If you haven’t heard, the lock in for grind mode is on. Long days are no surprise in Silicon Valley, but the kicker is that tech bros and gals are curbing after-hours habits so they can have peak productivity. Fort co-founder Miranda Nover summed it up as, “We’re doing this six days a week in-office, we’re working until 9 PM, we’re not drinking, we’re not partying, we don’t do any of that.” I suppose the “work hard/play harder” approach isn’t what it used to be!
You may not be gearing up for 70-hour work weeks, but everyone faces competing priorities and compressed deadlines. Building the muscle to face those situations isn’t only about making your boss happy. It’s backed up by the science of “executive function,” which is how the brain focuses, manages, and organizes information.
Mastering executive function isn’t a talent that you’re either born with or not. It’s a must-have quality that can be developed by supporting What you deliver with people skill How tactics like discernment, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. So, in the October series, Survive Grind Mode with People Skills, we’ll discuss ways for you to pair executive function and people skills to power through tough sprints.
And spoiler alert: Thinking your only option is to put your head down and work even harder is so last year.
Years ago, I worked on a big stealth project. It had the cool factor and naturally attracted people who wanted to make impressive moves.
There was only one problem: People were so busy being in charge that everyday work started to drift. Soon the trains were barely staying on the tracks—forget about reaching their destination. Ahh, good times!
I thought about the ill-fated launch when I read Colby Kultgen’s post on LinkedIn. He’s challenging the “just work harder” mindset with a controversial idea: “Screw motivation.” His solution? Start with tasks “you would feel stupid for not getting done.”
Are you worried that idea will keep you playing small? That’s understandable. After all, doesn’t everyone really want to be doing marquee, critical work with big-name people? Absolutely!
But here’s why you want to take a second look: When you make quick work of little jobs, you’re improving executive function. So, if you’re struggling to climb Grind Mode Mountain, turn to soft skills. How tactics like shrewd choices, creativity, and healthy self-confidence are the way to move that mountain.
Here’s how the tactics work in practice:
* Use your best judgment to identify The Domino Job (the right decision that knocks out unnecessary work). For instance, schedule a brief proof-of-concept meeting with your key client. Their input is the fastest way to avoid building the wrong tool.
* Utilize your natural creativity for tasks like preparing agendas. Turn a meeting from boring into memorable by ensuring the agenda sequence hits the highlights.
* Respect your time and de-escalate pressure by blocking daily work sessions and designing realistic work-back schedules. Daily accomplishments will instantly boost your self-confidence.
So, if you’re feeling so underwater that you don’t know where to start, or you’re spinning and cycling from one pile to another, pick and choose from this list of micro-tasks. They all employ people skills, and have the silver lining of providing instant gratification:
Executing fundamental tasks well is essential to winning. It’s why UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden used to say, “Little things make big things happen.” So, build your reputation as the person who knows how to take consistent, impactful steps and keep projects and people moving in the right direction. Your superb executive function just may get you promoted.