Successful creativity often is judged by winning or losing in the short term. These short sited creative wins become the criteria to judge others and the voice that speaks loudest. It becomes the standard overlooking sustainability for long term success but it fails to deliver.
Short term judgments of creativity are predicated on solving current issues quieting those who attempt to ensure longevity. The need to instantly and creatively solve a short term issue will overwhelm the need to establish long term value, consistency and trust. People who build short term creative solutions are often glamorized, written about and held in the highest esteem. Their criterion for success is then written for others. However, if that short term creative success falters, those who created and enjoyed the notoriety whimper into the shadows without a second thought from anyone. Long live the King, the King is dead.
Creativity over time is a goal that deserves more focus. Will what we are about to do maintain value, is there a consistency of purpose, does it follow core values and is it creating a level of mutual trust between all parties? A creative product is the result of discovery, attentive to lessons learned, merging insights into ideas and shutting out the voices demanding short term success criteria. Energy is dedicated to connecting past and present events and to envisioning a future where more value has been created.
Creativity is a way of being. It is embedded in an organization; it is a product of small, medium and long term success criteria. Creativity is an orchestra not a soloist. Creativity is a journey not a destination.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
October 2007 Deep Insights
Performance evaluation begins by setting goals for the future, matching capabilities and talent against the goals and then structuring metrics to tell everyone if we are moving toward our goals.
Goals are the foundation of performance evaluations. Without goals all views of the here and now become subjective. Each view is determined by an individual who creates chaos. Goals allow people to know where they are expected to go and what part they will play. Goals serve as the impetus to develop new skills, discard outdated skills and enhance skills that are useful. Goals and skill development set the evaluation process in motion.
Assessment of capabilities against goals leads to the future success of the individual and company. When an individual learns where the company is headed, understands how his or her capabilities will or will not add value, a vision for what is needed arises. This vision is no longer an individual vision but a global vision in its formulation to achieve success for the company.
Metrics are the mirror for effort in motion to achieve individual and company goals. Metrics are interventions for everyone to focus on their efforts producing results. If results are not forthcoming, efforts must be redirected to ensure success. Transparency of metrics is the best of all worlds allowing people to make adjustments independently before goals are not met.
Performance judged against goals with metrics to forestall crisis will lead to individual and company success.
Goals are the foundation of performance evaluations. Without goals all views of the here and now become subjective. Each view is determined by an individual who creates chaos. Goals allow people to know where they are expected to go and what part they will play. Goals serve as the impetus to develop new skills, discard outdated skills and enhance skills that are useful. Goals and skill development set the evaluation process in motion.
Assessment of capabilities against goals leads to the future success of the individual and company. When an individual learns where the company is headed, understands how his or her capabilities will or will not add value, a vision for what is needed arises. This vision is no longer an individual vision but a global vision in its formulation to achieve success for the company.
Metrics are the mirror for effort in motion to achieve individual and company goals. Metrics are interventions for everyone to focus on their efforts producing results. If results are not forthcoming, efforts must be redirected to ensure success. Transparency of metrics is the best of all worlds allowing people to make adjustments independently before goals are not met.
Performance judged against goals with metrics to forestall crisis will lead to individual and company success.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
September 2007 Deep Insights
Are we as good or as lackluster as our metrics deem us to be? Organizations often lean toward celebrating success or chastising themselves when in fact their performance is being dictated by uncontrollable circumstances. To determine the “uncontrollable” an organization must understand their ecology.
Ecology is understanding the environment in which you live predicting interactions and their influence on your strategy. One must map the parts from the largest to the tiniest connecting them with what is known. How do they influence each other? What is happening in their environment that will force them to act in a manner that is positive or negative to your desired results? Are trends emerging that will create wide industry upheaval or lead the industry to new levels? Will these trends be local, national or international? How does your environment affect your thinking, your personnel and your competitors?
It is not possible to observe and track your entire ecosystem. Therefore, once the parts of your ecosystem have been mapped, decisions must be made to prioritize “WATCH LISTS.” Which part will have the greatest impact on your strategy and its execution? Who should be the watcher and what events should they share? Who should they share with, when and how? How will decisions be made to alter execution or the strategy that drives execution? What path will lead to performance when chaos reigns? When will we revisit the “WATCH LIST” to determine if those on the list matter or don’t matter? Should new parts be added? Should old parts be deleted?
These questions are important when determining performance, or lack of. Is performance because of me or in spite of me? Knowing the answers will lead to watching uncontrollable ecosystem parts. Organizations that know their ecosystem are prepared to act, not react, to uncontrollable parts and their influence on performance.
Ecology is understanding the environment in which you live predicting interactions and their influence on your strategy. One must map the parts from the largest to the tiniest connecting them with what is known. How do they influence each other? What is happening in their environment that will force them to act in a manner that is positive or negative to your desired results? Are trends emerging that will create wide industry upheaval or lead the industry to new levels? Will these trends be local, national or international? How does your environment affect your thinking, your personnel and your competitors?
It is not possible to observe and track your entire ecosystem. Therefore, once the parts of your ecosystem have been mapped, decisions must be made to prioritize “WATCH LISTS.” Which part will have the greatest impact on your strategy and its execution? Who should be the watcher and what events should they share? Who should they share with, when and how? How will decisions be made to alter execution or the strategy that drives execution? What path will lead to performance when chaos reigns? When will we revisit the “WATCH LIST” to determine if those on the list matter or don’t matter? Should new parts be added? Should old parts be deleted?
These questions are important when determining performance, or lack of. Is performance because of me or in spite of me? Knowing the answers will lead to watching uncontrollable ecosystem parts. Organizations that know their ecosystem are prepared to act, not react, to uncontrollable parts and their influence on performance.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
August 2007 Deep Insights
Vison, goals, objectives, tactics and processes are only of value when results surpass effort. Often organizations and their personnel spend endless amounts of energy to determine how they will walk or run forward, not in place or backwards. The “PLAN” becomes the goal. Personnel continue their efforts toward a perfect plan and get lost not taking action to move onward.
Avoiding “PLAN SYNDROME” requires the stamina to focus on results by measuring the outcome of effort. Knowing what works and what doesn’t requires a navigational model. With the final goal in mind the organization must build a time line with benchmarks back to today. Benchmarks are intervention points to evaluate effort against results. Intervention points provide learning and opportunities to adjust effort for continued success or corrective action to improve results. The worst of all worlds is to continue supporting efforts that are not productive. Timelines, benchmarks and interventions bring results into focus.
Focus on results builds accountability. Consequently, in order to be successful, this environment calls for TRANSPARENCY. When results, not the “PLAN” are the goal, people need data published and available to measure their own and others performance. Surprises must be eliminated. Individuals must have an opportunity to take their own initiative to alter their behavior and their effort on an ongoing basis. Transparency encourages self discipline; improving performance and limiting wasted energy and effort.
