As we were preparing for an upcoming plans brief to the commanding general, we all recognized the wild card in the deck: the chief of staff.
The Chief had a habit of taking every briefing down a rabbit hole, asking questions, and dropping suggestions that didn’t contribute to the discussion and often irritated the boss. He was rarely in synch with the commander, and his ideas were often so far out in left field that it necessitated a superhuman – or super-planner – effort to guide the discussion back onto the subject at hand. And, in the process, drag out a briefing for an additional hour or longer.
But I had a plan.
The day of the briefing, I brought in a large book. Not just any book, but a book filled with colorful images of military equipment – planes, tanks, helicopters, ships. A picture book. No one said anything; everyone understood without a word being uttered. We placed the book near his seat and trusted that once the briefing started, he’d be distracted enough that we could engage the general without interruption.
It worked like a charm. He picked up the book before we started the plans briefing and didn’t look up again until after we were finished.
It’s not just an Abba Song
The Chief suffered from Shiny Object Syndrome – or SOS – a very real and sometimes debilitating tendency. SOS is a continual state of distraction that diverts attention from important tasks or events, a seemingly uncontrolled need to pursue something newer or more interesting. SOS is rooted in the childhood phenomenon of always wanting something new – a toy, a game, a stuffed animal – even when there’s nothing wrong with objects already possessed.
In a professional setting, SOS can be disruptive enough on its own. Left unchecked it becomes downright destructive, cascading into chaos that abandons critical tasks and functions in favor of the next shiny thing. Important projects are left unfinished, new initiatives are pursued without sufficient planning, resources are wasted, and confusion becomes rampant.
Leaders with SOS tend to focus on novelty of change rather than the heavy mental lifting that planning that change requires. They’re so excited about the newness that they skip past the current effort to jump into the next one. The resulting churn burns through resources without producing results, leaving the staff reluctant to commit to any course of action knowing something new and shiny might be around the next corner.
If you’re not in position of authority or a key decision-maker, SOS is an annoyance, but little more. However, when a leader suffers from SOS, the more senior they are, the worse it gets. A recent ProductPlan article describes the challenge: “Because of their stature within the organization, an SOS flare-up results in fire drills, special projects, and other tumultuous activities. Employees feel obligated to follow through with these tasks, even though it falls outside the overall strategy and plan.”
How to Overcome Shiny Object Syndrome
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not on your own. Fortunately, coping with SOS is a team effort. When you become fascinated with something new and shiny, force yourself – and your team – to focus on the potential represented by your current effort. Remind yourself of all the time, effort, and resources invested, progress achieved, and potential left to realize. As Jodie Clark wrote in a 2023 Forbes article, “Be curious, ask questions, but tread carefully before changing your plans.”
Overcoming SOS requires both discipline and organizational focus. Writing in a 2107 Entrepreneur article, Dan Bova offered a four-step process to prevent SOS from taking an organization down that rabbit hole:
1. Sit on ideas before launching them.
When the temptation to pursue a shiny new object starts to overwhelm you, take a beat. Do some research. Consider your options. Take that time to deliberately slow your roll. Not every new idea is worth pursuing.
2. Communicate with your team.
Before jumping at a shiny new object, discuss it with your team. Encourage feedback. Ask the important questions. Get to the “why” before you abandon anything you’re currently working on.
3. Set both long- and short-term goals.
Goals are a backstop against SOS. When that shiny new object captures your attention, slow down and shift gears. Have you met your existing goals? Are you making good progress? If you are, then there isn’t a compelling need to change directions. See your current effort through to the end.
4. Abandon projects only when necessary.
If your current project is on time, on target, and on budget, stick to the plan. That doesn’t mean you can’t queue up another initiative, just don’t abandon what’s working.
While SOS isn’t considered a diagnosable condition, the people around you recognize the tendencies. If you empower them appropriately, they can help you overcome them, allowing you to build more consistent and reliable habits that benefit the organization. Or you can just wait until they put a picture book on your desk and move forward without your attention.
