Is Saying “Just Get It Done” Poor Leadership?

Results are a finite measuring stick. Having a “Get it Done” mindset can help drive task completion and produce results. While leading others, however, using the words “Just Get It Done” can have many undesired effects.

To be clear, what we say to ourselves is not necessarily what we should say to others. Looking at my own action item list every day, I always want to complete and check off as many items as I can. It is my own personal accountability tool. I will often think to myself when looking at a task, “Just Get IT DONE!”

“Just Get It Done” will NOT Motivate Others

I may use this phrase to motivate myself. Saying it to another person or group will not have the same effect. Some reasons saying “Just Get It Done” could demotivate:

• Speed to completion may not be the only goal of the work
• Challenges may exist that require additional resources or time
• Eliminates dialogue which could produce new ideas to improve performance
• Could serve to minimize collaboration efforts
• Undesired shortcuts becoming a cultural norm

“Just Get It Done” is not an empowering statement. It is a one way statement where the leader indicates there will be no more discussion on the subject. The subordinate must produce results even if not fully empowered or properly resourced to do so. In a typical local government setting, the statement communicates to the employee the leader does not care about the employee or any of the challenges associated with achieving the desired outcome.

In a group setting, this will not only impact the employee. The group culture will suffer as others seek to avoid being publicly shut down. It could also set a poor standard for those in a position to lead.

Being a leader is not the same thing as being a doer. Leading includes having standards for delivery time frame and quality of work. It also entails holding employees accountable. Leading and motivating also requires genuinely caring for other people and their well being. There are methods to meet time goals that will serve to motivate employees better than “Just Get It Done!”