Essential to not falling victim to “PLAN SYNDROME” is an organization’s resolve to create a transparent environment and provide navigational benchmarks that clearly illustrate when efforts and energy are producing results.
Avoiding “PLAN SYNDROME” requires the stamina to focus on results by measuring the outcome of effort. Knowing what works and what doesn’t requires a navigational model. With the final goal in mind the organization must build a time line with benchmarks back to today. Benchmarks are intervention points to evaluate effort against results. Intervention points provide learning and opportunities to adjust effort for continued success or corrective action to improve results. The worst of all worlds is to continue supporting efforts that are not productive. Timelines, benchmarks and interventions bring results into focus.
Focus on results builds accountability. Consequently, in order to be successful, this environment calls for TRANSPARENCY. When results, not the “PLAN” are the goal, people need data published and available to measure their own and others performance. Surprises must be eliminated. Individuals must have an opportunity to take their own initiative to alter their behavior and their effort on an ongoing basis. Transparency encourages self discipline; improving performance and limiting wasted energy and effort.
Essential to not falling victim to “PLAN SYNDROME” is an organization’s resolve to create a transparent environment and provide navigational benchmarks that clearly illustrate when efforts and energy are producing results.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
July 2007 Deep Insights
Achieving desired results is often thought of as a masterpiece an artistic event, led by one person who has vision, charismatic charm, unequaled energy and insights to avoid obstacles. True, there are instances of such events but there are more that follow the process I describe.
First, a vision must be shared by all. It must be transparent to an organization, it must be the charismatic charm that drives people to a level of energy that is unequaled in past endeavors. The future directed by many not driven by a few.
Second, all leaders must be committed to avoiding obstacles not solving problems. They must create and maintain an environment where personnel are committed to open and honest evaluation of their actions as well as others. This environment is best orchestrated by creating ownership, recognition and thoughtful consideration of people’s individual desires.
Third, architecture to embrace this concept is designed through critical paths that establish what-who-when. The critical path establishes a timeline and intervention intersections guaranteeing information flow to avoid obstacles. It builds responsibilities for project participants that are transparent thus holding people accountable for their actions. It focuses everyone on results not effort yet allowing personal space for individual initiative. The critical path fosters teamwork, mental models for competent execution, while capturing and directing people’s efforts toward their shared vision.
TEAM vision, not SOMEONE’S vision is an artistic event lead by a process that rewards many not few.
First, a vision must be shared by all. It must be transparent to an organization, it must be the charismatic charm that drives people to a level of energy that is unequaled in past endeavors. The future directed by many not driven by a few.
Second, all leaders must be committed to avoiding obstacles not solving problems. They must create and maintain an environment where personnel are committed to open and honest evaluation of their actions as well as others. This environment is best orchestrated by creating ownership, recognition and thoughtful consideration of people’s individual desires.
Third, architecture to embrace this concept is designed through critical paths that establish what-who-when. The critical path establishes a timeline and intervention intersections guaranteeing information flow to avoid obstacles. It builds responsibilities for project participants that are transparent thus holding people accountable for their actions. It focuses everyone on results not effort yet allowing personal space for individual initiative. The critical path fosters teamwork, mental models for competent execution, while capturing and directing people’s efforts toward their shared vision.
TEAM vision, not SOMEONE’S vision is an artistic event lead by a process that rewards many not few.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
June 2007 Deep Insights
Creativity is subjective in the eye of the beholder. Creativity can be the creation of something new or collectables repackaged to meet emerging needs or my opinion of. A definition is elusive and may best be found in a process encouraging participation surfacing insights and trends leading to ideas driving results to an unexpected level.
Participation, collaboration, sharing information, asking questions, searching for facts, understanding circumstances and the environment, it is a process that welcomes everyone through a culture that respects an individual’s right to be different. It is a world where fear is non-existent, freedom reigns and guilt afflicts those who do not speak out. It’s a culture where failure is a learning experience, an opportunity to expand everyone’s knowledge; a second in time, a step on the path, an experience waiting for NEXT.
Insights and trends drawn from participation provide knowledge built from diverse views of a world willing to become transparent, a willingness to invite others to understand their communities and provide products benefiting people and organizations. Building relationships for future insights and sustaining participation not knowing the influence of one on another. They are vehicles for change in a chaotic environment where full control is no control.
Ideas surface when open participation is encouraged welcoming communities with diverse views to understand each other. They must accept co-existence of safe havens and free zones. Where individual ideas are not judged but used to stimulate and build more ideas. Where right or wrong is not the issue but results are the goal.
Creativity is leadership holding itself accountable for a culture that embraces ideas, trends and insights limiting its telling to establishing standards enhancing participation.
Participation, collaboration, sharing information, asking questions, searching for facts, understanding circumstances and the environment, it is a process that welcomes everyone through a culture that respects an individual’s right to be different. It is a world where fear is non-existent, freedom reigns and guilt afflicts those who do not speak out. It’s a culture where failure is a learning experience, an opportunity to expand everyone’s knowledge; a second in time, a step on the path, an experience waiting for NEXT.
Insights and trends drawn from participation provide knowledge built from diverse views of a world willing to become transparent, a willingness to invite others to understand their communities and provide products benefiting people and organizations. Building relationships for future insights and sustaining participation not knowing the influence of one on another. They are vehicles for change in a chaotic environment where full control is no control.
Ideas surface when open participation is encouraged welcoming communities with diverse views to understand each other. They must accept co-existence of safe havens and free zones. Where individual ideas are not judged but used to stimulate and build more ideas. Where right or wrong is not the issue but results are the goal.
Creativity is leadership holding itself accountable for a culture that embraces ideas, trends and insights limiting its telling to establishing standards enhancing participation.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
May 2007 Deep Insights
Management practices tend to lead people to “stop talking and go to work” but they must be more versatile allowing “watchful talking” to be a part of work. The execution of a Strategic Plan is a universe filled with disruptive events. Such events may be relevant or irrelevant, complex or simple and they can support or derail a Strategic Plan. Whatever the event or combination of events, everyone involved must talk watchfully.
Asking specific questions against plan benchmarks is key to successful execution. Watchful talking is the art of using the answers to such questions to map the environment in which an execution takes place. What must be learned for our plan to work? What predictable events will occur in the short term? How will they affect the plan? Who will they affect in the plan? Who should we tell? The answers to such questions should result from looking at the environment as a whole, from inside and outside of the company. Connections should be drawn from large and small events, people and technology innovations, local and global economies, government regulations and/or proposed regulations.
