More Answers... (7/6/25 Newsletter): Do Less... No Less...

(a nice follow-up from last week...)

The "More Answers..."Newsletter

Hi Everyone, 

Here's your Sunday Evening "More Answers..." to set you up for your work week! (you can see previous newsletters on my show's website: https://www.askchrista.com/blog/)

"Doing More with Less is a Dumb Phrase..."

Yeah, I said it-- out loud in my E22 Ask Christa! segment, and WOW did it feel good to say it after what I have seen, felt, thought, and known for 25+ years. 

And it wasn't until I put it on my Ask Christa! show page that I realized just how liberated I feel in my career right now, overall-- just because I could say, and did say, that phrase out loud.

During most of my career, and I'm sure several of you have experienced the same, I was given just enough room to do my job, but not enough space to be myself-- not entirely. I know for sure some of this was related to my gender (one of the CEO's I worked with was an older gent who, while saying how smart he thought I was, let me know how back in his early days, "gals like" made the best secretaries because of how "detail oriented" we are and how "tactically savvy" we are.

It was supposed to be a compliment. I guess. Except that I was a Senior Director running Global Strategic Programs, where 70% of my portfolio was one I designed in collaboration with the executive team so we could save the company from insolvency.

It was "heady stuff," and I knew that very same CEO was the biggest risk to the organization.

He also kept saying, "We have to do more with less," which is a perfectly fine phrase when you are entering into a brief period of time when austerity measures aim to NOT spend so you can SAVE money-- but also determine ways to reset, recover, then rebuild.

He was only interested in not spending money, and quickly choked several investments that were needed to turn the company around.

He lasted four more months before the Board of Directors fired him.

"Doing Better with What's Good..."

This is the phrase I talk about more: doing better with what is good. 

Yes, during financial hardships, it's important to reign in spending, examine where the investments are, and make smart decisions that bring short-term relief to your organization without killing off your long-term gains.

But by starting with what is already GOOD for your business, you not only have a chance to amp-up the good so you are doing BETTER during a time of austerity, but you will become stronger with (typically) more engaged employees.  which must have a timeline no more than one year if it's to work. Your employees will move forward with a mission that not only recognizes the best of their work as a foundation from which to launch improvements through a reset / recovery / rebuild program, but they will also feel less "losing" as they go about it. 

BOOSTER FOR YOUR WEEK!!!

Do Just Right...

Over the last three weeks, I have received dozens of questions from listeners who are asking questions that revolve around the topic of "doing more with less" (and less and less and less). 

It's not just in the workplace, many of the questions are about austerity measures in US society: colleges and universities cutting their spending, companies cutting certain programs, social programs being cut-- cut, cut, cut, cut, cut.

And yet, the expectation remains the same for everyone: they want a good life, they want good work, they want to pay their bills, they want to feel comfortable. They want more, but feel they are getting less, WHILE they are being asked to DO more while getting less.

These questions aren't related to business questions, so I'm hesitant to answer them in a segment, but we can all clearly see the crossover effect.

So I am asking everyone to stay focused on what is good, then amp that up to do even better where you can. Whether at work, in your community, with your friends: if you feel you need some level of restoration, focus on the good... then do better than good.

And of course, if you have a business challenge or workplace issue—Ask Christa!

See you next week!!!

With kindness,
Christa

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