Effectiveness: What it Means to Me
Effectiveness isn’t about finding the ‘right’ way—it’s about finding what works. In this post, I challenge the traditional view of effectiveness and explore how adaptability, momentum, and iteration drive real impact. Instead of getting stuck in rigid frameworks or past failures, we should focus on questioning assumptions, making faster decisions, and redefining what ‘done’ means. Read on to rethink effectiveness and how it shapes both work and life.
Josh Ether
7/6/20241 min read
A lot of people define effectiveness as getting things done the right way. I don’t buy that.
Effectiveness isn’t about a singular “right” approach… It’s about finding what works. Context shifts. Constraints change. What failed before might succeed now, and what worked yesterday might not work today. The key isn’t perfection, it’s adaptability.
For me, effectiveness comes down to a few core principles:
Momentum over perfection – The best plan is the one you can actually execute.
Clarity over process – Direction and purpose matter more than rigid frameworks.
Iteration over assumption – The best way to know if something works is to try it.
Freedom to challenge and experiment – Playbooks are useful, but effectiveness is often found in rewriting them.
It’s easy to get caught up in overthinking, polishing, or trying to find the best way to do something. But in reality, progress matters more than polish. Done is functional, useful, and ready for what’s next.
What does effectiveness mean to you?