What They Don’t Tell You About Being a CEO

Summary

• Every week, my job is to be the Chief Firefighter in my business. I focus on identifying the biggest fires, like if the whole house is on fire, and tackle those first.
• Identifying the main problem or 'fire' is crucial because it could either hold back the business or help it grow. This helps in prioritizing tasks effectively.
• Priorities may change weekly or even midweek as new challenges and opportunities arise. It's important to stay flexible and adjust focus based on what's most critical at the moment.
• Always ask whether a task will prevent the business from growing or contribute to its growth. This helps in deciding what deserves immediate attention.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest implementing a weekly review system where you identify your biggest challenges or "fires." Start by listing everything that's pressing, then determine which issue is the most critical. This could be the problem that, if left unresolved, would cause the most harm or provide the greatest opportunity for growth. Making this a routine will help you prioritize tasks effectively.

A good way to stay flexible is to revisit your list midweek. Ask yourself if the situation has changed and if a different issue now requires immediate attention. This flexibility ensures that you're always focusing on what's most critical, allowing you to adapt quickly to new challenges or opportunities.

Also, always ask yourself whether a task will prevent growth or contribute to it. This simple question can be a powerful tool for prioritizing your time and energy. If a task won't help grow your business or improve personal progress, it might not need your immediate focus.

Lastly, make sure to communicate changes in priorities to your team or relevant partners. Keeping everyone on the same page ensures you all work towards resolving the most important issues first. This shared focus will make your efforts more effective and cohesive.

Full Transcript

I would say that your job is to be Chief firefighter every week you focus on what the biggest fire is there's like the living room's on fire there's a curtain on fire there's a couch on fire and you figure out what's the big fire which I would say like the house is on fire the roofs lit up you tackle that one and that is your job every week and that could mean that it changes every week too what I focused on last week is not what I'm focusing on this week and even midweek it might change based on where there is something that needs my attention because it's either going to prevent the business from growing or it's going to grow the business those are the two things I focus on