Doing Great Work Without Doing It All
They might all be great ideas. That doesn’t mean you need to follow through an all of them.
We are a profession that cares deeply about our work. So many L&D practitioners hold themselves to high standards. They see opportunities to improve, solutions to offer, and stakeholder requests they want to fulfill. And they want to do all of it well.
But for most of us, there are more possibilities, projects, and requests than we can complete. It’s rare that I meet an L&D professional who is twiddling their thumbs, wondering what work to do. Or one who ends the workday without an unfinished project on their figurative desk.
Because we can’t do it all, we need to make choices about what’s most important, where our work will make the biggest difference, and what’s the best use of our limited time and resources.
These choices are difficult. We usually aren’t choosing between a bad idea and a great idea. We’re choosing between multiple good ideas.
So, what can we do? Here are four questions to consider when you can envision success in every possibility but don’t have the capacity to pursue them all.
Question #1: Does This Really Need an A+?
I find this question to be difficult for high-achieving L&D pros. For some, holding back on their vision of the highest quality and most impactful solution is much harder than putting out an average product. But not everything needs an A+ effort. Aiming for average is good enough. It gets the job done while freeing up time to spend the A+ effort where it is most needed.
This doesn’t mean handing over a project full of errors or sloppy design. But it might mean providing a well-organized, spell-checked job aid instead of a full learning program. Yes, you can envision a program that would develop participants’ skills further and have a larger impact.
It’s not about whether you can see the best way, it’s about whether the best way is really needed right now, whether it justifies the use of your limited time and resources, and whether it takes priority over other work. Also, just because now isn’t the time for the full program, doesn’t’ mean it never will be.
Often, I find that those who are anxious about reducing the quality of their work fear leaving a negative impression with stakeholders. If they don’t produce the highest quality work possible, stakeholders will think we are slackers or bad at our jobs.
But the high standard in your head isn’t necessarily the standard everyone else expects. You can work with stakeholders to clarify what’s needed and set expectations for what you’ll provide and why.
Question #2: Is this a Problem to Solve or a Tension to Manage?
Not every problem needs a solution, has a solution, or is worthy of the time needed to find a solution. There is a difference between problems that need to be solved and tensions that simply need to be managed.
Consider the consequences of leaving the issue unresolved, its complexity, and the likelihood that a solution will stick.
For example, if the problem in question is related to a significant risk to the company, and it is determined that the learning solution will reduce that risk, then, apply the learning solution.
But what about the situation where two departments simply aren’t great at working together? Yes, it’s annoying, but if it isn’t significantly affecting performance or safety, the juice might not be worth the squeeze. Perhaps it’s even based mainly on a couple of personality differences. Will training on collaboration or communication fix this work issue? Maybe. Maybe not. Is it a tension that people can manage for now?
We know training can’t solve everything. But even when training might help, it’s worth asking whether the issue warrants the investment right now.
Question #3: Does This Deserve a Strategic Yes?
A strategic yes and a strategic no are equally important. Both are intentional decisions that consider the bigger picture.
After all, every time we say yes to working on a project, we’re saying no to something else because our time and resources are finite.
For example, saying yes to communication training for a small team might mean delaying support for the large contact center’s quality improvement initiative. Which is the better use of your time? The answer depends on the business need and the impact each solution could have.
The secret is to say yes to spending most of L&D’s (or your) time and resources on projects where a learning solution will have the biggest impact. That’s the strategic yes. For other requests, the answer might be “no,” “not yet,” or “let’s consider another option.” That’s the strategic no. Both responses are intentional and thoughtful.
When weighing a strategic yes or no, ask:
Does this work advance an organizational strategic initiative?
Will training address the problem, or should we try another solution first?
Does it address a critical issue or compliance requirement?
Could it build credibility or influence with key stakeholders in ways that support future strategic work?
Will doing this now help prevent bigger problems later?
What would we need to delay or stop to make room for it?
A good idea doesn’t automatically deserve a yes. It still needs to earn its place among the other good ideas.
Question #4: How Can You Make This a Joint Decision?
You don’t have to decide alone where a simpler solution is sufficient, which tensions can be managed, or what deserves a strategic yes.
Understanding the business strategy helps. So does reviewing performance data to identify the biggest gaps and barriers. But these decisions are rarely completely obvious. They often require conversations with stakeholders. Even then, you may not find one clearly right answer. However, you can jointly agree on a decision that fits the priorities, time, and resources available.
I am particularly keen on joint decisions through negotiation. This means presenting a few realistic options, explaining the constraints and tradeoffs, and working with the stakeholder to determine what matters most.
For example:
“With our current budget and commitments, we can create a job aid within three weeks. A full simulation would take at least four months and additional funding. We could shorten that timeline if we delayed another project or brought in a contractor. Another option is for your team to create the materials with guidance from ours.
Given that information, which option best meets your needs? Is additional budget available? If this needs to take priority, let’s bring the affected stakeholders together to discuss what can move.”
Be transparent about what each option can accomplish, what it requires, and what other work it affects. Then partner with stakeholders to agree on the best path forward.
You Can’t Do It All
It’s easy for talented L&D pros to envision better onboarding, stronger manager development, a new mentoring program, AI training, and role-specific learning for multiple teams all in the same day.
They might all be good ideas. That doesn’t mean you have the capacity to pursue them all.
Use these questions to make intentional choices before trying to squeeze more work into an already full workload. Dedicate more time and effort to the solutions where you can make the biggest difference.
Keep the other ideas. Put them on a list for later or build them into a longer-term plan.
You can care deeply about your work and still have limits. The goal is to make intentional choices that maximize the value and impact you offer the organization.
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