Everyone “believes” in hard work. It’s as American as apple pie and hotdogs. In our conversation today we want to pose the question: should hard work always be…hard?
Let’s explore the importance of turning hard work into easy - or at least easier – work. Wholestack Solutions is an IT Services business that offers managed network services, end user support, and professional services. Our real mission though, is to unleash potential. What’s more potential unleashing than taking something that’s “hard” today and making it just a bit easier tomorrow?
We sometimes prioritize effort over the outcome. Meaning “this was really hard” is the goal versus “this turned out really good.” We’ve even convinced ourselves that you can’t have one without the other. You can’t have a “good” outcome without “hard work.”
However, good leaders rarely care about how hard something was; they only care about the result. Did sales go up? Did costs go down? Results. Not effort. We tend to believe that value creation is directly related to the amount of suffering we go through.
Let’s think about our daily, personal lives - we value products and services that make our lives easier and reduce our suffering. We value products and services based on the result they produce. If we go get our oil changed in the car – and the mechanic comes out talking about “how hard he worked” does that change our perception of value? Or do we just care about the outcome. The work being done and done well?
At Wholestack, we often talk about wanting to be the "easy button" for our customers, partners, and even for each other. If we help others simplify the complex, redefine what's possible – and make hard work just a bit easier? We’ve produced value.
Each day, we look at our tools, processes, systems – all parts of our business and ask: can I make something just a bit easier for future me? Even if it’s small, it adds up.
We use task management tools to track and remind of us due dates. We use automation to move an email from one place to another saving us steps and seconds. We create knowledge bases and tell our co-workers where to find documentation to reduce the drag of sharing the knowledge love.
We do all of this work today so that tomorrow – the work will be just a bit easier. We’ll still produce great outcomes, but with less effort. Sounds like one of those “win-win” situations!
Turning hard work into easy work is important for both personal and professional growth. And, future you will thank you for it!
