Summary
Success doesn't come from avoiding work; it comes from doing the right work, consistently and well. In a time when "scale" is often used to excuse shallowness, the leaders who win will be the ones who show up, stay focused, and build value the hard way, through substance, not shortcuts. Misplaced priorities don't just delay success; they erode it. Focus on business development. Commit to doing the real work. That's how you build something worth scaling.
In business, a growing trend appears to be progress on the surface, but underneath, it’s nothing more than a “get out of work” strategy. It’s the pursuit of hacks, shortcuts, and busywork disguised as business development. And while it may feel productive, it’s quietly killing real momentum and long-term results. Companies need to ensure that employees are working on top priorities. They also need to be sure that the work is productive.
In this article, we’ll explore why chasing shortcuts is a losing strategy and what business leaders and entrepreneurs should focus on instead: building value, doing the work, and growing the business through effective execution.
The Illusion of Activity vs. Real Productivity
There’s a difference between being busy and being effective. Far too many professionals are caught in the loop of filling their calendars with “strategy sessions,” excessive automation, AI-generated filler content, or outsourcing everything under the banner of “scaling”, without actually doing the core work that creates results.
These misplaced priorities often stem from one belief: that the goal is to work less, not more brilliantly. But here’s the truth: you can’t delegate value creation if you haven’t defined or delivered it yet.
“The only shortcut that works in business is consistently doing the right work, the right way.”
Shortcuts That Undercut What You Do
Be clear: systems, automation, and outsourcing can be robust when built on proven processes and real customer insights. But you undermine your offer when you skip the groundwork and rely on tools or tactics to replace thinking, creating, or selling.
Examples of damaging shortcuts include:
- Launching without validation: Rushing to market with a product you haven’t tested with real customers.
- Automating cold outreach with zero personalization: Burning brand equity to save 15 minutes.
- Using templated content with no relevance: Flooding the internet with noise instead of insight.
- Delegating core responsibilities too early: Offloading marketing, sales, or client interaction before you’ve mastered them yourself.
These approaches prioritize ease over excellence, and ease has never built anything lasting.
Business Development Is the Job
If you’re the founder, principal, or lead of your company, business development is not optional. It is your job. Whether you’re selling services, launching a product, or leading a team, generating growth, relationships, and revenue is non-negotiable.
Business development includes:
- Consistently talking to customers.
- Understanding your market deeply.
- Building real partnerships.
- Selling, yes, personally.
- Creating offers that solve real problems.
These aren’t side tasks to “outsource when you’re ready.” They are the engine of the business. Focusing on them is not a fallback when your shortcuts fail. It’s the strategy you should have led with.
The Get Real Strategy: Show Up and Do the Work
If you’re spending more time figuring out how not to do the work than actually doing it, it’s time to re-evaluate. The most successful business leaders don’t avoid the work; they outwork, outlearn, and out-execute their competition.
Here’s what the Get Real Strategy looks like:
- Prioritize clarity over cleverness: Know what your business does, who it serves, and how it solves real problems.
- Build systems around results, not avoidance: Automate to enhance, not replace, execution.
- Measure what matters: Revenue, engagement, client outcomes, not vanity metrics.
- Stay close to the value: Never get so far removed from your customers that you lose the signal.
Conclusion: Do the Work, Build the Business
Success doesn’t come from avoiding work; it comes from doing the right work, consistently and well. In an era when “scale” is often used to excuse shallowness, the leaders who succeed will be those who show up, stay focused, and build value the hard way – through substance, not shortcuts.
Misplaced priorities don’t just delay success; they erode it. Focus on business development. Commit to doing the real work. That’s how you build something worth scaling.