The Last 10%
“If I were your employer, I wouldn’t pay you to do only 90% of the work,” is what I tell my teenage kids when they “finish” a job, but not really. And while I pick at my kids to finish the last 10% of their work, the reality is a lot of adults, including myself, leave jobs 90% done.
Just today I walked my tax folders to the storage spot, then left them on top of a box, four feet from where they were supposed to be filed. Really, four feet away? For those of you who are homeowners, you probably know this struggle well. We have house projects that are mostly done, but the last 10% gets finished right before we sell the place. So often it’s such a small step to finish the last 10%, why do we struggle to complete the last 10%?
Why Don’t We Finish?
The truthful answer – I don’t really know why we struggle to complete the last little bit. Especially since not finishing a task goes against all the research Daniel Pink did in his work on what motivates people at work. What his research showed was more than money, people wanted to accomplish something – to see the results of their efforts. Learn more about his work in this fun, animated video.
So why do we struggle? Perhaps we feel the work is done even though there’s 10% left. Or perhaps we realize there isn’t a consequence and that the last 10% doesn’t really impact the outcome. Or perhaps there’s a tiny bit of rebel in us that says, “Close enough.”
Whatever our motivation for not finishing, we forget the reward of finishing a task.
The Rewards of Finishing
What are some of the rewards of finishing?
- Having peace of mind that there’s not going to be any last-minute surprises like, “Wait, that’s supposed to be here, where did I put it?”
- Knowing you dug deep into the yuck of the last few steps and found the grit to get it done.
- Realizing you don’t have to circle back because you created more work by not completing the steps to begin with.
- Enjoying the final product before needing to finish the project for someone else who will reap the benefits of the finished product (homeowners – am I right?).
This last 10 percent applies to so many things. Our inboxes, our offices, our good intentions of writing a thank you note. This week I’ve been challenged to finish the last 10% on several projects, and when I’ve taken the few extra minutes to complete the task 100%, I feel amazing. Having these unfinished projects has added unconscious stress, which I have only realized now that the last 10% is done.
What do you need to wrap up this week? What can you cross off your list for good? What can you enjoy even more knowing the job is 100% complete? Finishing the last 10% – that’s your goal for the week. In the words of Larry the Cable Guy, Go and “Git R Done.”
Vistage chair, keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant, Sarah Gibson, helps organizations leverage the power of communication, teamwork, and diversity to improve engagement and transform teams.
If you are a CEO or know a CEO who would benefit from a peer advisory group, please contact Sarah at Sarah.Gibson@VistageChair.com. To inquire about her speaking programs, please visit www.sarahjgibson.com.
