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Item Upon - How to Lead Strategic Change
Recently the Maryland State Legislature thought it prudent to require more disclosure than is already required by law and a complete audit of each franchisee of every company, which was franchising in their state and providing jobs and tax base. It is the typical thing dumb politicians do when they have no clue as to how free enterprise models work. There ought to be a test for all Maryland State legislators and lawyers on the reality of the market place. The entrepreneurs cannot build as fast as the lawyers and bureaucracy is stealing from us. Caesar was right, maybe we should follow his thought process on this one. Here is an excerpt of a letter, I, an entrepreneur had to write the legislature to get that stupid bill killed in committee which was proposed by some moron politician there. Read it and think:“. . .the competitive market will provide more jobs and the good franchisors through succes
Select one item from your list of attributes and start to model the behaviour you would like to emulate. Don’t be afraid to copy key phrases or mannerisms that your target uses (as long as they are positive) because this will give you access to some of the unconscious thoughts and feelings this person accesses to exhibit competence. Overall, you are looking to acquire the mindset of the professional you have chosen to model.
Balance this approach with a more ego-centric exercise, focused on what you want out of life and what you are prepared to give. Statistics show that the number one reason senior executives leave their employer is for lifestyle reasons. However, being clear on what you want from your career, need not result in leaving your current employer. Think collaboration. How can you collaborate with your organisation to devise a role or a working framework that meets your needs whilst making a valued contribution to the organisational strategy?
When I first started my business, a colleague suggested to me that I bill my clients based on the results I created for them. It was an appealing idea at the time - after all, who wouldn't take me up on that offer, and so long as I performed, I'd get paid. Sounds too good to be true? It probably is. Here's an article that discusses charging models and why being paid on results, popular as this is becoming, may not be your best option.I'm currently reading Alan Weiss's book - "Million Dollar Consulting", in which he has a section dedicated to payment models. (Highly recommended book, by the way, although I don't agree with everything he says).This is my interpretation of what he says: The ways to get paid are on a spectrum from 100% up front, paid before beginning work at the extreme left hand side to contingency fees based on performance at the extreme right hand side i.e. you only get pa
So, how do the best operational managers make the transition between the two roles of manager and leader? The answer is that they adopt new ways of thinking in advance of new ways of working. In this article we will explore four key skills that, if mastered, can help you make those first tentative steps towards the Boardroom.The effective strategic executive displays four foundational skills:
- Dual Focus
- Involving Communication
- Collaboration
- Professional Effectiveness
The most common complaint you will hear from Board members as they review the next generation of talent in their organization is “they just don’t think strategically”. So, how do you develop the ability to raise your head up and consider the strategic landscape?
One quick routine to boost your strategic capability is to force yourself to answer “5W” questions whenever you are faced with a new issue, initiative or proposal. Who, When, Where, Why and What? It is also critical to think beyond your particular area of responsibility during your initial consideration of the questions and force yourself to think more broadly. So, let’s say you are the UK Marketing Manager for New Products and you have been asked to review a proposal for an extension to your core range of products - this is how you might tackle the process:
Who? Particularly, Who Else will be interested in reviewing and discussing this issue?
When? Is this something we need to consider now? When would be a better time, given the other projects on the horizon?
Where? This is a particularly useful question if you work for a multi-national organization. It forces you to consider options beyond your local geography.
Why? Arguably the most important of the five questions. Seeking clarity on this at an early stage will save the organisation time, money and effort. Seek input from the groups identified when you asked “Who Else?”
What?Make no assumptions. Err on the side of caution initially but be clear where your judgements are not based on actual experience. Also asking What If? will open minds to endless possibilities and expose weak thinking.
Involving Communication
Whenever we ask our clients to recall why previous change projects may have failed, more than 90% cite poor communication as the main cause. However, further analysis reveals that most change projects have been accompanied by a communication plan, so what is going wrong? Again the answer lies in the propensity for people to look inward instead of out when it comes to developing their plans. A typical phrase you will hear is; “I know I would like to know this, so let’s make sure it’s a key part of the communication.”
The key is to involve all groups affected in the change as soon as possible. Usually, that should be after the goal has been set. On he face of it, this may seem at odds with the general philosophy but in reality, it is very difficult to effect substantial change by committee and very few people have either the enthusiasm or capacity to define a change that will impact them directly. Nevertheless, once the goal has been set, identify your key change agents and seek guidance from all relevant stakeholders immediately. Involvement reduces the need for broadcasting and engenders greater levels of trust in the leadership as well as belief in a positive outcome.
