We are likely the most distracted generation in human history. Our brains are constantly overloaded, running out of RAM trying to store every bit of data we encounter daily, politics, work deadlines, your kids’ practice schedules, economic news, global conflicts. The expectation to track and manage so much information has never been higher. Yet, when we step back and look objectively, most of what we're consuming is noise, unnecessary distractions that don’t truly contribute to our goals or wellbeing.
As business leaders, this becomes even more critical. You're bombarded daily by problems, crises, and emergencies. But how do you distinguish what's truly important from mere noise? As we used to say in the safety world, "If everything is an emergency, nothing is an emergency."
Here are a few key areas where cutting through noise and honing in on the signal is essential:
Leadership
Great leaders possess the critical skill of filtering noise to focus clearly on signals. For example, look at a stock chart minute-by-minute and you'll likely panic, convinced you're losing money. But zoom out to a yearly view and the narrative changes completely. Patience and perspective transform how we interpret information. One of my mentors always emphasized, "In the face of crisis, buy time."
Leaders effectively separate signals by focusing on leading indicators rather than lagging metrics. Lag measures, like annual revenue goals, tell you what happened after it's too late to influence outcomes. Instead, prioritize leading indicators, actions your team can control daily or weekly, such as daily cold calls or weekly proposals sent. Customer success teams should track weekly engagement metrics and sentiment analysis from reviews. Product development teams benefit more from regular user interviews and prototype testing than from tracking adoption rates post-launch.
Prioritizing these leading indicators enables proactive leadership, allowing anticipation of challenges rather than reacting to outcomes.
Entrepreneurship
Founders must not only anticipate market trends but also execute quickly when the market is ready. The risk of chasing hype cycles and shiny new industries is real, yet often the most successful approach is narrowing your focus and excelling at one core competency.
I recently listened to an episode of The Founders podcast about Todd Graves, founder of Raising Cane’s. His idea was simple: create the best chicken fingers on the planet, nothing else. Investors, bankers, and even his LSU business professor doubted him. "Look at McDonald’s; they offer variety. Why limit yourself?" Today, Raising Cane’s has over 800 locations, each averaging $6.5 million annually, with some surpassing $20 million. By simplifying the menu, ordering became easier, supply chain more managable and service faster. Graves cut all the noise, anything that didn't directly support his goal of making exceptional chicken fingers.
Steve Jobs and In-N-Out’s Harry Snyder shared similar obsessions with simplicity and eliminating distractions. The loudest voice isn't always correct. Vision, persistence, and clarity help founders resist distractions and stay the course.
Life
We all consume too much information, much of it unnecessary. Consider your email inbox, how much time is wasted deleting spam or irrelevant ads? Constant decision-making between actionable insights and meaningless distractions leads to decision fatigue. Implementing an "information diet" can drastically reduce this clutter.
Here’s how to start your information diet:
Audit Your Inputs: Categorize your information sources as Essential, Interesting (but non-essential), and Noise.
Eliminate Pure Noise: Unsubscribe from unnecessary newsletters (not this one), and aggressively reduce app notifications.
Create "Info Windows": Allocate specific, limited times each day for consuming optional content.
Curate Essential Inputs: Choose fewer, higher-quality sources that genuinely contribute to your objectives.
Develop an Intake Filter: Before consuming, ask:
Does this help achieve my current goals?
Will this improve my thinking or actions?
Does this deserve attention right now?
Adjust Your Environment: Move distracting apps away from easy access, create friction to reduce impulsive use. Even better, delete them completely. Life when going on a food diet, the best way to avoid unwanted food is to not buy it or throw it away. If it’s in the fridge or pantry, you are making it harder on yourself by challenging your self-control. Get rid of it.
Reflect and Adjust: Weekly reviews help refine your strategy continuously. Don’t let your information diet be a lag measure.
Just as improving fitness or finances requires intentional effort and strategy, managing your information intake demands deliberate, disciplined action. The goal is clarity, reducing noise to amplify what truly matters.
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Another timely one here, professor. Genuine wisdom