People who run around in circles might appear efficient, but are they effective? There is a difference, one that could result either in a successful, growing business or a stagnant operation that’s just limping along.

Consider the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definitions. Effective: producing a decided, decisive or desired effect. Efficient: capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time or energy. Getting a lot done isn’t the same as setting and accomplishing goals. 

A classic example of someone who appears efficient, but is rarely effective, is what the financial services industry terms the “star performer.” Picture the five points of a star, then overlay the star on a map. At the top point, place the first meeting of the day. Going clockwise, place the third meeting at the next point, the last one at the third point, the second one at the fourth point, and the fourth one at the fifth point. A “star performer” has lots of meetings, but these events are all over town and waste energy, time and gas getting around. A “star performer” often fails to screen people with whom the meetings will take place, wasting even more time. “Star performers” meet with lots of suspects, but not so many actual prospects. This performer might believe scheduling lots of events is efficient. But if the events are all over the map, the approach isn’t very effective. In contrast, effective performers group meetings and appointments by geographical area and screen the people with whom they meet.

Effectiveness also entails heavy use of the 80-20 rule:
80 percent of your business comes from 20 percent of your clients and prospects. This type of performer knows meeting with suspects might fill the calendar, but is almost always a waste of time, energy and resources.

Making and prioritizing lists offers a way to become more effective. Compiling a list is efficient. Taking the next step and prioritizing activities in terms of what will have the greatest effects on your productivity and ultimate success is effective.

Efficiency might or might not yield the results you need. But effectiveness almost always gets the desired results.

Consider these two approaches to scheduling five client meetings this week. One is effective, the other merely efficient.

Efficient: Go through your contact list starting with the As. Call or send emails to the first 10 to ask for a meeting. Keep calling or emailing to blocks of 10 until you schedule your desired five meetings. This might take a while.

Effective: Prioritize your contact list into prospects and suspects. Pass the suspects to a new person in your office. Next, organize the prospects according to the 80-20 rule — 20 percent of your prospects are likely to generate 80 percent of your business. Call the first 10 of these likely future clients or customers and invite them to meet for coffee. If you’ve assessed their potential accurately, you should easily get five meetings. This offers a much more effective use of your time.

While keeping a to-do list could be useful, simply checking off items doesn’t mean you’re effective. Look at the results you obtained. Was this activity valuable? Did it affect your goals or bottom line? At the end of the week, review your to-do list or calendar to identify which activities weren’t productive, what meetings you could assign to someone else and what tasks are better for someone else to handle. Use this assessment on Friday afternoon to compile your to-do list and calendar for the following week. You’ll be ready t hit the ground running on Monday morning.

The bottom line? Question your approach to productivity, plan and validate your tasks and focus on goals and mission.