'Brainstorming' is when ideas are generated to discover a solution to a seemingly impossible to solve problem. The rules and guidelines for brainstorming are well documented. Read them and follow them, this is not a good place to reinvent the wheel.
'Guessing' is when you don't know what the heck you are talking about and you are supposed to know the facts. Guessing is a productivity drain, it distracts the team from what is important. It creates anxiety because the problem seems to grow bigger. It is a defensive mechanism used by people and teams who feel a need to protect their egos and ignorance.
First, be a role model and stop guessing. Learn to say 'I don't know'. Next, actively look for 'guessing' and coach those who need to understand the difference between guessing and brainstorming. Do not punish those who don't know and reward those who have the courage to admit it.
When necessary, announce intent to brainstorm so that teams are clear on what is going to happen.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Vagueness as a barrier to executing strategy
Vagueness is different from ambiguity.
We define 'ambiguity' as something that is hard to know. It may be 'unknowable' and we just have to find a way to creatively cope. 'Vague' on the other hand is something that can be known, but is unknown because people do not know how to go about describing it and communicating it.
Some areas where vagueness can be eliminated:
Dealing with reality is a way to eliminate vagueness. Clarity is achieved when vagueness is eliminated.
We define 'ambiguity' as something that is hard to know. It may be 'unknowable' and we just have to find a way to creatively cope. 'Vague' on the other hand is something that can be known, but is unknown because people do not know how to go about describing it and communicating it.
Some areas where vagueness can be eliminated:
- Knowing who you are. This may be really, really hard to do, but it can be done.
- Understanding your job role.
- Describing what you want from the person you are talking to.
- Describing value you have to offer to the person you are talking to.
- Identifying barriers that prevent goals from being achieved.
- Describing and prioritizing the capabilities needed to meet customer outcomes.
- Describing what is bothering you about a person or a situation.
- Knowing what you need to stop doing and start doing.
- Describing what you want to happen differently.
- What the economy will be like tomorrow.
- The real motives that drive human behavior.
- Why wisdom, forgiveness and compassion take time to develop and why some people never acquire them.
- Why we have conflict due diversity in opinion and points of view even after science, philosophy and religion have 'proved' the dynamic unity of the universe.
Dealing with reality is a way to eliminate vagueness. Clarity is achieved when vagueness is eliminated.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Buzzwords
In the next meeting you attend, take notes and underline the 'buzzwords': words, concepts and phrases that could have more than one meaning and therefore open to misinterpretation. Perform the following tasks:
This is an invisible barrier to executing your strategy. When you bump into it, its hard to see it, hard to define and therefore hard to remove.
Technically, its a barrier to communication, but communication is only a means to an end. Understanding the impact to the end builds a business case to improve the means.
- Underline the words, concepts and phrases you do understand.
- How do you know the others share your understanding of the words, concepts and phrases?
- Underline the words, concepts and phrases you do not understand.
- How will you gain an understanding of those words, concepts and phrases?
- When you observe churn in interactions, locate the words, concepts and phrases that are in the center of the interaction.
- How can the interaction be facilitated to gain a common understanding of words, concepts and phrase?
This is an invisible barrier to executing your strategy. When you bump into it, its hard to see it, hard to define and therefore hard to remove.
Technically, its a barrier to communication, but communication is only a means to an end. Understanding the impact to the end builds a business case to improve the means.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Mountains to climb
Successful Strategy Execution requires you to climb at least two mountains.
The first 'Mountain' is for you to understand:
Strategy Execution is not any different.
The first 'Mountain' is for you to understand:
- What is the problem?
- What are the options?
- What are the barriers?
- What is the optimal solution?
- What are the side effects?
- Why am I doing this?
- Those who have the funds (so they can write you a check).
- Those who will do the actual work to help you realize your vision.
- Stakeholders who need to adopt the solution.
- Partners who will provide you the inputs to make your solution work or implement your solution.
Strategy Execution is not any different.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
"The Drive is for the show, the Putt is for the dough"
This phrase is very popular among golfers. The same applies to Strategy Execution also.
Many tasks and activities have low visibility but need to get done. These are in the background, are thankless, tedious, require hard work, but nevertheless, if not done, will hobble strategy execution.
Other tasks and activities seem more visible but less productive. Making presentations, attending meetings and informal hobnobbing with senior executives. No tangible output is apparent, but the wheels of prioritization, budgeting and conflict resolution are turned by such tasks and activities.
Whether it is for the 'show' or for the 'dough', every task and activity must line up with a strategic outcome. That is non-negotiable. Then allocate tasks based on interest, talent, skill and aptitude. Work hard to prevent the creation of a 'brahmin' and 'pariah' classes based on the task or activity.
Many tasks and activities have low visibility but need to get done. These are in the background, are thankless, tedious, require hard work, but nevertheless, if not done, will hobble strategy execution.