While this first aspect of watchful talking protects day to day activities, future events must also be predicted to avoid impediments before they occur. Such future events are called watchful predictions and are a positive and useful by-product of watchful talking. People charged with execution gain an awareness of others’ environments from learning what events could cause impediments for them. Once determined, watchful predictions can trigger adjustments in the effected environment and allow a smooth execution. Forewarned by predictions, watchful talking will create necessary adjustments prior to derailment of a Strategic Plan.
Everyone must embrace talking at work in a way that enhances the execution of the Strategic Plan. Watchful talking is an art that leads to a structured mapping process for execution. As the mapping process unfolds, watchful predictions become self-evident; built from the plan’s environment as a whole. Watchful talking and watchful predictions are processes through which events are understood and execution altered for success.
Asking specific questions against plan benchmarks is key to successful execution. Watchful talking is the art of using the answers to such questions to map the environment in which an execution takes place. What must be learned for our plan to work? What predictable events will occur in the short term? How will they affect the plan? Who will they affect in the plan? Who should we tell? The answers to such questions should result from looking at the environment as a whole, from inside and outside of the company. Connections should be drawn from large and small events, people and technology innovations, local and global economies, government regulations and/or proposed regulations.
While this first aspect of watchful talking protects day to day activities, future events must also be predicted to avoid impediments before they occur. Such future events are called watchful predictions and are a positive and useful by-product of watchful talking. People charged with execution gain an awareness of others’ environments from learning what events could cause impediments for them. Once determined, watchful predictions can trigger adjustments in the effected environment and allow a smooth execution. Forewarned by predictions, watchful talking will create necessary adjustments prior to derailment of a Strategic Plan.
Everyone must embrace talking at work in a way that enhances the execution of the Strategic Plan. Watchful talking is an art that leads to a structured mapping process for execution. As the mapping process unfolds, watchful predictions become self-evident; built from the plan’s environment as a whole. Watchful talking and watchful predictions are processes through which events are understood and execution altered for success.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
April 2007 Deep Insights
New beginnings are tools for success. They are a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is to be a student of past and present conditions; the opportunity is to build a vision that utilizes past and present strengths.
Past historical analysis provides an understanding of culture. What gave us what we have? Was our success based on riding a trend that anyone could have ridden? Have we experienced both growth and shrinkage? Faced adversity both internally and from the external world? Are we product innovators, product enhancers or low cost duplicators? Has our management come from within or are they hired from outside? What has been our economic engine?
Present environments must be evaluated in a way that respects reality. As an organization, we must accept what we are, not what we want to be. Are margins growing? Have our revenues been growing? What is the benchstrength of our personnel? Do we have technical skills required for today? Are our people capable of conducting research, identifying trends and capturing innovations to ride those trends? Do we know our echo system? Are we in touch with its world and understand how it influences our success? Have we built relationships with the echo system influencers? What activities are measured to determine strategic successes? Are succession plans in place for employees, management, CEO, customers and products?
The future is a portrait drawn by the past and present that assists an organization to embrace its possibilities. Do we need cash insertions? What cultural aspects do not fit? What gaps are evident in human assets? How will processes hold the organization accountable for commitment and action? How will our future affect relationships internally and externally? What learning must be acquired to be prepared for the next new beginning?
New beginnings are just NEW. Organizations must know “thyself,” have resolve to be flexible and ambidextrous with the discipline to accept ambiguity, moving tirelessly through this NEW, knowing another is a breath away.
Past historical analysis provides an understanding of culture. What gave us what we have? Was our success based on riding a trend that anyone could have ridden? Have we experienced both growth and shrinkage? Faced adversity both internally and from the external world? Are we product innovators, product enhancers or low cost duplicators? Has our management come from within or are they hired from outside? What has been our economic engine?
Present environments must be evaluated in a way that respects reality. As an organization, we must accept what we are, not what we want to be. Are margins growing? Have our revenues been growing? What is the benchstrength of our personnel? Do we have technical skills required for today? Are our people capable of conducting research, identifying trends and capturing innovations to ride those trends? Do we know our echo system? Are we in touch with its world and understand how it influences our success? Have we built relationships with the echo system influencers? What activities are measured to determine strategic successes? Are succession plans in place for employees, management, CEO, customers and products?
The future is a portrait drawn by the past and present that assists an organization to embrace its possibilities. Do we need cash insertions? What cultural aspects do not fit? What gaps are evident in human assets? How will processes hold the organization accountable for commitment and action? How will our future affect relationships internally and externally? What learning must be acquired to be prepared for the next new beginning?
New beginnings are just NEW. Organizations must know “thyself,” have resolve to be flexible and ambidextrous with the discipline to accept ambiguity, moving tirelessly through this NEW, knowing another is a breath away.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
March 2007 Deep Insights
Mentoring personnel, as execution of a strategic plan unfolds, is a critical step. Unfortunately, abdication often is the course chosen by executives. They believe their contribution has been made building the plan and others should be held accountable for its execution.
Strategic plan structure should have mentoring interventions that include executives. To accomplish interventions the plan should be laid out with benchmarks, sunset and sunrise provisions. Benchmarks are stars that will guide personnel to realize their progress in relation to the Strategic Plan. Benchmarks require interventions to determine midcourse achievements, troublesome situations and outside influences that may affect decisions moving forward. Sunset is an intervention structured to call a “time-out” which allows personnel and executives to pause and survey their current position within the Strategic Plan. How is the entire plan fairing? Are all aspects on target? What are the ramifications of being behind or ahead of plan? What has been learned? Who should we tell? Structured sunrise interventions inspire personnel to continue by sharing what has been learned, embracing necessary modifications, take initiative assisting those who have fallen behind, design transparent measurements in view of all personnel and create environments encouraging participation.
Mentoring should not happen by accident and should not have to be requested. Mentoring must be encompassed within the STRATEGIC PLAN. To be successful mentoring must include executives who help build benchmarks, sunset and sunrise dialogue. Mentoring is a process of “talking around,” listening to determine people’s understanding of what should be understood, transforming EXECUTION into a growth opportunity for organizations and individuals.
Strategic plan structure should have mentoring interventions that include executives. To accomplish interventions the plan should be laid out with benchmarks, sunset and sunrise provisions. Benchmarks are stars that will guide personnel to realize their progress in relation to the Strategic Plan. Benchmarks require interventions to determine midcourse achievements, troublesome situations and outside influences that may affect decisions moving forward. Sunset is an intervention structured to call a “time-out” which allows personnel and executives to pause and survey their current position within the Strategic Plan. How is the entire plan fairing? Are all aspects on target? What are the ramifications of being behind or ahead of plan? What has been learned? Who should we tell? Structured sunrise interventions inspire personnel to continue by sharing what has been learned, embracing necessary modifications, take initiative assisting those who have fallen behind, design transparent measurements in view of all personnel and create environments encouraging participation.
