On one hand, he was excited about his new role as CEO and the responsibility to continue building a healthy culture across his firm. On the other hand, there was an uncertainty in his voice about his success and direct contribution to the team.
As we talked, the tension between these two realities continued to grow. My client is a Connector and a Creative. He spent 10+ years with his partner building out a successful business serving the creative community. In that time, he worked hard to build a team that can function at a high level with minimal supervision.
The 70:30 Principle
Two themes emerged during our conversation that are important for all of us. First, in the GiANT context is the 70:30 principle, or Cockram’s Law as we like to call it.
The 70:30 principle refers to the time we spend on tasks and initiatives. When we can spend 70% of our time working in our natural strengths (unconscious competence), we are energized and highly productive. It also gives us the ability to spend the other 30% of our time on those tasks and initiatives that are not natural to us (conscious competence) and draining. Too often, we find ourselves spending a dis-proportionate time on activities that are not natural to us, maybe even a completely inverted Cockram’s Law. Our effectiveness in this situation is diminished and not sustainable. My client was spending a lot of time on systems and infrastructure to make the business more efficient and productive. While important priorities, they are not part of his natural gift mix.
Passing the Baton
The second theme that emerged is the idea of passing the baton.
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