Management lives at the edge of peril; one side is success and the other failure. Decisions are constantly made that will keep the organization from stumbling into a vacuum of nothing. Success and failure can be equally dangerous if resources are not allocated through awareness, inclusion, feedback, development and participation.
If people in the organization are unaware of how their behavior benefits or distracts the organizations performance; Management has failed. Management must embrace a culture of transparency leading processes that drive inclusion. Once included people gain an awareness of their objectives and the behavior that breeds success will begin to take shape. Clarity of objectives will drive initiative to a higher level increasing performance to reach the organizations goals.
Good leaders will set transparent objectives and ask people to develop action plans to achieve success. Mechanisms will be structured to deliver transparent feedback for everyone to see each others performance. Transparent feed back will inevitable lead to a determination of where and when additional resource are required. When resources are allocated good leaders become active participants available for consultation. They embrace the perilous situation as an opportunity to further develop themselves and the personnel they are coaching. Everyone has a stake in the outcome.
Peril provides Management with the opportunity to seek out answers from people throughout the organization responsible for execution. Peril is a catalyst for organizations to embrace results not effort to become dedicated to transparency, collaboration finding the right way not the one way.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
February 2008 Deep Insights
Sensing a company’s position in its environment is an art often forgotten, as managing acute crisis overpowers the pause required to achieve future goals. When current crisis overpowers a company’s ability to pause, energy is exhausted each day with little or no thought of tomorrow. How can a company avoid such pitfalls?
First, pause at set intervals to determine the company’s current state. During this pause, determine the company’s preparedness to function, preparedness to embrace issues with skills that meet the need. Identify skills that are unavailable and the choices that are available to fill them. Will these GAPS be filled through development, can they be resolved by outside talent or can they be mastered through an environmental change to make them irrelevant. Continued revisions must be made for energy to be spent on results.
Second, each pause must embrace issues beyond today. A company must sense the environment and its influence on tomorrow. A pause for analysis will determine what best of all worlds the company will participate in, in the future. What learning is required to be prepared to function productively in the future, what new processes lead to preparedness and how flexible are they? A successful company must understand that today’s answers are only valuable if tomorrow will be like yesterday. History is important; to the extent it leads one to embrace development for the future but can be an albatross if providing a sense of security.
Uncertainty is universal and can not be a scapegoat for avoiding a pause to understand ones environment. Sensing today and tomorrow, making choices for a company’s preparedness will lead to energy allocation for success.
First, pause at set intervals to determine the company’s current state. During this pause, determine the company’s preparedness to function, preparedness to embrace issues with skills that meet the need. Identify skills that are unavailable and the choices that are available to fill them. Will these GAPS be filled through development, can they be resolved by outside talent or can they be mastered through an environmental change to make them irrelevant. Continued revisions must be made for energy to be spent on results.
Second, each pause must embrace issues beyond today. A company must sense the environment and its influence on tomorrow. A pause for analysis will determine what best of all worlds the company will participate in, in the future. What learning is required to be prepared to function productively in the future, what new processes lead to preparedness and how flexible are they? A successful company must understand that today’s answers are only valuable if tomorrow will be like yesterday. History is important; to the extent it leads one to embrace development for the future but can be an albatross if providing a sense of security.
Uncertainty is universal and can not be a scapegoat for avoiding a pause to understand ones environment. Sensing today and tomorrow, making choices for a company’s preparedness will lead to energy allocation for success.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
January 2008 Deep Insights
PASSION is the internal desire to make contributions to causes that push us beyond our normal capabilities. No, it will not be without setbacks but we know we will reach our goal. Passion is energy.
Traveling the path driven by passion, information turns to knowledge, knowledge to action. The flow of information, knowledge and action reach a seamless stream where results become self-evident driving thirst for more. Time goes by; hours turn into days, days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and months turn into years. Passion drives people to join and participate utilizing their strengths to their fullest, adding value, reaching beyond their goals. People learn to anticipate needs, building skills or finding them in new people adding value to achieve results. Experiments are the norm, not status quo, understanding environments where we act on goals for success. Occasionally when a person’s passion drifts or weakens departures occur, however, the process is one of encouraging outward movement bringing brilliant light upon a win-win for everyone.
PASSION elements are people’s desires, hopes, dreams and the resolve to stay the course while facing adversity. The elements are not derived from another’s point of view but by ones own beliefs. These elements are not created through fixing weaknesses but rather by allowing strengths to dominate, leading people’s passion into the limelight. Passionate people build an environment for others to succeed with them.
Traveling the path driven by passion, information turns to knowledge, knowledge to action. The flow of information, knowledge and action reach a seamless stream where results become self-evident driving thirst for more. Time goes by; hours turn into days, days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and months turn into years. Passion drives people to join and participate utilizing their strengths to their fullest, adding value, reaching beyond their goals. People learn to anticipate needs, building skills or finding them in new people adding value to achieve results. Experiments are the norm, not status quo, understanding environments where we act on goals for success. Occasionally when a person’s passion drifts or weakens departures occur, however, the process is one of encouraging outward movement bringing brilliant light upon a win-win for everyone.
PASSION elements are people’s desires, hopes, dreams and the resolve to stay the course while facing adversity. The elements are not derived from another’s point of view but by ones own beliefs. These elements are not created through fixing weaknesses but rather by allowing strengths to dominate, leading people’s passion into the limelight. Passionate people build an environment for others to succeed with them.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
November 2007 Deep Insights
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.
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.
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.
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