Mentoring should not happen by accident and should not have to be requested. Mentoring must be encompassed within the STRATEGIC PLAN. To be successful mentoring must include executives who help build benchmarks, sunset and sunrise dialogue. Mentoring is a process of “talking around,” listening to determine people’s understanding of what should be understood, transforming EXECUTION into a growth opportunity for organizations and individuals.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
February 2007 Deep Insights
Did you hear what I think I said?
A mature mind will always observe its audience knowing the prepared message may get caught in translation issues grounded in experiences. Theirs not yours -- caused by family, religion, education or employment. Life has many pathways that are not traveled by everyone or if traveled their time span is different.
Each person in the audience has their own story, their life story, which translates your message to them.
Families come in all sizes. A single child, to one of 9, 10 or more, oldest, middle, youngest…Mom and Dad, married, single, divorced, separated…Race, cultural backgrounds, close ties or not so close with relatives, geographically within limited time or distant…Neighborhood urban, suburban, working class, middle class, affluent.
Religion structures good and evil, fairness, what one believes to be destiny, how they relate to other individuals, communities, races, cultures.
Education directs knowledge and how one earns position in their chosen field…Was it liberal, conservative or centralist, focused or liberal acts, prestigious or accepting, open or directed, participative or dictated, taught to respect or be respected.
Employment with a company or companies that held performance as their standard or effort…Governance autocratic, democratic or consensus driven…Macro or micro managed, told what to do, asked to participate, rewarded and recognized for contributions, market driven success, years of experience or one year’s experience.
Knowing your audience is complicated but not impossible. Determining their translation of your message is a simple process:
Step One: Ask questions
Step Two: LISTEN
Step Three: Resolve the best possible path to YES is through NO
Step Four: Maintain a ritual of TALKING AROUND
Step Five: Refer to Step One
These five steps will help you know if your message has been translated as you desired. Unfortunately most people tire of “talking around” just when people are getting the message. Do not give in—stay the course.
A mature mind will always observe its audience knowing the prepared message may get caught in translation issues grounded in experiences. Theirs not yours -- caused by family, religion, education or employment. Life has many pathways that are not traveled by everyone or if traveled their time span is different.
Each person in the audience has their own story, their life story, which translates your message to them.
Families come in all sizes. A single child, to one of 9, 10 or more, oldest, middle, youngest…Mom and Dad, married, single, divorced, separated…Race, cultural backgrounds, close ties or not so close with relatives, geographically within limited time or distant…Neighborhood urban, suburban, working class, middle class, affluent.
Religion structures good and evil, fairness, what one believes to be destiny, how they relate to other individuals, communities, races, cultures.
Education directs knowledge and how one earns position in their chosen field…Was it liberal, conservative or centralist, focused or liberal acts, prestigious or accepting, open or directed, participative or dictated, taught to respect or be respected.
Employment with a company or companies that held performance as their standard or effort…Governance autocratic, democratic or consensus driven…Macro or micro managed, told what to do, asked to participate, rewarded and recognized for contributions, market driven success, years of experience or one year’s experience.
Knowing your audience is complicated but not impossible. Determining their translation of your message is a simple process:
Step One: Ask questions
Step Two: LISTEN
Step Three: Resolve the best possible path to YES is through NO
Step Four: Maintain a ritual of TALKING AROUND
Step Five: Refer to Step One
These five steps will help you know if your message has been translated as you desired. Unfortunately most people tire of “talking around” just when people are getting the message. Do not give in—stay the course.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
January 2007 Deep Insights
Your Strategy has been structured; you are thirty days into a new year with measurements in place for successful execution. Management recognizes a few weaknesses and begins to focus on “fixing the problem.” While “fixing” more weaknesses appear and management again refocuses on “fixing the new problems.” The cycle continues with a strategic plan becoming lost with effort focused on “fixing”, not results, for the strategic plan. How do organizations keep strategic plan results in focus and not get caught applauding effort for fixing problems that are not strategically significant?
First, the strategic plan must have activities defined with critical path steps designated as benchmarks that identify the need for intervention or cheers for success. If the benchmark calls for intervention or cheers for results, management must embrace a coaching role, helping others to analyze: What happened? How did it happen? What have we learned? What mid-course correction is required, if any? Who should we tell?
Second, this coaching should be transparent to the organization with direct ties of success or lack of to activities designated to meet the strategic plan. The organization remains focused on its strategy because management is focused, critical paths and benchmarks are observed with a focus on creating results from activities that are to guarantee strategic success. Observations of commitment become self-evident driving the organization to be self-actualized not allowing problems to grab resources unless they will lead to executing designated strategic activities.
Third, decentralization is a key factor for success. Audibles must become a daily results oriented event. When activities are executed but are not leading to strategic success, people leading the execution must be accountable for initiating changes. They must be given the authority to act with accountability for results. Management must COACH action, not take action, by actively “talking around and around and around” strategic plan activities.
To avoid “fixing problems” a strategic plan must be built with activities to achieve that plan. The activities must have benchmarks to celebrate successes or generate interventions with management coaching. The process must be transparent, decentralization must allow audibles to be called with people being held accountable for their actions and finally “talking around” must be embraced.
January 2007
Deep Insights
First, the strategic plan must have activities defined with critical path steps designated as benchmarks that identify the need for intervention or cheers for success. If the benchmark calls for intervention or cheers for results, management must embrace a coaching role, helping others to analyze: What happened? How did it happen? What have we learned? What mid-course correction is required, if any? Who should we tell?
Second, this coaching should be transparent to the organization with direct ties of success or lack of to activities designated to meet the strategic plan. The organization remains focused on its strategy because management is focused, critical paths and benchmarks are observed with a focus on creating results from activities that are to guarantee strategic success. Observations of commitment become self-evident driving the organization to be self-actualized not allowing problems to grab resources unless they will lead to executing designated strategic activities.
Third, decentralization is a key factor for success. Audibles must become a daily results oriented event. When activities are executed but are not leading to strategic success, people leading the execution must be accountable for initiating changes. They must be given the authority to act with accountability for results. Management must COACH action, not take action, by actively “talking around and around and around” strategic plan activities.
To avoid “fixing problems” a strategic plan must be built with activities to achieve that plan. The activities must have benchmarks to celebrate successes or generate interventions with management coaching. The process must be transparent, decentralization must allow audibles to be called with people being held accountable for their actions and finally “talking around” must be embraced.
January 2007
Deep Insights
November 2006 Deep Insights
Creativity is a state of mind. Creativity occurs when people are given the freedom to experiment and take risks. It can be the curiosity of one person, a collaborative group or people communicating from afar. The challenge sustaining creativity is forming a supportive culture for freedom and risk taking.
