YOU ARE ONLY EFFECTIVE NOT EFFICIENT
Effectiveness and
efficiency, these two words have been misinterpreted and wrongly used. Many
think when you are effective it therefore means you are efficient and vice
versa, whereas effectiveness sounds differently to efficiency which tend to say
both words have different meanings.
What is
effectiveness? It is the ability to choose the appropriate objective. It
also entails producing or achieving the result that is wanted or intended.
What is
efficiency? It is the ability to make use of things or materials very well.
That is, the quality of doing something very well, with no waste of time,
resources or money.
From the above
definitions, it is crystal clear that, the two words are different. Can you now
see the reason why you are just effective but not efficient?
You might set a goal to achieve at a particular period or time,
though you might achieve the said objective which is being effective but might
not be efficient if resources, time or money were wasted before achieving such
goal.
A simple case study is of a student who wishes to pass West African
Examination Certificate (WAEC) that is an objective. He has chosen an objective
right! But he writes the examination three or four times before passing the
examination. Such student at the end will say to be effective for passing the
examination but not efficient for wasting money, resources, time (3 or 4 years)
before achieving his aim. Looking at this scenario, the pupil however achieve
his aim of passing the examination but eventually wasted some resources.
The problem of “effective but not efficient” is a general problem,
youth of nowadays, government, agencies, parents, individuals and even the so
called businessmen are all facing in this 21st century.
Do you know the reason why you are effective but not efficient? The
only answer and only reason is that, because you are not “SMART”. The
only way to balance between effectiveness and efficiency to avoid wasting of
materials and money and get or achieve your objective is being SMART.
v
SPECIFIC: You must be specific with your decision. Your set objective or
goals must not change. If your goal is specific, then there would not be any
digression or red herring.
v
MEASURABLE: Measurement is another tool for achieving your objective. Your set
objective must be measured to know if really you are working towards achieving
your goals.
v
ATTAINABLE: Does your set objective viable to be attained? A big question to
ask yourself. Never set a goal you know you cannot achieve, that is, never test
the depth of a river with both feet. For example, a junior secondary school
student who intends to register for a West African Examination Certificate
(WAEC) or Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB), for me I think it is an
impossible mission.
v
ACHIEVEMENT: Knowing to you that the goal is attainable thereafter you have to
be monitoring the progress of the objective at any particular period of time.
That is, what has been achieved or attained so far?
v
RELEVANCY: Achieving an objective can be a step forward as many people do
think but ask yourself this sensitive question, what is the relevant of this
goal in my life? Is this right objective? Does this objective set relevant to
the course of my future? Though it might be a positive impact objective but
could only be at the wrong time. Do the right thing at the right time. The step
should be A, B, C, D, E, ……..
v
TIME-BOUND: As many people will say “Time is money”, “Time is precious and
gold”. Always set a specific time or period for yourself to achieve any goal.
The major factor of all is TIME, waste not your time on unnecessary goals or
objectives.
Finally, a balance or equilibrium
emphasis on both effective and efficiency will help you in getting or achieving
your desire objectives and at lower or non wasting of time, resources or money.
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