***Attention Deficit?*** ![[The Management Attention Deficit Problem_image_1.jpg|500]] Leading an organization is hard work. There is never enough time to do everything that needs to be done, including solving current problems and making improvements for the future. With so many issues requiring your attention, do you feel like you're running a management attention deficit? Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt taught that management attention is the ultimate constraint of an organization. As management is tasked with taking care of everything getting in the way of accomplishing the organization's goals, the ultimate obstacle to progress is management's limited capacity to give things their attention. Management capacity is not easy to expand. If you have a machine that is operating at full capacity, you can buy another machine. If you have a CEO that is operating at full capacity, you can't just hire a second CEO for the night shift. You can add a new member to the leadership team, but that brings coordination and alignment issues. At some point a growing leadership team will take more CEO attention than it saves. Optimizing management attention involves finding it, focusing it and using it effectively. Dealing with a management attention deficit could be the single most important step an organization can take. I propose that engaging the right external [[Guide]] can have a huge impact in optimizing management attention. In my work with leaders, I have found at least three ways a guide can help. **First, find existing capacity.** Just the act of meeting regularly with a guide pulls a leader out of day-to-day concerns and gets him or her focusing on the future of the business. Dedicated one-on-one time with a guide becomes precious time; sometimes it is the only time during the week that the leader is focused on the big challenges and opportunities. **Second, focus attention.** The guide helps the leader understand what is worthy of focus. This occurs through a dialogue incorporating the leader's aspirations and understanding of the business with the guide's objective view, deep experience and robust framework. In our conversations, leaders often start with the current crisis, because that is what is on their mind, but the conversation usually progresses to core conflicts and fundamental issues, and ends with clarity on key priorities and actions that will have the biggest impact. Progress happens when leaders are candid about what they are seeing, what they are feeling, what they want to have happen, and what they are stuck on; and when the guide challenges assumptions, identifies core conflicts and provides the leader with a different perspective. **Third, achieve clarity.** With the clarity that inevitably comes through deep conversations with the guide, the leader is able to consider the right strategies and tactics to deal with the key issues, including where to start, and who to engage. The leader uses the guide as sounding board and accountability partner. **Who you gonna call?** In my experience, when leaders enlist the help of guides on a regular basis, management attention is more effectively used. When you are finally working on the ultimate constraint of the organization, you can expect breakthrough progress. Connect with us as at [getunconstrained.com](https://getunconstrained.com/) and ask about how an Unconstrained guide can help you tame your management attention deficit. Thanks for reading. Derek July 2022 ## See also - [[Management Attention]] - [[Corporate Governance and Management Attention]] - [[Episode 25 Management Attention is the Ultimate Constraint]] - [[Episode 73 Ann MacTaggart - Management Attention is a Precious Resource]] - [[Guide]] - [[Theory of Constraints]] ## Feedback We welcome your feedback. Please join [Essential Dynamics](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14077119/) on LinkedIn to share your comments and questions. %% [[Management Attention]]