Collaboration
You will be familiar with the phrase “Stay close to your allies and even closer to your enemies”. In the context of managing strategic change, think of anyone who has something to lose in the process as your “enemy” and seek out ways of collaborating with them to achieve mutually acceptable outcomes. This is not compromise where both parties have to give up something, this is about finding ways for both parties to win. Treat your “enemy” with respect. Anticipate their likely responses to your strategy and create your pre-emptive plans to either reduce the impact of their reactions or eliminate it all together. Ignoring key stakeholders because they may not like what you have to tell them will not help. Get them on-board as quick as possible and you will achieve better, more sustainable results.
Thus, the correct thinking pattern is not “What will I need to give up to make this acceptable?” but “How can we change the process/inputs/resources to achieve the same or better result?” With the right strategic glasses on, your enemy can become your window of opportunity and potentially a long-term ally.
Professional Effectiveness
Look around your organisation, particularly at Board level, and ask yourself, “Who is the best professional?” Then ask yourself “Why?” Write down a list of all the attributes that contribute to your assessment of this individual and then rate yourself out of ten (where the other person is a ten) on each attribute. Can you spot any areas that need your focus? As we remind people in our workshops, if efficiency is doing things right and effectiveness is doing the right things then the professional does the right things right.
Select one item from your list of attributes and start to model the behaviour you would like to emulate. Don’t be afraid to copy key phrases or mannerisms that your target uses (as long as they are positive) because this will give you access to some of the unconscious thoughts and feelings this person accesses to exhibit competence. Overall, you are looking to acquire the mindset of the professional you have chosen to model.
Balance this approach with a more ego-centric exercise, focused on what you want out of life and what you are prepared to give. Statistics show that the number one reason senior executives leave their employer is for lifestyle reasons. However, being clear on what you want from your career, need not result in leaving your current employer. Think collaboration. How can you collaborate with your organisation to devise a role or a working framework that meets your needs whilst making a valued contribution to the organisational strategy?
Greg has been managing a small surf shop by the beach. Business was doing quite well until some incidents of robbery occurred in the area. Since the perpetrators have not been found yet, everyone was suspicious especially when hiring an employee to help in the store.When an applicant arrives, Greg usually reviews the resume before conducting an interview. After speaking to the person, the paper is placed on the active list while that don’t are placed in the trash box.Since it is possible that this is an inside job, Greg thought about getting a private investigator to do a background check on these individuals and those who are clean can be given the job.The directory had a list of private investigation agencies. It is easy to call one up but it is also difficult to trust given that Greg has no idea on the reputation of this company.The best thing to do when was to get a frien
One quick routine to boost your strategic capability is to force yourself to answer “5W” questions whenever you are faced with a new issue, initiative or proposal. Who, When, Where, Why and What? It is also critical to think beyond your particular area of responsibility during your initial consideration of the questions and force yourself to think more broadly. So, let’s say you are the UK Marketing Manager for New Products and you have been asked to review a proposal for an extension to your core range of products - this is how you might tackle the process:
Who? Particularly, Who Else will be interested in reviewing and discussing this issue?
When? Is this something we need to consider now? When would be a better time, given the other projects on the horizon?
Where? This is a particularly useful question if you work for a multi-national organization. It forces you to consider options beyond your local geography.
Why? Arguably the most important of the five questions. Seeking clarity on this at an early stage will save the organisation time, money and effort. Seek input from the groups identified when you asked “Who Else?”
What?Make no assumptions. Err on the side of caution initially but be clear where your judgements are not based on actual experience. Also asking What If? will open minds to endless possibilities and expose weak thinking.
Involving Communication
Whenever we ask our clients to recall why previous change projects may have failed, more than 90% cite poor communication as the main cause. However, further analysis reveals that most change projects have been accompanied by a communication plan, so what is going wrong? Again the answer lies in the propensity for people to look inward instead of out when it comes to developing their plans. A typical phrase you will hear is; “I know I would like to know this, so let’s make sure it’s a key part of the communication.”
The key is to involve all groups affected in the change as soon as possible. Usually, that should be after the goal has been set. On he face of it, this may seem at odds with the general philosophy but in reality, it is very difficult to effect substantial change by committee and very few people have either the enthusiasm or capacity to define a change that will impact them directly. Nevertheless, once the goal has been set, identify your key change agents and seek guidance from all relevant stakeholders immediately. Involvement reduces the need for broadcasting and engenders greater levels of trust in the leadership as well as belief in a positive outcome.
Collaboration
You will be familiar with the phrase “Stay close to your allies and even closer to your enemies”. In the context of managing strategic change, think of anyone who has something to lose in the process as your “enemy” and seek out ways of collaborating with them to achieve mutually acceptable outcomes. This is not compromise where both parties have to give up something, this is about finding ways for both parties to win. Treat your “enemy” with respect. Anticipate their likely responses to your strategy and create your pre-emptive plans to either reduce the impact of their reactions or eliminate it all together. Ignoring key stakeholders because they may not like what you have to tell them will not help. Get them on-board as quick as possible and you will achieve better, more sustainable results.
