You want to do the right thing – but what is it?

​Hey Reader,​

The companies and nonprofits that I typically work with all approach building a better world differently. Some do it through building software. Others through direct service. But they all have one thing in common: every resource counts.

They don’t have billions in revenue or pools of capital. When every dollar and every day counts, the pursuit of efficiency can be appealing. But when I work with clients, we don’t explore efficiency; we talk about effectiveness.

What’s the difference?

According to Merriam-Webster, their definitions are more or less the same: If something is efficient, it is “productive of desired effects; capable of producing desired results with little or no waste (as of time or materials).” If it’s effective, it produces “a decided, decisive, or desired effect.”

If efficient and effective things both produce a desired effect, then what is the difference?

Desire.

Is the core desire to conserve resources (for now) or to play the long game? To get it done, or to do it well?

My daughter is almost four years old and she is learning to work through this subtle difference constantly

It is more efficient to grab a toy she wants away from her friend: she wants the toy, so she takes the toy. It is more effective to attempt to trade toys, suggest that they take turns, or distract her friend with something more enticing. And those are only a few options. Which option would work best with this specific friend? With this specific toy? Is my daughter in enough of a good mood to even make the effort?

That’s one of the reasons people often choose the efficient route: it seems easier. At the time. Desire → action → result. But what about the aftermath? What about the next desire? What about the big picture?

When it comes to efficiency vs. effectiveness, folks often quote management guru Peter Drucker, who said, “Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right thing.”

But that is the part I see leaders struggle with the most: What is the right thing? How do we make those decisions?

While there is no such thing as a crystal ball to assure us, the ability to “see around corners,” as they say, is a muscle leaders can strengthen.

To help, there are three key questions I pose to leaders when they’re trying to make more effective decisions.

What is the thing?

Before we can do the right thing, we have to understand the thing itself. What is it that we want to do? Is it the only action we’re considering? If so, why? How, as a leader, do I typically ideate and decide on various things? What is the desired result and why is it desired? How will this potentially effective path align and intersect with the many other paths we take every day?

Is the thing right?

What does “right” mean to me? What does “right” mean at my organization? Are those aligned? Am I pursuing the desire → action → result path in a vacuum? Or a bubble? What are the consequences of the action(s) I’m considering?

How do we do it?

When leaders deeply understand their desired results, the impacts of their results and actions, and the root of their desires, the right path begins to materialize as if on its own. But it’s not magic. It’s work.

If you have a sharp eye, you probably noticed that I said I’d share three key questions…and followed the first two with many more questions. To truly exercise the “crystal ball muscle,” it’s essential to think deeply. It’s not an interrogation; it’s an exploration.

To explore on your own, you need to be less efficient and more effective

Exploration takes time and space and brainpower. It takes resources, which not many leaders are willing or brave enough to expend in the pursuit of effectiveness.

That’s why it can be both effective and efficient to have a thought partner as your guide, to help you best utilize your resources, identify the right thing, design strategic action, and help you achieve your desired results.

Talk soon,

Caitlin

Caitlin Harper
​Founder, Commcoterie

P.S. – Commcoterie is fully booked for 2025! This year, I have helped and will help small companies scale their businesses while nurturing their people, nonprofits launch new ventures to support their communities, and government agencies drive adoption of new technologies so that people have better access to public services.

It might seem scary, but the time to start thinking about 2026 is now. If you’re a leader of a company or nonprofit that is working to build a better world and you know you need support with program strategy, change management, and stakeholder communication in 2026, send me a note – let’s get the conversation started now.

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