Lesson 69: Focus
Focus is the laser beam that helps you cut through big, long-term goals. For example, my younger cousin is finishing her junior year of high school and her goal is to apply to college. While this goal is far in the future, the list of actions is long and can feel overwhelming. To help her accomplish this goal of applying to college this Fall, I created an Eisenhower matrix to focus her time:
This matrix makes her laser focused on what she needs to do to accomplish her goals. When leading a business, focus is important because it ensures everyone works toward solving the single most important problem for a customer. When it comes to skilled trade education, I follow Adtalem Global Education Inc. to understand what excellence looks like in a large organization. They focus on solving the problem of training future healthcare workers. They decided to implement a strategy called “Growth With Purpose.” In their Q3 investor presentation, they detailed their focused efforts across 5 key areas: Marketing, Enrollment, Retention, Pricing, and Programs. However, they focused on marketing, enrollment, and programs this past quarter because they saw immediate opportunities to improve both operational and academic outcomes. This strategy led to Earnings Per Share increasing by 28% compared to Q3 2024. In fact, Morningstar commented, “The firm's profitability is reassuring. Highly profitable companies are often more resilient in recessions and are likely to generate stronger future cash flows for shareholders.” Their laser focus on delivering training to healthcare workers not only increased shareholder value but also allowed them to improve student outcomes.
Focus has had multiple effects on Adtalem. First, they provide clarity for what they believe is the single most important problem for their customers. Second, they have 5 specific areas to solve that problem. Third, they know how each area contributes to profitable growth. Fourth, analysts have a positive view of their performance.
Every day presents a myriad of tasks, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed by what remains undone. But one way to get myself organized is by using the Eisenhower matrix. Each quarter, a business has many tasks to accomplish, but having a disciplined focus on the customer leads to the right strategy. The right strategy leads to profitable growth. Profitable growth increases value in the business.
My vision is to leverage my influence as a Black business leader to pursue economic justice. This principle of sharp focus is particularly crucial when running a trade school. The school needs to invest in curriculum, equipment, and expert instructors. For investors, this translates into a more efficient, high-performing organization with a clear path to profitability and sustainable growth. More importantly, for students, a focused trade school means receiving precisely the immersive, hands-on training necessary for gainful employment in high-demand, essential careers such as welding, plumbing, and electrical work. Laser focus cuts through the noise of activity so you can accomplish your big, long-term goals whether you are a $4 billion company or college applicant.
This is Lesson 69: Focus. Next week is Lesson 70: Maintenance.
