A Deep Dive into Doing: Master the DMA Tool

A daily discipline behind performance, momentum, and measurable trust.

At the heart of our Daily Edge system is a deceptively simple tool that leaders return to again and again: the Difference-Making Actions (DMA) tool.

It’s one of our most widely adopted trust tools, featured in our writing on Clarity, integrated into our Daily Edge system, and a favorite among leaders and teams who want to see daily progress on goals.

So why revisit it?

Because right now, all around this country and the world, people (and teams and companies) struggle with indecision, procrastination, and feeling stuck. They set the same goals over and over, and fail to make progress.

At its core, the DMA tool is a (very) simple system for getting the right things done. But what it actually helps you do—create priorities, make proactive decisions, build steam—has far greater implications for transforming productivity. It can address

Misalignment and miscommunication
Complacent cultures
Underwhelming or sluggish performance
Negative self-image
Mistrust

Contrary to common thinking, procrastination isn’t a time management issue. It’s a trust issue. One that reflects the confidence in your ability to make the right decisions and take the right actions in the right order—and one that has expansive ramifications on your impact as an individual, a team, and a company.

And this tool gets right to the heart of it.

The Backstory and the Basics

One day in 1918, Charles Schwab—then president of the small-but-scaling Bethlehem Steel Company—invited productivity consultant Ivy Lee to meet with his executives. Lee promised he could increase their productivity in just 15 minutes.

His advice was simple:

1. At the end of each workday, write down the six most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow.

2. Rank them in order of importance.

3. Tomorrow, start with #1. Don’t move to #2 until #1 is complete.

4. Continue through the list.

5. Any unfinished items move to the next day’s list.

When Schwab asked about Lee’s fee, Lee suggested he try the method for a few months and pay what he thought it was worth. Schwab later sent Lee a $25,000 check (equivalent to over $576,000 in buying power today), calling it the most profitable lesson he’d ever learned. Bethlehem Steel went on to become one of the largest steel producers in the world.

That deceptively simple framework became a foundational practice for leaders, entrepreneurs, and industry magnates from Napoleon Hill to Warren Buffett.

Our DMA tool builds on Lee’s original with some important distinctions:

Rather than a generic task list, Difference-Making Actions are laser-focused on your current, most important goal. You identify five productive actions will directly advance your progress toward that goal.

And then you do AT LEAST ONE before you do anything else.

We recommend writing them first thing in the morning, with the goal of crossing off the first time by noon. Because productivity isn’t just about getting more done. It’s about making better decisions, and taking smarter actions, and making progress you (and others) can see and feel.

Trusting Results: Why the DMA Tool Works

The DMA tool may look like a productivity hack. But it’s actually a trust-enhancing mechanism, and one that works both internally and externally.

Because who you are is defined by what you consistently decide—and reliably do.

When you make regular, intentional progress toward what matters most, you create the results necessary for building credibility and becoming a person others can count on.

Overcome procrastination inertia.

Many overwhelmed high-performers confuse motion with momentum. The DMA tool draws a direct line between intention and output, so your energy goes toward what actually moves the needle.

It disrupts delay by demanding a simple, but time-sensitive decision: What’s the one thing you’ll complete today that will move you a step closer to your goal?

Try this: When you’re stuck, start with a list of DMAs that take less than 30 minutes each to complete. Include a clear outcome that is entirely dependent on you. Example: “Make 5 sales calls” is in your hands. “Talk to 5 people” isn’t because they may not pick up.

Reduce cognitive load.

Psychologists call it decision fatigue—the mental and emotional strain that comes from making too many decisions. The more choices a person makes, the harder it becomes to make good choices, especially as the day wears on. (This is why “What’s for supper?” is often met with an exasperated sigh…and a pizza order.)

DMAs shrink your mental to-do list by tapping into your brain when it’s sharpest. Like healthy habits put success on autopilot, practicing DMAs frees up your brain to focus on completing the task at hand—not deciding what task to do.

And that’s huge.

Try this: Write your list as the very first thing you do in the morning, when your decision-making power is the strongest. Begin by reviewing the list from the day before. What critical task needs to be repeated? What carries over? What progress would feel like a major win?

Reinforce your ideal identity.

Confidence comes from keeping promises—to others and yourself. Each completed DMA is evidence: I follow through. I finish what I start. I’m effective at what I do. That identity becomes the foundation for trust-driven performance.

One early team member at the Trust Edge Leadership Institute filled his cubicle walls with Post-it Notes—one for every DMA he completed. In just three months, he had nearly 60 visible, tangible examples of how he had moved the organization forward. Those notes weren’t just a record of what got done. They were proof of who he was becoming.

Try this: Keep your list visible. Whether it’s a sticky note on your desk for each item or a recurring task in your calendar, making your actions visible helps reinforce identity and accountability. If you tend to delete and move on quickly, consider how you can document progress to remind yourself—and others—what you’ve contributed.

Make performance predictable.

High-trust teams are built on reliable contribution—not occasional brilliance. When people know what to expect from you, trust grows.

DMAs create a daily rhythm of action and results. They also serve as visible signals of your priorities—which helps others align with your goals, collaborate more efficiently, and eliminate confusion.

Try this: Share your top DMA with your team or an accountability partner at the start of the day. Invite them to do the same—and check in at the end of the day to celebrate what was accomplished.

Make the Trust Move

The DMA tool reinforces that, in its strongest definition, trust is an action verb.

This isn’t just about getting things done. It’s about making meaningful, measurable moves that creates and contributes to trust—day by day, decision by decision.

As the leading voice on trust, David Horsager helps leaders and organizations transform the way they connect, communicate, and perform. His keynotes, workshops, and Trust Edge Certification programs are designed to reinforce real trust—and real results. Want to bring this message to your event or team? Let’s talk.

Need a refresher on the other Trust Pillars?