Individuals must be encouraged to ask questions, make recommendations and challenge status quo. They should be punished for not doing so; they should be mentored when not doing, to do. They need listening skills to hear what others say and the self confidence to build not destroy. They need to understand creativity is participation and learning from others. They have to embrace today’s work with tomorrow’s curiosity, combining both, making contributions to themselves as well as others.
Groups build and maintain creativity by collecting their wisdom and translating it into a common language to fully understand each other. They are then capable of expanding their wisdom by selecting and sharing creativity with others. When doing so the group will learn its role in the world in which it lives. It will be capable of drawing on new data sustaining creativity and building a thirst for others participation. The group will recognize the value of outside motivation for inspiration.
People communicating from afar must be prepared to share information without placing judgment. They must be willing to learn local customs that are not in their environment, they must be willing to listen to history, anecdotal and factual, that have positioned others in their current state and learn what their definition of creative is. Once they have grasped each others positions, dialogue can begin without insulting one another and contributions to common creativity can be structured. Afar situations require resolve, maintaining discipline, disagreeing without being disagreeable, for creativity to flourish.
Creativity is not just a Big Bang. It is a commitment to an environment that creates a culture of respect for new insight, rewarding those who participate and take risks and setting consequences for those who do not. Creativity is an end determined by the beginning.
Deep Insights
November 2006
Individuals must be encouraged to ask questions, make recommendations and challenge status quo. They should be punished for not doing so; they should be mentored when not doing, to do. They need listening skills to hear what others say and the self confidence to build not destroy. They need to understand creativity is participation and learning from others. They have to embrace today’s work with tomorrow’s curiosity, combining both, making contributions to themselves as well as others.
Groups build and maintain creativity by collecting their wisdom and translating it into a common language to fully understand each other. They are then capable of expanding their wisdom by selecting and sharing creativity with others. When doing so the group will learn its role in the world in which it lives. It will be capable of drawing on new data sustaining creativity and building a thirst for others participation. The group will recognize the value of outside motivation for inspiration.
People communicating from afar must be prepared to share information without placing judgment. They must be willing to learn local customs that are not in their environment, they must be willing to listen to history, anecdotal and factual, that have positioned others in their current state and learn what their definition of creative is. Once they have grasped each others positions, dialogue can begin without insulting one another and contributions to common creativity can be structured. Afar situations require resolve, maintaining discipline, disagreeing without being disagreeable, for creativity to flourish.
Creativity is not just a Big Bang. It is a commitment to an environment that creates a culture of respect for new insight, rewarding those who participate and take risks and setting consequences for those who do not. Creativity is an end determined by the beginning.
Deep Insights
November 2006
October 2006 Deep Insights
Performance appraisals are tools that provide feedback to personnel. Appraisals offer recognition for contributions, a thank you for commitment, a platform for the development of new skills, a forum to help individuals grow and the ability to build bench strength allowing growth to be staffed from inside. Why then do organizations and managers avoid performance appraisals and what can be done to embrace them?
Avoidance of performance appraisals occurs because the organization and its managers are too busy with day to day activities. Too busy translates into dealing with crisis as a reward system versus crisis being the trigger for analysis to determine root cause. Too busy translates into “stop talking and go to work vs. start talking and go to work.” Too busy translates into everyone does something but nobody is responsible for anything and somebody will pick up the pieces but nobody does. Too busy translates into critic’s corner not permitting coaching, mentoring or development. Too busy translates into growth or succession planning only to find the bench empty.
Embracing performance appraisals begins when an organization develops a process that parks “too busy” and holds executives and managers accountable to evaluate their organization’s current position. An evaluation strategy is developed to improve the organization’s position with activities that will lead to success. The activities are turned into processes that force dialogue: building commitments between executives, managers, business units, departments and employees. From this dialogue commitments become transparent, measured and publicly acknowledged for success or lack of success. Individuals are rewarded or suffer consequences for contributions, or lack of contributions. Coaches and mentors are assigned to assist successful personnel while guiding those that struggle, building bench strength for growth and succession planning, banning the critics to exile.
When an organization commits to strategy, is willing to establish transparency for accomplishments or lack of progress and embraces coaching, not criticism, performance appraisals become a welcome part of its culture.
Deep Insights
October 2006
Avoidance of performance appraisals occurs because the organization and its managers are too busy with day to day activities. Too busy translates into dealing with crisis as a reward system versus crisis being the trigger for analysis to determine root cause. Too busy translates into “stop talking and go to work vs. start talking and go to work.” Too busy translates into everyone does something but nobody is responsible for anything and somebody will pick up the pieces but nobody does. Too busy translates into critic’s corner not permitting coaching, mentoring or development. Too busy translates into growth or succession planning only to find the bench empty.
Embracing performance appraisals begins when an organization develops a process that parks “too busy” and holds executives and managers accountable to evaluate their organization’s current position. An evaluation strategy is developed to improve the organization’s position with activities that will lead to success. The activities are turned into processes that force dialogue: building commitments between executives, managers, business units, departments and employees. From this dialogue commitments become transparent, measured and publicly acknowledged for success or lack of success. Individuals are rewarded or suffer consequences for contributions, or lack of contributions. Coaches and mentors are assigned to assist successful personnel while guiding those that struggle, building bench strength for growth and succession planning, banning the critics to exile.
When an organization commits to strategy, is willing to establish transparency for accomplishments or lack of progress and embraces coaching, not criticism, performance appraisals become a welcome part of its culture.
Deep Insights
October 2006
September 2006 Deep Insights
Business as usual is most often defined as success without knowing what, who, when and how it occurred or running at warp speed, meeting client’s expectations, without knowing if profit margins are cash flow positive.
Not knowing that you don’t know is the worst of “business as usual” only averted by planning. Planning should begin at the end, the delivery date. Working backwards in time intervals that define value added intersections. Value added intersections are defined as go no go quality, cost, resource sensitive dates that will keep all stakeholders in a positive, not negative, state of mind. Indicated intersections become stakeholder meetings to review current status before moving to next steps. They are information sharing, course correction or alternative methods, forestalling to avoid solving issues as the process unfolds. Planning must be part one to avoid crisis management with disciplined thought and action meeting at designated intervention points.
Knowing that you don’t know is the best of all worlds. Planning with intervention points sets the stage for part two of avoiding business as usual. Stakeholder meetings held at intervention points will generate data that is set aside to keep moving forward. Stakeholders know that they don’t know what must be done to avoid similar situations in the future. They must converse to address this data asking questions that will lead to forestalling, not resolving, during the next project. These questions will guide the process: 1. What happened? – facts 2. How did it happen? – facts 3. What did we learn and what do we need to learn? 4. Moving forward, what must we STOP, CONTINUE, BEGIN? 5. Who should we tell, when and how?
