Stop working harder and start delivering what really matters

In a midsize marketing agency, Julie had risen to manager but felt scattered. Every morning she launched into the first fire that landed in her inbox. By week’s end, her biggest campaigns barely moved. Her team was frustrated, and Julie wondered if her hard work was worth it.

Her boss challenged her: “What are you actually paid to deliver?” She paused. She could say “managing the social media team,” but that hid the real need—to drive engagement and new leads for clients. Once she defined her outcomes—30 percent engagement lift, three new client referrals, and one major case study—everything shifted.

Julie spent Monday afternoons aligning her tasks. She canceled low-value check-ins, delegated routine reporting, and scheduled creative strategy hours. The team’s Monday meeting agenda reflected only those three goals. Soon, measureable progress followed: engagement rose by 35 percent in two weeks, referrals doubled, and a compelling case study landed a new contract.

This approach draws on responsibility mindset theory: shifting from activity focus to outcome focus mobilizes intrinsic motivation and aligns energy with organizational performance. Instead of being busy, Julie started being effective—and the results spoke for themselves.

Imagine you’re speaking with your mentor: first write down the three outcomes one level above your daily tasks—what real impact you’re meant to create. Next, match every task on your list to those outcomes; if a task doesn’t serve any, drop or delegate it. Finally, pause each Friday to compare your achievements against those outcomes and adjust your next week accordingly, ensuring every move drives the needle. Try it this week.