Ask any carpenter, and he’ll tell you: “Measure twice, cut once.” In carpentry work, it literally means that it’s a good practice to double-check your measurement before cutting a piece of wood – otherwise, you stand a chance of producing a mis-cut that results in wasted material and time.

But, on a broader scale, “measure twice, cut once” also applies to any task: Be sure you establish a plan before simply plowing ahead. When you rush through tasks, you make mistakes, you do things out of order, or you generally get sloppy results. You’re not as efficient and you will likely have to do things over.

So why do we stress the importance of “urgency” in business? Of course, we all want our teams on task and using their time well. But that lauded sense of urgency can actually lead to mistakes. A sense of purpose will actually provide stronger motivation and garner better results in the long-term.

 

What’s Wrong with Urgency?

“Constant pressure to hurry reduces our ability to be proactive,” says Kimber Lockheart, CTO of One Medical. “Stepping back takes time, so it’s often discouraged in pro-urgency environments, but it’s in these minutes or hours that weeks and months are saved.”

Furthermore, constant urgency leads to burnout. You will tend to spend precious time micromanaging others, to ensure they’re working as fast as possible. They may feel pressured or even untrusted to get their jobs done. As a result, all of you may wind up putting in long hours and end up exhausted.

 

Why Purpose is the Better Choice

“A sense of purpose is a deep understanding of the reasons behind our efforts and a desire to pour in time and energy because that purpose resonates with the impact we’d like to make on the world,” says Lockheart.

This shift in thinking may even help you recruit and retain younger staff. According to TIME, “Employers that can articulate and provide a strong sense of purpose may more effectively recruit and engage millennials.”

In its study of 7,800 millennials with college degrees, Deloitte found that “most respondents said that when they first launched their careers, they looked for companies with a strong sense of purpose beyond a simple profit motive.

 

Switching Gears from Urgency to Purpose

As a team, you all have a stake in the company’s success. Yes, as the boss, you think of yourself as the one with the most to lose, which may be true. But take a moment to see things from your employees’ point of view. Everyone wants work that fulfills their worth. They want to do things they care about. Each one wants to succeed. Remind them, and yourself, that you’re all in this together. A sense of purpose derives from a shared goal.

But you must define your company’s purpose: Does your team fully understand the corporate purpose? According to a Deloitte survey, “47 percent of executives strongly agree that they can identify with their company’s purpose, compared to just 30 percent of employees.” Avoid this disconnect at your company. Clearly communicate your vision, and allow all team members to voice their own.

Keep in mind, too, that working as a team means celebrating your accomplishments as a team. Remember to keep your staff in the loop all the way through. Let them know how a project turns out after their contribution is complete. Share feedback from clients and customers. Learn where you can improve as a team, but be sure to also give kudos where kudos are due.

Some companies even arrange to have their employees go and work onsite at a client’s office for a time. Then, they can fully appreciate the need your company fulfills. Others bring in satisfied customers to personally share their stories and demonstrate how your hard work pays off.

 

Remember the Mission

Keep your company’s mission at the forefront. If you run a small business, you must have started your company because you care. It’s likely that your current staff came to work for you because they shared your passion. While you want to perfect each detail of a project, keep the big picture in mind.

Alas, when you begin working from a sense of purpose you may find that not everyone on the team derives motivation from your company’s mission. Becoming purpose-minded can help illuminate the differences among team members, and it may lead to some unpleasant realizations. You may need to look for people more suited to your purpose. Conversely, you may also discover untapped passions in members of your team!

 

Go Forth with Purpose

Creating a sense of urgency can work in the short term. Sometimes, urgency actually is knocking on your door in the form of a tight deadline. There is no doubt it has its place. This is why we have calendar alerts and schedules/timelines. But, for the well-being of your company, your team and yourself, let a sense of purpose drive you in the long term.

As a final thought, consider this finding from the Deloitte survey: “91 percent of leaders at purpose-driven companies felt their companies would strengthen or maintain their brand in the next 5-10 years, compared to just 49 percent of their counterparts.”

 

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