Business as usual will become a process, guided by participating personnel in disciplined thought, guiding disciplined action. Information digested, turned into knowledge, preparing for forestalling activities increasing efficiency, profit margins and cash flow.
September 2006
Deep Insights
Not knowing that you don’t know is the worst of “business as usual” only averted by planning. Planning should begin at the end, the delivery date. Working backwards in time intervals that define value added intersections. Value added intersections are defined as go no go quality, cost, resource sensitive dates that will keep all stakeholders in a positive, not negative, state of mind. Indicated intersections become stakeholder meetings to review current status before moving to next steps. They are information sharing, course correction or alternative methods, forestalling to avoid solving issues as the process unfolds. Planning must be part one to avoid crisis management with disciplined thought and action meeting at designated intervention points.
Knowing that you don’t know is the best of all worlds. Planning with intervention points sets the stage for part two of avoiding business as usual. Stakeholder meetings held at intervention points will generate data that is set aside to keep moving forward. Stakeholders know that they don’t know what must be done to avoid similar situations in the future. They must converse to address this data asking questions that will lead to forestalling, not resolving, during the next project. These questions will guide the process: 1. What happened? – facts 2. How did it happen? – facts 3. What did we learn and what do we need to learn? 4. Moving forward, what must we STOP, CONTINUE, BEGIN? 5. Who should we tell, when and how?
Business as usual will become a process, guided by participating personnel in disciplined thought, guiding disciplined action. Information digested, turned into knowledge, preparing for forestalling activities increasing efficiency, profit margins and cash flow.
September 2006
Deep Insights
August 2006 Deep Insights
“You can’t control what’s not measured” is a statement taught by management guru’s for years and alive today. However, the information gained focuses attention on “fixing” before it occurs, anticipating change-not dealing with it.
During the past century, organizations enjoyed markets built and fueled at a pace commiserate with communications. Products developed had life cycles, described in years not seconds, customers accepted built in obsolesce or quality as work in progress, competition was limited to neighbors and lifetime employment was guaranteed. Structuring control through historical measurements and fixing processes for future markets was acceptable. Data was reviewed, solutions researched, decisions made and given to those who “DO” to execute. The process was effective justifying Command and Control Management legacy.
Ah, but as communication breakthroughs occurred, life cycles shortened, customers demanded quality, competition grew from outside the neighborhood and employment no longer was guaranteed, “fixing” must be altered to “anticipating.” Measurements must go beyond control; they must be capable of evaluating speed of communications, life cycle, global competitive intelligence and capturing tacit knowledge prior to its departure. Best Measurements must be constructed for navigational benefits knowing control is exercised when using a guidance system with early warning mechanisms. The data is not to support fail safe but to help out-maneuver the competition and stay on the leading edge of life cycles.
Anticipation Best Measurements are structured by first determining an estimated END walking backwards to the BEGINNING. Knowing where we should be at any given time, structuring interventions to determine if outside circumstances have interfered and being committed to embracing changes that may require revolutionary not evolutionary thinking. This process must occur in real time with disciplined people, who embrace disciplined thought and take disciplined action together
Leadership from all people knowing Best Measurements anticipate the future dictating today’s action Command and Control Management replaced by Futurist Management Influence.
August 2006
Deep Insights
During the past century, organizations enjoyed markets built and fueled at a pace commiserate with communications. Products developed had life cycles, described in years not seconds, customers accepted built in obsolesce or quality as work in progress, competition was limited to neighbors and lifetime employment was guaranteed. Structuring control through historical measurements and fixing processes for future markets was acceptable. Data was reviewed, solutions researched, decisions made and given to those who “DO” to execute. The process was effective justifying Command and Control Management legacy.
Ah, but as communication breakthroughs occurred, life cycles shortened, customers demanded quality, competition grew from outside the neighborhood and employment no longer was guaranteed, “fixing” must be altered to “anticipating.” Measurements must go beyond control; they must be capable of evaluating speed of communications, life cycle, global competitive intelligence and capturing tacit knowledge prior to its departure. Best Measurements must be constructed for navigational benefits knowing control is exercised when using a guidance system with early warning mechanisms. The data is not to support fail safe but to help out-maneuver the competition and stay on the leading edge of life cycles.
Anticipation Best Measurements are structured by first determining an estimated END walking backwards to the BEGINNING. Knowing where we should be at any given time, structuring interventions to determine if outside circumstances have interfered and being committed to embracing changes that may require revolutionary not evolutionary thinking. This process must occur in real time with disciplined people, who embrace disciplined thought and take disciplined action together
Leadership from all people knowing Best Measurements anticipate the future dictating today’s action Command and Control Management replaced by Futurist Management Influence.
August 2006
Deep Insights
July 2006 Deep Insights
Midyear Team Calisthenics
Everyone is accountable for their own performance but often team support is necessary to hold each other accountable. Ambidextrous roles played as a provider and customer of information requires both positive and negative feedback. Teams and team members must embrace both. Three exercises will keep everyone focused on facts not anecdotal conversations.
First, teams must visit goal measurements and determine their progress or lack of progress, once determined, celebrate successes and commit to analysis of current obstacles. Analysis should be carried out through open team dialogue reviewing individual skill capabilities, process partnership collaboration and outside influences that may require goal adjustments. Everyone must be fact friendly.
Second, teams complete their analysis and then determine necessary action. Skill capabilities require acquiring knowledge through learning, outsourcing, personnel changes or hiring. Process partnerships require determining what is there to understand and what is understood. Once completed, a critical path must be established to understanding process partnership collaboration. This path is best established through questions: What should we continue doing? What should we stop doing? What should we begin doing? Answering these questions together will re-energize partnerships and keep the focus on fixing the process not the problem. Last in this second step, teams must revisit what current events influence their goals. Innovation moves faster than execution on many occasions. Teams must be sure they have not been passed by.
Third, our analysis and actions must be tested for their accuracy before execution. Questions we should visit are: What have we learned? What are the implications of our learning? How must we adapt our provider and customer mentality? Have we determined the needs of each customer and are we prepared to meet those needs as individuals and as a provider? Are we still committed to our team goals?
Completion of the above calisthenics will RE-ENERGIZE team members and teams. By allowing team members to be a part of the process, partnerships have been reactivated with enhancements and outside influences have been visited. The team has reestablished common goals and collaborative action with transparent customer and provider personal commitments.
Deep Insights
July 2006
Everyone is accountable for their own performance but often team support is necessary to hold each other accountable. Ambidextrous roles played as a provider and customer of information requires both positive and negative feedback. Teams and team members must embrace both. Three exercises will keep everyone focused on facts not anecdotal conversations.
First, teams must visit goal measurements and determine their progress or lack of progress, once determined, celebrate successes and commit to analysis of current obstacles. Analysis should be carried out through open team dialogue reviewing individual skill capabilities, process partnership collaboration and outside influences that may require goal adjustments. Everyone must be fact friendly.
