Would you like to work smarter and not harder to welcome massive success? The host of The Deep Wealth Podcast and post-exit entrepreneur Jeffrey Feldberg spoke with Jim Schleckser, an accomplished leader and CEO coach, who breaks the myth that you need to work endless hours to achieve results.
Jim Schleckser is not your typical CEO. He’s the founder of The CEO Project, a company focused on helping leaders grow their businesses without burning out. Jim supports the idea of the “lazy CEO,” emphasizing how smart delegation and time management can lead to successful leadership.
Jim believes in working less but achieving more. He says, “Great CEOs don’t work harder; they work smarter.” By focusing on key tasks and delegating the rest, you can avoid the trap of working endless hours. This doesn’t mean sitting back with your feet up. It’s about choosing the right tasks that really make a difference.
It’s not about being inactive, and instead, it’s about smart delegation. He says leaders should delegate tasks if someone else can do them 70 percent as well as they can. “As a CEO, find the kink in the hose and open it up,” Jim explains.
The idea comes from the theory of constraints, where you identify the biggest block in your business and fix it. This approach doesn’t waste time on minor issues, making the business run smoother and faster.
Jim’s approach is inspired by the Theory of Constraints. Think of it like finding the kink in a garden hose. To get the water flowing, you must fix the kink. In business, you find what’s blocking success and work on that. Jim explains, “Your job is to find and fix what’s slowing you down.”
How to Delegate
A big part of being a lazy CEO is learning to delegate. Jim warns against abdicating, which means throwing tasks at people without guidance and hoping for the best. Instead, he talks about levels of delegation. Start by letting someone research a task and report back. As trust builds, you can let them handle more responsibility. Jim says, “If someone is 70% as good as you, delegate to them.”
In the world of business, saying no can be just as important as saying yes. Jim advises to focus on three main objectives at a time. This helps stay focused and avoid spreading yourself too thin. “Focus equals growth,” Jim insists, and concentrating on a few key areas can lead to great results.
Jim stresses the importance of focusing on a limited number of tasks. He advises, “You get three key things to focus on each quarter.” This Focus-3 strategy means concentrating on the most impactful activities to drive growth.
CEOs often think they need to solve every problem and make every decision. This is not efficient. Instead, surround yourself with a great team. Jim shares, “Don’t mistake yourself as the smartest person in the room.”
Jim uses a simple principle from the theory of constraints: identify the biggest blocker in your business and resolve it. He explains, “In any system, one thing controls the whole flow. Find that and unblock it.”
For example, if your sales are sluggish because of a bottleneck in production, that’s where you zero in your efforts. Fixing it can unlock better results without spreading yourself too thin.
CEOs often think they need to solve every problem and make every decision. This is not efficient. Instead, surround yourself with a great team. Jim shares, “Don’t mistake yourself as the smartest person in the room.”
Jim acknowledges there are times when a CEO must be out of balance to achieve something big, like starting a company or running a huge project. However, this should be temporary. After reaching your goal, it’s important to return to a balanced life. He shares, “You can’t get interesting things done if you’re always in balance.”
Emotional Intelligence Matters
Jim highlights the importance of emotional intelligence for leaders. It’s about being aware of your feelings and how they affect others. This can lead to better decision-making and a more positive work environment. “Everything matters,” Jim states, emphasizing the impact of a CEO’s actions on their team.
Even when you reach the top, learning should never stop. Jim stresses the importance of continual growth and education. By improving yourself, you set a strong example for your team. As Jim reminds us, “What you decide not to do defines you just as much as what you choose to do.”
No matter how experienced you are, there’s always more to learn. Jim encourages lifelong learning. He believes that staying curious and open-minded is crucial for personal and professional growth.
Jim advises limiting your focus to just three big things each quarter. “More than that, and you lose focus,” he warns. Successful leaders find their key tasks and push their chips in there. This helps avoid being overwhelmed and ensures every action counts toward big goals.
Jim’s formula for a well-rounded life is simple: focus hard on a few things, but not forever. He shares, “You can’t achieve greatness with balance all the time. There are seasons for everything.” By knowing when to dive deep into work and when to pull back, CEOs can maintain their energy and longevity.
Adapting to AI
Jim also touches on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in business. He sees AI as a tool to make humans more productive, not a replacement for people. By using AI to handle tedious tasks, leaders can focus more on creative and strategic work. “AI is human augmentation,” Jim explains, seeing it as a way to help us work smarter. He suggests that AI can help with routine tasks, allowing leaders to focus on areas that require human creativity and judgment.
AI tools can automate tasks that consume time and resources, bringing about greater productivity. Jim shares how AI is already helping businesses by handling repetitive tasks like financial audits or processing invoices. He states, “AI is great at that, allowing us to focus on more innovative efforts.”
By implementing AI for specific, routine tasks, companies can free up employees to work on creative, high-impact projects. This leads to a more efficient and motivated workforce.
In Jim’s view, AI is not just about efficiency; it’s also a partner in problem-solving. “AI can assist with decision-making by analyzing large data sets that would be impossible for humans to process quickly,” he explains.
The insights gained from AI can lead to new strategies and solutions, allowing leaders to make more informed decisions. This provides a distinct advantage in fast-paced industries where timely decisions are critical.
While AI offers numerous advantages, Jim makes it clear that human intuition and creativity remain irreplaceable. AI can provide data and predictive analytics, but the nuanced understanding and emotional intelligence of a leader will always play a crucial role in executing decisions.
He elaborates, “Good leaders will embrace AI, but they’ll also recognize when to rely on human interactions to drive their company forward.”
Conclusion: Lead with Balance and Focus
Becoming a great leader doesn’t mean doing everything yourself or burning out. As Jim says, “Everything matters.” By focusing on what truly drives your business forward and leveraging your team’s strengths, you can lead effectively and enjoy a balanced life.
Jim Schleckser’s insights offer a guide to those looking to manage their business with more freedom and impact. Instead of chasing every task, find what truly makes a difference and master the art of smart delegation. Your journey as a CEO becomes not only successful but manageable, leaving you time to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
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