288: How Our Own Brain Blocks Meaningful Work

In the fast-paced world of today, the tug-of-war between immediate tasks and strategic objectives is relentless. We know the tasks that need to get done. But why don’t we do them? In this episode, Oliver Banks uncovers the psychology and neuroscience behind meaningful work and explains how our own brains can prevent us from the most important tasks and activities that we must do. Learn four simple approaches to overcome this, as well as consider the organizational impacts that could be present.

Listen to this episode of the Retail Transformation Show and:

• How the allure of immediate gratification undermines our significant yet demanding tasks.
• Why we continually steer towards simple tasks and where this originates from.
• Why we might suffer from an illusion of productivity.
• What to do if organizational chaos means this is a widespread issue across the company.

 

 

Episode summary: Why the meaningful work isn’t getting done (and what to do instead!)

Retail transformation expert and author Oliver Banks discusses the challenges of completing important tasks in the retail industry due to being overworked and overwhelmed. He delves into the psychology behind task completion, highlighting how our brains are wired to seek instant gratification and avoid complex tasks. The fear of the unknown and stress responses also lead us to avoid key activities. Oliver highlights the ‘illusion of productivity’, which is what we feel when we’ve completed a wealth of smaller tasks but avoided the essential work. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing urgent and important tasks over simpler, less impactful ones to drive meaningful change.

To combat these challenges, Oliver provides four simple approaches to help listeners tackle their important tasks effectively. These approaches include (1) assessing the work by considering the customer of the work as well as the impact and consequences of doing/not doing the work, (2) scheduling time for important tasks, (3) delegating and asking for help when possible, and (4) committing to start a complex or important task for only five minutes. He also touches on the organizational-level challenges that may contribute to task completion issues, such as a lack of clear operating models, processes, data, and alignment on company goals. These can create chaos inside companies and Oliver offers his expertise to help businesses navigate these challenges and streamline their ways of working and operating models.

Explore if Oliver and OB&Co can help you get meaningful work done

Oliver helps organizations and individuals to drive effective transformation. This includes defining operating models across the business as a way of standardising the approaches to getting the right work done effectively and efficiently. He also works with individuals to help advise and act as a thinking partner to rapidly drive personal growth.

Speak to Oliver about the Accelerator service for hands on support to get things done. Or ask about the Navigator service to develop capabilities.

📧 Email on oliver.banks@obandco.uk

🔗 Connect with Oliver Banks on LinkedIn and send a message.

Additional podcast episodes to check out next

One of the aspects that can get in the way of getting meaningful work done is that of uncertainty and our need to avoid risk. In episode 279: Being Confident Despite Uncertainty, executive coach and author Julie Smith joined Oliver to explore how to manage your own confidence levels. Listen in and consider how confidence and concepts such as the self-doubt tax could also be blocking your meaningful work.

Another factor that could be impacted by the same root causes is that of decision making which is a key task for leaders. Listen to episode 196: Learning From World Class Decision Makers to discover how you could be inspired by or adopt behaviours from President Obama, Winston Churchill or professions such as the special forces or emergency doctors.

And finally, if the organization is struggling to get work done, a considerable amount of confusion could exist. Listen to episode 132: Overcoming The Confusion Of Transformation and think about how this could affect the transformation and the whole company.