Second, teams complete their analysis and then determine necessary action. Skill capabilities require acquiring knowledge through learning, outsourcing, personnel changes or hiring. Process partnerships require determining what is there to understand and what is understood. Once completed, a critical path must be established to understanding process partnership collaboration. This path is best established through questions: What should we continue doing? What should we stop doing? What should we begin doing? Answering these questions together will re-energize partnerships and keep the focus on fixing the process not the problem. Last in this second step, teams must revisit what current events influence their goals. Innovation moves faster than execution on many occasions. Teams must be sure they have not been passed by.
Third, our analysis and actions must be tested for their accuracy before execution. Questions we should visit are: What have we learned? What are the implications of our learning? How must we adapt our provider and customer mentality? Have we determined the needs of each customer and are we prepared to meet those needs as individuals and as a provider? Are we still committed to our team goals?
Completion of the above calisthenics will RE-ENERGIZE team members and teams. By allowing team members to be a part of the process, partnerships have been reactivated with enhancements and outside influences have been visited. The team has reestablished common goals and collaborative action with transparent customer and provider personal commitments.
Deep Insights
July 2006
June 2006 Deep Insights
POTENTIAL is an illusive state of mind. To reach potential, first one must define the boundaries, second preparation has to begin and third the resolve to stay the course must be mastered.
Defining boundaries for potential requires gathering information about strengths. What are the current trends that define a market and who makes the market a market? Is it high margin low volume; is it high volume low margin or someplace in-between? Will personnel be capable of delivering with their current skills or will training be required to capture the competencies? Are resources available to support those expenditures required for research and skill enhancements? What is the time line for this window of opportunity? Are we capable of building excitement to execute within the time line?
Preparation is the second key to reaching potential. During this phase evaluation of steps must be completed as each begins, is carried out and completed. Often the boundaries we establish move ever so slightly but now demand continued adjustments. Your competitors have recognized the value, technology has been discovered that will alter the process, personnel are balking when faced with training on top of their day to day activities, and the time line has now shortened for execution. Building excitement will require a major event constructed by and orchestrated by Senior Management.
Senior Management must build resolve into the current state by sharing current reality. Time is now a major factor. Report cards are telling us the market is there, resources are available, competencies are near execution strength but the time to market has collapsed. Everyone must recommit themselves and have the resolve to stay the course. Resolve is best achieved through dialogue. Reviewing the path traveled, the length of the journey in front of us and establishing collaboratively the action necessary to execute will build a vision of success for everyone; sharing the excitement of success, lending strength to those who need support and building a global understanding of “what’s in it for me.”
Reaching potential is a reality when focus is kept on the process and individual events are not deemed as success or failure.
Deep Insights
June 2006
Defining boundaries for potential requires gathering information about strengths. What are the current trends that define a market and who makes the market a market? Is it high margin low volume; is it high volume low margin or someplace in-between? Will personnel be capable of delivering with their current skills or will training be required to capture the competencies? Are resources available to support those expenditures required for research and skill enhancements? What is the time line for this window of opportunity? Are we capable of building excitement to execute within the time line?
Preparation is the second key to reaching potential. During this phase evaluation of steps must be completed as each begins, is carried out and completed. Often the boundaries we establish move ever so slightly but now demand continued adjustments. Your competitors have recognized the value, technology has been discovered that will alter the process, personnel are balking when faced with training on top of their day to day activities, and the time line has now shortened for execution. Building excitement will require a major event constructed by and orchestrated by Senior Management.
Senior Management must build resolve into the current state by sharing current reality. Time is now a major factor. Report cards are telling us the market is there, resources are available, competencies are near execution strength but the time to market has collapsed. Everyone must recommit themselves and have the resolve to stay the course. Resolve is best achieved through dialogue. Reviewing the path traveled, the length of the journey in front of us and establishing collaboratively the action necessary to execute will build a vision of success for everyone; sharing the excitement of success, lending strength to those who need support and building a global understanding of “what’s in it for me.”
Reaching potential is a reality when focus is kept on the process and individual events are not deemed as success or failure.
Deep Insights
June 2006
May 2006 Deep Insights
Execution: The act of performing, of doing something successfully, using knowledge as distinguished from merely processing it.
Processing knowledge is the road block commonly faced by organizations when trying to execute Strategy in today’s fast paced environment. Strategy is defined rigidly and by the time execution begins it must be altered. The action stops. The organization is forced to take on the lengthy and time consuming task of reprocessing Strategy to avoid failure. How then do organizations execute Strategy without running into this common roadblock?
The organizations Strategy must be transformed into a VISION for short term goals guided by Purpose and Values. The Vision must be constructed to allow flexibility knowing rigid adoption will not accept new facts as they unfold. Framing a Vision with a clear Purpose and Values will allow decision makers to capitalize on new knowledge as the future’s horizon becomes visible.
Purpose is a belief in why the organization exists; it is a focus on what’s good, what individual freedom is and what will inspire people beyond today’s challenges. Purpose provides a twinkle in the sky reminding everyone that there is something more important than instant gratification. Values are words, guiding thoughts ensuring action continuing the journey towards an organizations Purpose. Words that provide boundaries for decisions that effect performance, leading personnel to disciplined thought and action.
Execution is the temptress to Purpose and Values. Have we embraced them at a level of thought that provides competent action? How do we use them to guide individual and ultimately organizational thoughts? Are we disciplined to use them as filters for decisions? Do we revisit them frequently or are they tucked away until a crisis unfolds?
Used properly Purpose and Values are tools that allow an organization the flexibility to execute their vision without reprocessing Strategy. They permit ambiguity to exist while allowing daily decisions to be made honoring Strategy. They help personnel pursue goals while embracing new knowledge as it unfolds building in corrections to capitalize on the future.
Execution guided by disciplined use of Purpose and Values permits organizations to delegate decision power deep within the organization. Decisions and adjustments are made in real time while maintaining execution momentum. Strategy becomes reality.
Deep Insights
May 2006
Processing knowledge is the road block commonly faced by organizations when trying to execute Strategy in today’s fast paced environment. Strategy is defined rigidly and by the time execution begins it must be altered. The action stops. The organization is forced to take on the lengthy and time consuming task of reprocessing Strategy to avoid failure. How then do organizations execute Strategy without running into this common roadblock?
The organizations Strategy must be transformed into a VISION for short term goals guided by Purpose and Values. The Vision must be constructed to allow flexibility knowing rigid adoption will not accept new facts as they unfold. Framing a Vision with a clear Purpose and Values will allow decision makers to capitalize on new knowledge as the future’s horizon becomes visible.
