“I’m Doing the Best that I Can!”

“I’m doing the best that I can!”

How many times have you heard someone say that (...and now the little voice inside my head says “How many times have I said that...or thought it”...)?

On its face, it’s someone saying, “I’m giving it all I’ve got”. And it may be true in that moment, for that person. The more skilled, talented, accomplished, that we see the person as being, the more we tend to believe that is true (...and, of course, I KNOW that it’s true of me...right?).

Does one hear it (or read or see it) as a “cry for assistance”? As a symptom of something bigger? As an opportunity? Something else?

As Owners and Leaders, the downside to that statement (whoever says it) is, of course, when “the best one can do” falls short of what’s needed for something that “must be done”.

In the moment that it’s stated, it’s no doubt “a fact”. It can also be a reason, an excuse, part of a pattern. It’s what we do about it that makes all the difference moving forward.

1. Is it truly ALL that one might do?

Ever been so wrapped up in “tree surgery” that you forget that there’s “a forest there too”? We may only be seeing a narrow range of options in the moment (or maybe only one option) for a given situation. Or we’re so caught up in the “Tyranny of the Urgent” (thank-you for that one C.E. Hummel!) that other options aren’t considered. These are both ways of understanding that, in the Right circle of the Venn Diagram, we may have something that would work better than what we’re actually doing...or about to do. If we are able to access more of the circle, we may find that better way to more than “the best we can do”.

Finding those other options means creating the space and time to do so. Some options for that are (but aren’t limited to):

a. Change our environment (to stimulate different parts of our brain)
b. Get “out of our heads” by writing, using critical thinking
c. Talk with someone else...who’s not involved with the immediate issue

Yes, these are all options that slow down the process of “getting it done”. And if “there’s no time”, we may be stuck with whatever can be done...right now. Hopefully, the lesson is learned, and the pattern (if there is one) is broken...

2. Then there’s all the things in the Left Circle...

...all those things that could be done, that I’m not aware of at this time. This can also feel like “The more I learn, the less I know”!

It’s about avoiding the conceit that one knows “all there is to know” about something, or that what I do know is the “best / only way”. It’s why the phrase “Leaders are Readers” gained so much popularity (and now that can also include “Viewers” and “Listeners”).

It’s about expanding the size of, gaining more access to, the Left Circle. It may help in the solution of an immediate issue. It absolutely helps in the correction of a pattern of behaviors.

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For myself, it’s why I’ve had professional coaches and advisors on a continuous basis for the last 25 years (the one’s prior were friends, co-workers, on an informal basis...with the expected inconsistent-at-best results).

The regular dialogues, plus workshops, seminars, classes, self-study...the “Lifelong Learning” that we talk about in our Knowledge Economy...isn’t just a general strategy for success.

It’s critical to avoiding “I’m doing the best that I can” (and falling short of what’s needed) either in the moment, or as a pattern of behavior.

The goal is to expand the overlap between the two circles, to insure that the “best that I can do” doesn’t fall short, that we’re better accessing what we do have as options already and are always creating more options through growth.

Failing to do that is Leadership Malpractice!