JFDI vs DFTU
I forget where I first read this, but I loved the idea when I came across it because it was just so…well, clear!
Perhaps the acronyms JFDI and DFTU are slightly intimidating at first glance, but they are very simple:
- JFDI standards for Just Fucking Do It.
- DFTU stands for Don’t Fuck This Up
In the context of being a CEO, these are two ways to think about any given initiative. You should constantly ask yourself, which camp does this project fall into? These are 100% mutually exclusive, there is no overlap. So you have to communicate very clearly so that everyone knows which type of work is which.
Is it a ‘Just Fucking Do It’ type of work that needs to get done, and where perfection is the enemy of done? Where speed of execution is far more important than squeezing that last bit of quality?
Examples of this can be:
- Testing new marketing campaigns to gauge consumer interest
- Launching a basic MVP to get customer feedback quickly
- Running small-scale market research surveys to understand preferences
- Experimenting with different pricing models to optimize revenue
- Writing job descriptions
Or is it a ‘Don’t Fuck This Up’ type of project? Something that absolutely cannot fail and must be done perfectly.
- Implementing new financial reporting procedures to comply with regulations
- Developing robust cybersecurity measures to protect customer data
- Building core product infrastructure that the entire business relies on
- Creating redundancy for mission-critical operational processes to minimize risk
- Hiring or firing key individuals.
Stalin purportedly said, “Quantity has a quality all its own”.
Well, perhaps speed has a quality all its own?
How much benefit do we get from knowing when we can move fast and break things and when we should take our time?
This brings Parkinson’s Law to my mind.
Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.
It’s a law that humorously yet accurately captures the essence of human productivity. In its light, the significance of deadlines becomes starkly apparent. Without them, work could theoretically expand indefinitely, lost in a limbo of constant refinement and procrastination. Deadlines serve as necessary anchors, providing a sense of urgency and clarity. They compel us to categorize tasks as either ‘Just Fucking Do It’ or ‘Don’t Fuck This Up’ projects, guiding our pace and focus.
Ultimately, the art of being an effective CEO lies in knowing what needs to be done and understanding the tempo at which it should be pursued.
It’s about striking the right balance between speed and accuracy, agility and thoroughness.
And in this balancing act, Parkinson’s Law reminds us that time, if not diligently managed, can become the greatest adversary of productivity.
