We all love the “oh-so-cool” person who can just “wing it” in any situation, don’t we? We admire James Bond because he can engage in a bloody, life-or-death struggle with armed assassins and then, thirty minutes later, walk into a high-stakes poker game (of course in a perfectly tailored, freshly pressed tuxedo) and appear as though he just had a facial and manicure.

Everyone aspires to be that spontaneous speaker who never fails to make the right statement.

Naturally, none of us fit that description. In reality, teams of writers draft those perfect one-liners Daniel Craig uses as Bond through four or five (or more) iterations over the course of days or even weeks.

And yet some people still try to “wing it.” in their work, their careers, their personal relationships, and their lives. They don’t seem to understand that this is it! This is the performance; this is not a rehearsal.

I produced TV for the majority of my professional life. Additionally, you must be aware of the show you’re producing as the first rule of being a successful TV producer. Things won’t likely go well if you arrive on the Grey’s Anatomy set believing you are filming an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians (although it will probably be a memorable Grey’s episode).

When Steven Spielberg showed up for the first day of shooting for Jurassic Park, do you think he looked around and said, “Hey, perhaps we could do something with dinosaurs!” He had already completed the task, so of course not. He storyboarded and planned every shot.

And why should you treat your work any less seriously than Steven Spielberg does? After all, you do desire a positive outcome just as much as he does.

In that case, the first step is to identify precisely what that result is. What do you intend to achieve? What television program would you like to create? I’m aware that you’ve heard this before and that it sounds overly simple. However, saying something and actually doing it are two entirely different things, and my research indicates that very few leaders have a crystal-clear understanding of what they want to accomplish.

Oh, they say things like, “increased productivity,” or “better profits,” or the ultimate in unclear goals, “success.” You won’t be able to tell if you’re getting closer or further away, much less if you’ve achieved, until you have a clear understanding of what these things mean and a way to measure them.

Few leaders are able to articulate their goals with absolute clarity. Even fewer have shared this vision with their teams, even if they do. They may believe they have, but the research contradicts them. (Consider taking a seat for this.)

According to the study, only one out of every seven employees can name even one of their company’s most crucial objectives. This indicates that, within your company, 85% of your team members are unaware of the goal you are attempting to achieve. Consequently, they wing it when they arrive at work each day.

Then you start to wonder why your goals aren’t being met.

You’ve heard it before, but this time, I want you to take action. Figure out what your goal is – figure out your “show” – in a way that is clear and measurable. Make sure your team is aware of the objective and is able to measure it with you after that.

You make a successful show in this manner.