Other tasks and activities seem more visible but less productive. Making presentations, attending meetings and informal hobnobbing with senior executives. No tangible output is apparent, but the wheels of prioritization, budgeting and conflict resolution are turned by such tasks and activities.
Whether it is for the 'show' or for the 'dough', every task and activity must line up with a strategic outcome. That is non-negotiable. Then allocate tasks based on interest, talent, skill and aptitude. Work hard to prevent the creation of a 'brahmin' and 'pariah' classes based on the task or activity.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Windscreen versus Rear View Mirror
Which one is more important? Both of course. Each has a different reason to exist. Do not confuse one with the other.
Analyzing what has happened in the past will tell you only about the past, not about the future. Sometimes, these are called 'lagging indicators'.
Develop the ability to predict. It requires a different set of capabilities. Knowing what happened it the past is one part of it. Additional capabilities are required to predict the future. Sometimes, these are called 'leading indicators'.
Do not fall into the trap of collecting data that is easy to collect (its available, low cost and visible) and ignore data that is important to collect (its usually harder to find, therefore requires additional effort, is harder to explain/justify and therefore looks expensive to collect).
Analyzing what has happened in the past will tell you only about the past, not about the future. Sometimes, these are called 'lagging indicators'.
Develop the ability to predict. It requires a different set of capabilities. Knowing what happened it the past is one part of it. Additional capabilities are required to predict the future. Sometimes, these are called 'leading indicators'.
Do not fall into the trap of collecting data that is easy to collect (its available, low cost and visible) and ignore data that is important to collect (its usually harder to find, therefore requires additional effort, is harder to explain/justify and therefore looks expensive to collect).
Friday, May 8, 2009
Do'ers versus Talkers
Every organization needs a good mix of 'Line' versus 'Staff'. The 'Line' managers are accountable for getting things done and 'Staff' add value to the efforts of the 'Line' managers.
Think of the 'Line' as the 'Do'ers' and the 'Staff' as the 'Talkers'. This is not to imply that one is better than the other, or that one adds more value than the other. The 'Do'ers' typically have resources to deploy and decision making power. The 'Talkers' have influence and power to guide key organizational processes, such as budget allocations.
If you want to get things done and the meetings are going nowhere, check to see how many 'Do'ers' and how many 'Talkers' are in the audience. If there is more 'talking' than 'doing', then the root cause is clear, take action!
It is easy to hold the 'Do'ers' accountable, their results are typically easier to see and measure. The 'Talkers' will explain how their job is 'harder to measure' therefore 'harder to understand'.
If you cannot define what productivity and excellence looks like for your 'Line' or 'Staff', then your Strategy Execution is going to take longer than it should and chances of not getting it done increases.
Think of the 'Line' as the 'Do'ers' and the 'Staff' as the 'Talkers'. This is not to imply that one is better than the other, or that one adds more value than the other. The 'Do'ers' typically have resources to deploy and decision making power. The 'Talkers' have influence and power to guide key organizational processes, such as budget allocations.
If you want to get things done and the meetings are going nowhere, check to see how many 'Do'ers' and how many 'Talkers' are in the audience. If there is more 'talking' than 'doing', then the root cause is clear, take action!
It is easy to hold the 'Do'ers' accountable, their results are typically easier to see and measure. The 'Talkers' will explain how their job is 'harder to measure' therefore 'harder to understand'.
If you cannot define what productivity and excellence looks like for your 'Line' or 'Staff', then your Strategy Execution is going to take longer than it should and chances of not getting it done increases.
Friday, May 1, 2009
How many different ways do I have to say this?
If you find yourself repeating yourself and saying the same thing over and over again without much progress, read on...
Complexity of messaging is directly related to number of stakeholders, partners, internal teams and external customers. If there are no shared values and shared processes, get ready for a long, tedious process of explaining your point of view and understanding their point of view.
Communication is the #1 barrier and #1 facilitator of Strategy Execution. Love it or hate it, but be ready to embrace the demands it places upon you. It comes down to whether you have the aptitude and skill to communicate well. Good news... it can be learnt.
Avoid a 'game face', be authentic and do not be afraid to be vulnerable. Let your actions build trust to lay the foundation for effective communication.
Complexity of messaging is directly related to number of stakeholders, partners, internal teams and external customers. If there are no shared values and shared processes, get ready for a long, tedious process of explaining your point of view and understanding their point of view.
Communication is the #1 barrier and #1 facilitator of Strategy Execution. Love it or hate it, but be ready to embrace the demands it places upon you. It comes down to whether you have the aptitude and skill to communicate well. Good news... it can be learnt.
Avoid a 'game face', be authentic and do not be afraid to be vulnerable. Let your actions build trust to lay the foundation for effective communication.