Saying “yes” to things and demonstrating proactivity is a distinguishing quality at certain moments in your professional career. In the early years, it shows a good attitude, proactivity, and enthusiasm. Furthermore, it benefits your learning and the establishment of valuable internal relationships. It turns out to be a differentiating factor. Likely, it helps you to be considered for future promotions and growth within the organization.
As you progress, your agenda becomes fuller. Many more issues and people are requiring your attention. It’s not so much about showing proactivity by saying “yes” to everything, but rather others filling your agenda with meeting invitations, emails asking for your intervention… And that’s when you start to experience that your agenda is overwhelmed.
At this point, people react very differently.
On one hand, there are the willing ones, who think they can handle everything and that they must say “yes” to everything, believing that the differential value lies in covering everything through an inhuman over-effort. They deteriorate silently and progressively, and their performance worsens. These stories usually don’t have a good ending, and without a doubt, their evolution is hindered.
Then there are those who realize their plate is too full, and their phrase is: “I’ll do what I can.” However, this “I’ll do what I can” is not based on any coherent reflection. Unaware, they run many risks by not often attending to what is really important. And at some point, something important blows up. Their reaction to the failure will determine if it’s the end or a last chance. Here, all kinds of reactions are observed as well.
Finally, some have learned that the quality of their “yeses” is proportional to the quantity of their “nos,” meaning, one cannot and should not try to cover everything. Proactively, and having identified what is most important, they focus on certain areas while avoiding many others. They know that the perfect world does not exist and that not everything unimportant is rejectable, but being intentional is key. They reserve their best version for key and important issues, and in the rest, they apply minimal effort.
The 80-20 rule is part of their DNA.
The quality of your “yeses” and the quantity of your “nos” are the foundation for achieving extraordinary results. And the higher the level of responsibility, even more so. The challenge is that defining your “yeses” and identifying your “nos” requires time for reflection. For some reason, it’s hard for us to do it; we prefer to continue on the hamster wheel that the day-to-day imposes on us, which in many cases leaves us so exhausted that we don’t want to stop and think.
