We all want to see effort. Effort can be seen in the sweat dripping from the forehead of a person hard at work. Effort can be seen in a person who meets a deadline after handing in the latest report. Effort can be seen in the amount of phone calls or responses to emails that were made that day. Effort can be seen in the bouquet of flowers you bring home to your loved one. Activity illustrates effort. But don’t let effort fool you.
Effort indicates that we exist and that action has been taken. Even though effort provides us with a belief that a job is being done, effort alone doesn’t guarantee that a task has been completed at the desired standard. We all want to see effort but more importantly, we want high quality service, product or experience. Effort doesn’t equal quality.
I have seen a number of hilarious videos on a range of social media platforms showing some incredibly enthusiastic gym-goers being creative with various pieces of gym equipment. I’m sure that many are scripted but I’m also confident that a percentage are genuine articles displaying classic examples of gym-ignorance. If we look at the effort then we can’t question their high level of determination and commitment even though clearly misguided. These participants will certainly be showing short term effects of physical activity; sweating and increased breathing rate but many of us can infer that these comical exercises lack purpose and understanding of how to strengthen our body systems. While we can’t argue about the levels of effort, it is evident that there is no quality and therefore, no progress over time.
Another example can be drawn from the workplace. It is common for organisations to provide new employees with an induction programme and/or training in order to prepare them for a successful start and career in the company. While these inductions and training courses are well intended, organisations rarely review and reflect on the impact of these provisions. These programmes display degrees of effort and care for new employees but often provide no relevant content for specific roles within the company. Organisations can show effort towards new colleagues but their effort lacks purpose.
Effort must be coupled with purposeful action. In order to improve skill or behaviour, we must directly prepare for the application of these skills and practice must be specific to the demands of the environment. Whether it be learning a new language, learning to swim or developing our communication skills, if we want to improve, skills must be broken down into smaller steps with techniques practised correctly. And there is no better way of tracking progress and receiving quality feedback than from an industry expert with practical wisdom.
Effort is, without question, an essential ingredient for progress. Effort drives us out of our comfort zone and stretches our limits however it can mask the quality of performance. The best leaders and practitioners promote the partnership of high levels of effort and high standards.