Purpose is a belief in why the organization exists; it is a focus on what’s good, what individual freedom is and what will inspire people beyond today’s challenges. Purpose provides a twinkle in the sky reminding everyone that there is something more important than instant gratification. Values are words, guiding thoughts ensuring action continuing the journey towards an organizations Purpose. Words that provide boundaries for decisions that effect performance, leading personnel to disciplined thought and action.
Execution is the temptress to Purpose and Values. Have we embraced them at a level of thought that provides competent action? How do we use them to guide individual and ultimately organizational thoughts? Are we disciplined to use them as filters for decisions? Do we revisit them frequently or are they tucked away until a crisis unfolds?
Used properly Purpose and Values are tools that allow an organization the flexibility to execute their vision without reprocessing Strategy. They permit ambiguity to exist while allowing daily decisions to be made honoring Strategy. They help personnel pursue goals while embracing new knowledge as it unfolds building in corrections to capitalize on the future.
Execution guided by disciplined use of Purpose and Values permits organizations to delegate decision power deep within the organization. Decisions and adjustments are made in real time while maintaining execution momentum. Strategy becomes reality.
Deep Insights
May 2006
April 2006 Deep Insights
WHAT IF.
When April ends and we review others’ performance, we look into a mirror and review our performance; holding ourselves accountable for a clear understanding of complex situations facing personnel and their team members.
Have I kept commitments to provide coaching, information, time, research, resources, training and development to people? Am I building opportunities for development, do I provide boundaries so people don’t fail? Have I assigned mentors to assist in building knowledge where experience is lacking? Do I challenge personnel with new knowledge? Have I provided resources in time for execution? Do I spend time building structures, providing learning for bench strength and succession planning?
Have I insisted on goal review meetings with metrics in place, are results transparent, do personnel understand interventions will occur when goals are not met? Do I interact with all people encouraging their contributions; have I removed roadblocks for people to make contributions? Do I focus people on “there,” knowing they will bring inspiration back to “here”? Have I encouraged creativity, do I recognize people who demonstrate creativity and take initiative? Have I studied my industry, competition and other industries to find alternatives challenging our status quo? Do I anticipate needs for the future encouraging people to accept a challenge? Have I nudged people, improving their life, helping them recognize they can fly faster and further than they ever thought possible?
What if I accepted a role of building an environment for others to flourish?
Wouldn’t I fly faster and further than thought possible with them?
Deep Insights
April 2006
When April ends and we review others’ performance, we look into a mirror and review our performance; holding ourselves accountable for a clear understanding of complex situations facing personnel and their team members.
Have I kept commitments to provide coaching, information, time, research, resources, training and development to people? Am I building opportunities for development, do I provide boundaries so people don’t fail? Have I assigned mentors to assist in building knowledge where experience is lacking? Do I challenge personnel with new knowledge? Have I provided resources in time for execution? Do I spend time building structures, providing learning for bench strength and succession planning?
Have I insisted on goal review meetings with metrics in place, are results transparent, do personnel understand interventions will occur when goals are not met? Do I interact with all people encouraging their contributions; have I removed roadblocks for people to make contributions? Do I focus people on “there,” knowing they will bring inspiration back to “here”? Have I encouraged creativity, do I recognize people who demonstrate creativity and take initiative? Have I studied my industry, competition and other industries to find alternatives challenging our status quo? Do I anticipate needs for the future encouraging people to accept a challenge? Have I nudged people, improving their life, helping them recognize they can fly faster and further than they ever thought possible?
What if I accepted a role of building an environment for others to flourish?
Wouldn’t I fly faster and further than thought possible with them?
Deep Insights
April 2006
March 2006 Deep Insights
SMARTING UP
Over the past twenty years “Dumbing Down” positions have been a favorite strategy of controlling management and organizations that do not invest in their future. In the twenty-first century, “Smarting Up” will be the chosen path of resourceful management and organizations.
“Dumbing Down” positions helped companies avoid a crisis driven by technology and the need to stay competitive in an expanding global market. They designed work using technology, eliminated redundant steps and created positions that completed work for six or more people. Managements attitude was “Just do, don’t ask questions, you don’t know enough to ask questions, we have built in quality if you follow procedures.” These companies increased efficiency, lowered costs, reduced people count and increased ROI. Thus, their plan succeeded in the short term. “Dumbing Down” became reality. Now it has become apparent short term gains sacrificed understanding of what work was being done and why. The result of “Dumbing Down” has left management and organizations without bench strength to innovate as the global market continues to evolve and create systemic change refocusing on quality relationships.
“Smarting Up” must be adopted to compete in a global market that is moving faster than the speed of light. Management and organizations must rebuild total system knowledge not only by identifying “A” players but by creating “A” positions. First, for too long “A” players have been chosen from the highly educated overlooking personnel with natural abilities but who lacked advanced education. Management and organizations must learn talent is not limited to highly educated people. Second, “A” positions must be designated and/or designed to develop individual’s abilities to lead WHY and HOW change. The position provides an in-depth understanding of technology and day to day operations of the business, industry, competition, local and global influences as they apply. People who are placed in these positions are provided with a broader business understanding and the ecology that influences their business system. When potential “A” players are placed in “A” positions their development will increase exponentially and successful innovation will follow.
Deep Insights
March 2006
Over the past twenty years “Dumbing Down” positions have been a favorite strategy of controlling management and organizations that do not invest in their future. In the twenty-first century, “Smarting Up” will be the chosen path of resourceful management and organizations.
“Dumbing Down” positions helped companies avoid a crisis driven by technology and the need to stay competitive in an expanding global market. They designed work using technology, eliminated redundant steps and created positions that completed work for six or more people. Managements attitude was “Just do, don’t ask questions, you don’t know enough to ask questions, we have built in quality if you follow procedures.” These companies increased efficiency, lowered costs, reduced people count and increased ROI. Thus, their plan succeeded in the short term. “Dumbing Down” became reality. Now it has become apparent short term gains sacrificed understanding of what work was being done and why. The result of “Dumbing Down” has left management and organizations without bench strength to innovate as the global market continues to evolve and create systemic change refocusing on quality relationships.
“Smarting Up” must be adopted to compete in a global market that is moving faster than the speed of light. Management and organizations must rebuild total system knowledge not only by identifying “A” players but by creating “A” positions. First, for too long “A” players have been chosen from the highly educated overlooking personnel with natural abilities but who lacked advanced education. Management and organizations must learn talent is not limited to highly educated people. Second, “A” positions must be designated and/or designed to develop individual’s abilities to lead WHY and HOW change. The position provides an in-depth understanding of technology and day to day operations of the business, industry, competition, local and global influences as they apply. People who are placed in these positions are provided with a broader business understanding and the ecology that influences their business system. When potential “A” players are placed in “A” positions their development will increase exponentially and successful innovation will follow.
Deep Insights
March 2006
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