Thus, the correct thinking pattern is not “What will I need to give up to make this acceptable?” but “How can we change the process/inputs/resources to achieve the same or better result?” With the right strategic glasses on, your enemy can become your window of opportunity and potentially a long-term ally.
Professional Effectiveness
Look around your organisation, particularly at Board level, and ask yourself, “Who is the best professional?” Then ask yourself “Why?” Write down a list of all the attributes that contribute to your assessment of this individual and then rate yourself out of ten (where the other person is a ten) on each attribute. Can you spot any areas that need your focus? As we remind people in our workshops, if efficiency is doing things right and effectiveness is doing the right things then the professional does the right things right.
Select one item from your list of attributes and start to model the behaviour you would like to emulate. Don’t be afraid to copy key phrases or mannerisms that your target uses (as long as they are positive) because this will give you access to some of the unconscious thoughts and feelings this person accesses to exhibit competence. Overall, you are looking to acquire the mindset of the professional you have chosen to model.
Balance this approach with a more ego-centric exercise, focused on what you want out of life and what you are prepared to give. Statistics show that the number one reason senior executives leave their employer is for lifestyle reasons. However, being clear on what you want from your career, need not result in leaving your current employer. Think collaboration. How can you collaborate with your organisation to devise a role or a working framework that meets your needs whilst making a valued contribution to the organisational strategy?
The simple business card is a valuable asset to any businessman or professional. It is your own personal advertisement and calling card. The business card is not just for the salesman, however, but also for anyone in business. The business card can be printed in various forms in addition to the common black on white business card.Business card printing has moved online along with much of the rest of the world of business. You can purchase software that enables you to print your own business cards. Business card printing has become a popular choice for a home based business.Among the various types of cards that can be printed are the magnetic cards and plastic cards. Both of these take printing beyond the simple card stock of the past into a new and exciting area. Plastic cards printing is a more expensive process and you can expect to pay more for these exotic cards than normal cards. The g What If? will open minds to endless possibilities and expose weak thinking.
Involving Communication
Whenever we ask our clients to recall why previous change projects may have failed, more than 90% cite poor communication as the main cause. However, further analysis reveals that most change projects have been accompanied by a communication plan, so what is going wrong? Again the answer lies in the propensity for people to look inward instead of out when it comes to developing their plans. A typical phrase you will hear is; “I know I would like to know this, so let’s make sure it’s a key part of the communication.”
The key is to involve all groups affected in the change as soon as possible. Usually, that should be after the goal has been set. On he face of it, this may seem at odds with the general philosophy but in reality, it is very difficult to effect substantial change by committee and very few people have either the enthusiasm or capacity to define a change that will impact them directly. Nevertheless, once the goal has been set, identify your key change agents and seek guidance from all relevant stakeholders immediately. Involvement reduces the need for broadcasting and engenders greater levels of trust in the leadership as well as belief in a positive outcome.
Collaboration
You will be familiar with the phrase “Stay close to your allies and even closer to your enemies”. In the context of managing strategic change, think of anyone who has something to lose in the process as your “enemy” and seek out ways of collaborating with them to achieve mutually acceptable outcomes. This is not compromise where both parties have to give up something, this is about finding ways for both parties to win. Treat your “enemy” with respect. Anticipate their likely responses to your strategy and create your pre-emptive plans to either reduce the impact of their reactions or eliminate it all together. Ignoring key stakeholders because they may not like what you have to tell them will not help. Get them on-board as quick as possible and you will achieve better, more sustainable results.
Thus, the correct thinking pattern is not “What will I need to give up to make this acceptable?” but “How can we change the process/inputs/resources to achieve the same or better result?” With the right strategic glasses on, your enemy can become your window of opportunity and potentially a long-term ally.
Professional Effectiveness
Look around your organisation, particularly at Board level, and ask yourself, “Who is the best professional?” Then ask yourself “Why?” Write down a list of all the attributes that contribute to your assessment of this individual and then rate yourself out of ten (where the other person is a ten) on each attribute. Can you spot any areas that need your focus? As we remind people in our workshops, if efficiency is doing things right and effectiveness is doing the right things then the professional does the right things right.
Select one item from your list of attributes and start to model the behaviour you would like to emulate. Don’t be afraid to copy key phrases or mannerisms that your target uses (as long as they are positive) because this will give you access to some of the unconscious thoughts and feelings this person accesses to exhibit competence. Overall, you are looking to acquire the mindset of the professional you have chosen to model.
