The four tiers of effectiveness

On any given day, there can be hundreds of things that compete for your attention.

You have emails to answer, clients to call, problems to solve, errands to run, projects to accomplish, relationships to manage…etc.

It doesn’t matter how hard you work. There will never be enough time in the day to get it all done.

So how do you choose where to spend your time and energy?

Expert advice

You will never maximize your effectiveness by responding to other people’s priorities.

Craig Groeschel

Effective leaders direct their attention on what really matters. They learn how to say no to urgent requests so they can spend more time on things that contribute towards their long-term goals.

Craig Groeschel’s “Four Tiers of Effectiveness” framework is helpful for evaluating how well you manage your time.

Tier I = Mission critical. If you don’t do these things, the boat will sink.

Tier II = Very important and strategic. But life goes on if you don’t do it.

Tier III = Meaningful but not vital. You would like to do these things if you have time.

Tier IV = Externally initiated and not vital. These are requests that come from other people that typically require a response.

Start by listing everything you do during a typical work week. Then put each into one of the four tiers.

Lastly, identify which lower tier activities are robbing you of time spent on Tier I priorities and decide what you’re going to do about it.

My experience

In my first job out of college, I often asked my manager what I was spending too much time on?

My personality is such that I like to obsess over the details and make things perfect. Sometimes that can be an asset, but I also know that it means I can get caught up wasting time doing things that don’t really matter.

Getting feedback from my manager who was more familiar with the priorities of the organization helped me avoid spinning my wheels on things that wouldn’t get results.

Key points

1. Do first things first. Always attack Tier I activities before you do anything else.
2. Act with long-term leverage. Be willing to compromise time spent in Tier II and III if they impede your ability to do Tier I well.
3. Pick and choose our spots. Say “no,” even to good opportunities, if they distract from executing your top priorities.

Questions for you

• What are you uniquely qualified to do?
• Do you know the difference between Tier I and Tier II activities?
• What is preventing you from spending more time in Tier I?