Whether you are an employee, manager or business owner, you should ask yourself this question regularly:  “Is there a more efficient way that I can do this?” 

I constantly hear employees lament about how hard they work and how their hard work is not noticed.  Well the good news for all you hard workers is that hard work is part of the equation for success but the bad news is that it isn’t the only component of the equation.  If you are a hard working employee, you probably believe the success equation looks like this: Time + Hard Work = Results. 

I would dare to assert that Time + Hard Work = Results is an outmoded formula for results.  In place of it, I would submit a more holistic, multi-dimensional formula that will help you to work smarter: Hard Work + Efficiency + Interpersonal Skills + Adaptability + Self Discipline + Leadership = Results.  In this equation, I have replaced Time with Efficiency because the amount of time spent on anything is not necessarily an indicator of positive results. 

I added soft skills to the equation as demonstrating the right behaviours is an equally important component of generating enhanced results.  You will see that leadership is also part of the equation.   I added leadership because whether or not you have a formal leadership position, leadership qualities can help you to work smarter.

We are all working in dynamic environments that are subject to external fluctuations in the economy and internal machinations of office politicians.  Hard work and time spent can no longer be the primary, relevant measurements.  Even for consideration for a promotion.

Another reason why working hard is becoming outmoded as a solitary work ethic is because competition and other external pressures are causing companies to focus more and more on reducing costs.   This means, companies expect higher productivity from employees who are expected to do more with the same or less resources which includes frozen or reduced levels of staff.  All of this is expected while your volumes of work are increasing.

With this is mind, if you are constantly working late, your boss may not view your hard work and dedication in the same way as before if your results are not increasing.  Executives want to see increased productivity especially if profit margins are shrinking. 

Don’t get me wrong, there are employees who work hard who are quite productive.  Sometimes this happens because they are pulling someone else’s weight or because they love what they do.  But at some point they are going to reach a threshold where their capacity will plateau and they will have to find new ways to work in order to meet growing demands.

There is one more category of “Hard Workers” who can benefit from this advice.  There are employees who appear to be working hard but are really spinning wheels and blowing smoke focusing on low priority items.  If you fall into this category, you are probably in a slow moving or static pattern.  This is can be attributable to a lack of proper training, placement of the wrong person in a position or an attitudinal problem caused by an unaccepted performance rating.

So whatever your reason for being in a productivity holding pattern, it is time to consider working smarter.

Tips for Working Smarter

o Know the difference between being a Team Player and Team “Sucker”.  There are many of you who, at one time or another, thought that our manager or team members had confidence in you because they gave you a constant stream of work knowing that you would get it done.  While being a team player is important, you need to determine:  a) If you are really part of the team and are being developed or; b) if you are being used.  If you are being used, your time is being used to achieve other’s people’s priorities so you need to decide if the extra work is aligned with your goals.  Employees who are chronic doers who want to be accepted or validated easily get caught in this trap. 

o Learn the art of saying “no”.  The bottom line is that you should not take on more than you can manage because eventually your lack of boundary setting can lead to an experience of reduced personal performance levels.  Jory Des Jardins once stated that you should, “Try to make your boss happy.  If you can’t, then move on.”

o If you can delegate, identify what you should delegate, keep or share.  If you delegate or share any of your work, be sure to have an organized, reliable system of follow up to ensure your deadlines and volumes are met or exceeded.

o Get organized.  I have witnessed transformations in stress levels and productivity with the introduction of prioritized “to do” lists and a diary system.  Getting organized helps you to ensure the right things are focused upon at the right time.  Additionally, it helps you to focus on the big picture instead of getting lost in the fear caused by the static stacks of files on your desk.   Please remember that getting organized is contingent on your ability to be disciplined about creating your lists, managing your diary and following up on a regular basis.

o Whether you are a manager or employee, if you are humble and approachable you will get things done faster and through more people than arrogant, condescending team members.

o Upgrade your technology skills.  The world is becoming more and more technologically savvy so if you are not able to use technology optimally you will not have access to tools and other resources that can make your life a whole lot easier.

o Work/Life balance is another route to working smart.  Taking breaks gives you time to see your work from a different perspective.  Time off also helps you to tap into your creativity.  Many great ideas for improvement happen when you are away from your place of work.  So if you are going to focus on how to become more productive, try to find the time to focus on how you can make meaningful changes that can lead to your increased productivity.

o Ask again for the tools you need.  The previous “no” may change into a “yes” given different circumstances or a different approach by you.

Bob Stoops asserts that, “Just because what we’ve done in the past has worked and worked well doesn’t mean that it will continue to.  We have really got to be smart in what we are attempting to do.”  What Stoops is saying is that you should be open to modifying how you think about how you do what you do in order to achieve expanded capacity.  I believe changing your thinking is actually the first step in working smarter and it can happen if you can let go of the old procedures and tools and become curious about how you can perform your duties in new ways.

Finally, it is also important to reinforce that while results do matter, how you treat your employees and coworkers in the process of working smarter is of equal importance

Yvette Bethel is CEO of Organizational Soul, an HR Consulting and Leadership Development company.  If you are interested in exploring how you can create a platform for empowerment, you contact her at www.orgsoul.com