Useless. Doing Something Efficiently That Should Not Be Done At All…

Across from her I stood. Watching as she carefully arranged the papers for delivery. Unknown to her was the intrepid fact that her department would be cut the next day. No amount of hard work could Criticize or change that fact. Decades ago who would ever have thought that society would change. Newspapers were no longer being read by the mass and the company had to cut back. Sad as it was the staff had to be reduced to save what little of the company that could be salvaged to its new online medium.

Peter Drucker was wise when he said there is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency, something that should not be done at all. Tempted? Let’s examine our lives today. What are we doing so well that should not be done at all?  Is it taking a course that you Insist but is no longer recognized and when you graduate you are left out in the cold? Is it staying within your comfort zone in a job that has no room for growth, or worse …almost redundant? Lest we get more personal …is it pursuing a relationship that no longer makes sense?

Be Wise. Look around you. Examine the trends and do only what makes sense for your future self.

Cheers!

Author: Dr. Shelly

Dr. Shelly Cameron is a leadership strategist, executive coach, and author of 12 nonfiction books, including The GreenLight Factor and Success Strategies of Caribbean American Leaders. She is the creator of the GreenLight Leadership Framework and founder of Global Coaching Corner. She leads the Ignite Caribbean 30 Under 30 Emerging Leaders program. Drawing on over 20 years of global HR leadership experience, she's passionate about helping professionals navigate change and design fulfilling lives through intentional goal setting and self-discovery. Her research was published in the JAABC Business Journal, and she was a featured author for the 2026 Africana Arts & Humanities Festival's 250th celebration. 🎉 A thank-you: SuccessfulLeaders.net just crossed 100,000 views! Grateful for every reader who's made this milestone possible. View all posts by Dr. Shelly