Balance this approach with a more ego-centric exercise, focused on what you want out of life and what you are prepared to give. Statistics show that the number one reason senior executives leave their employer is for lifestyle reasons. However, being clear on what you want from your career, need not result in leaving your current employer. Think collaboration. How can you collaborate with your organisation to devise a role or a working framework that meets your needs whilst making a valued contribution to the organisational strategy?
If you work with compressed or hydraulic air systems, one area of particular concern revolves around the fact that, well, air is invisible, right? This means that without exact testing measures, you really are unable to determine if there is a leak in this critical system. Such injections of error into your plant’s operations could cost you millions of dollars each year. There are a number of devices that may be used to assist in air and gas flow measurement and control.Meters help determine if a leak is occurring. They can also measure compressor performance. That is a great benefit as your operators and maintenance staff will note measurement warnings of system failures and can then repair or adjust compressors that have decided to take a vacation from proper operations.With airflow demands, a simpler air flow meter is better in the case of a mechanical meter. No batteries are required flaboration
You will be familiar with the phrase “Stay close to your allies and even closer to your enemies”. In the context of managing strategic change, think of anyone who has something to lose in the process as your “enemy” and seek out ways of collaborating with them to achieve mutually acceptable outcomes. This is not compromise where both parties have to give up something, this is about finding ways for both parties to win. Treat your “enemy” with respect. Anticipate their likely responses to your strategy and create your pre-emptive plans to either reduce the impact of their reactions or eliminate it all together. Ignoring key stakeholders because they may not like what you have to tell them will not help. Get them on-board as quick as possible and you will achieve better, more sustainable results.
Thus, the correct thinking pattern is not “What will I need to give up to make this acceptable?” but “How can we change the process/inputs/resources to achieve the same or better result?” With the right strategic glasses on, your enemy can become your window of opportunity and potentially a long-term ally.
Professional Effectiveness
Look around your organisation, particularly at Board level, and ask yourself, “Who is the best professional?” Then ask yourself “Why?” Write down a list of all the attributes that contribute to your assessment of this individual and then rate yourself out of ten (where the other person is a ten) on each attribute. Can you spot any areas that need your focus? As we remind people in our workshops, if efficiency is doing things right and effectiveness is doing the right things then the professional does the right things right.
Select one item from your list of attributes and start to model the behaviour you would like to emulate. Don’t be afraid to copy key phrases or mannerisms that your target uses (as long as they are positive) because this will give you access to some of the unconscious thoughts and feelings this person accesses to exhibit competence. Overall, you are looking to acquire the mindset of the professional you have chosen to model.
Balance this approach with a more ego-centric exercise, focused on what you want out of life and what you are prepared to give. Statistics show that the number one reason senior executives leave their employer is for lifestyle reasons. However, being clear on what you want from your career, need not result in leaving your current employer. Think collaboration. How can you collaborate with your organisation to devise a role or a working framework that meets your needs whilst making a valued contribution to the organisational strategy?
Every aspect of your business should enhance the customer experience, not detract from it.Every retail establishment – whether a store, a bank, or a restaurant – in some way markets itself as being customer focused. The clerks in the commercials and print ads are always smiling and looking like they’re overjoyed when a customer needs help. How often do you get that reaction from the staff when you actually go into those stores? The customers in those ads look so happy you’d think the store or the bank is giving away merchandise or bags of money. Do you see customers who look that happy when you go to your local retail establishments? Look in the mirror the next time you’re shopping and see how happy you look.Why is the reality so different from the message sent?Examine the physical atmosphere in your facility. Is it welcoming? The store manager or owner would say “yes,” but how manylist of all the attributes that contribute to your assessment of this individual and then rate yourself out of ten (where the other person is a ten) on each attribute. Can you spot any areas that need your focus? As we remind people in our workshops, if efficiency is doing things right and effectiveness is doing the right things then the professional does the right things right.
Select one item from your list of attributes and start to model the behaviour you would like to emulate. Don’t be afraid to copy key phrases or mannerisms that your target uses (as long as they are positive) because this will give you access to some of the unconscious thoughts and feelings this person accesses to exhibit competence. Overall, you are looking to acquire the mindset of the professional you have chosen to model.
Balance this approach with a more ego-centric exercise, focused on what you want out of life and what you are prepared to give. Statistics show that the number one reason senior executives leave their employer is for lifestyle reasons. However, being clear on what you want from your career, need not result in leaving your current employer. Think collaboration. How can you collaborate with your organisation to devise a role or a working framework that meets your needs whilst making a valued contribution to the organisational strategy?
As I mentioned earlier, these are just foundational skills. However, start acquiring a level of conscious competence in these areas and you will see a significant improvement in the way you are perceived at the highest levels in the organisation.
This article has been prepared by Simon Phillips and the author welcomes comments and questions which can be emailed to simon@simesco.co.uk
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