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As a result of more emphasis on work-life balance globally, we increasingly hear and see that leaders are afraid to activate the highest level of urgency (red eye). They fear that it will foster a toxic environment and employee turnover. We think that employees join ambitious companies because they aspire for greatness. By the same token, we argue that your team wants to see problems fixed and opportunities captured today, as opposed to next week.
At Bifrost, we've recently started referring to urgent tasks or projects as "red eye processes." This terminology emerged during a collaboration with an industrial designer named Collin. Collin offered us faster delivery on a project if we paid a "red eye fee." We had never heard that term before, but appreciated this approach and have since been working to define when and where red eye processes make sense, as well as what a red eye process entails in a business context.
We truly believe in urgency, and that hard work and great prioritization often dictates business or success. Whether it's meeting tight deadlines, seizing market opportunities, or managing an overload of tasks, the ability to prioritize and put in the hours might be the difference between success and failure. The "Red Eye Processes'' framework is designed to provide a structured approach to managing these high-pressure situations effectively.
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"Red Eye Processes" is a sense of urgency and prioritization framework activated during extremely high importance and urgency situations. These include:
This framework isn't just about addressing urgency; it also emphasizes taking actions that are often measurable in both the short and long term, significantly benefiting the business
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When faced with one of the qualifying scenarios, it might be the right decision to activate the Red Eye Process. Here's how to implement this framework effectively:
1. Assess the Situation
- Use this checklist to determine if the scenario meets the criteria for activation.
2. Activate the Process
- The activation of a Red Eye Process is a collaborative effort. Everyone involved must clearly understand the reasoning behind this decision and the desired outcomes. Clearly define tasks and responsibilities to ensure efficient and effective execution.
3. Execute the Plan
- Follow a structured action plan to complete the tasks. This means prioritizing the red eye process above all else, dedicating all necessary time and resources until the tasks are completed
Why use the Red Eye Processes
Implementing the Red Eye Processes framework can significantly benefit your business, but it is also a demanding exercise that requires careful consideration. This balancing act between driving the business and team forward and maintaining morale should be approached with delicacy; red eye is a costly but efficient weapon, so use it wisely. Here are some of the outcomes you should be seeking or expecting:
- Eliminate tasks: Clear your backlog with laser focus and hard work.
- Crush your competitors: Outpace the competition.
-Win the deal: Secure the crucial investment, deal or key hire
The "Red Eye Processes" framework provides a structured approach to managing and pushing through on urgent business scenarios. By implementing this system, ambitious teams and businesses can ensure that critical tasks and opportunities are addressed promptly and effectively, driving growth and success. Integrate this framework into your business or team practices and see how it transforms challenges into opportunities for progress.
This article was whipped up during our first official red eye process. Talk about practicing what you preach, right (written 03:00 AM)?
I see and hear many leaders who are afraid to activate the highest level of urgency. They fear that it will foster a toxic environment and lead to employee turnover. However, I believe many employees join ambitious companies because they aspire for greatness. Similarly, the team and ambitious colleagues want to see problems fixed and opportunities captured today, rather than next week.
Last month, a freelancer offered to complete an entire project over the weekend if we paid a ‘red eye fee’. I had never heard that term before, but I appreciated his willingness to drop everything and deliver a critical project.
As an entrepreneur, I’ve seen a lot of confusion about urgency. We often label tasks as important, but their true priority can be unclear among other important tasks and projects. The red eye concept, however, was clear. Our freelancer was committed to getting it done, whatever it took, and he delivered by Monday.
This experience highlighted the need for a prioritization and urgency framework across our businesses. Since then, I have been working to define when and where red eye processes make sense, as well as what they entail in a business context.
Under my definition, "Red Eye Processes" is a sense of urgency and prioritization framework activated during situations of extremely high importance and urgency. Examples include:
To determine if the situation warrants a red eye process, use the Eisenhower Matrix: is the scenario both highly important and urgent, and does it require additional resources or time that you currently lack? Once activated, the red eye process should consume all available time and resources until the target is met.
A red eye process is not for all teams or businesses, but I am sure some of you will appreciate this simple framework.