The Happy Burro

(revised from November 2008)

Just about every organization in this economy has to learn to do more with less.  Public, private, non-profit: budgets are shrinking across the board. Unemployment is near 10% nationwide. If you are working in or leading one of these organizations, you still have customers that need your services, products and support.  The fact that you have significantly less resources doesn’t mean much to them.  To survive, you need to be better than ever at keeping the clients you have and finding new ones.  Cutting your way to prosperity rarely works.  So how do you accomplish this Herculean task? (hint: it isn’t about focusing on budgets…)

Define Success

Do you have a conference room right now that is packed with finance people, spreadsheets and a line out the door of managers pleading their cases to not have their budgets slashed?  Did the CEO demand ‘across the board reductions’?  Does it appear that everyone is trying to nickel and dime their way to meet budget numbers?

Try this exercise instead: get your senior leaders together and define what success looks like for your organization.  Is it three new products introduced in 2010?  Holding the line on market share?  Increasing enrollment by 5%?  Get that decision and provide guidance for your department managers.

Organize for Success

Have your team look at every department and organize them to specifically deliver on that success.  You may find that you have a few businesses that exist, even profitable ones, that don’t deliver what you say you’re in business to do.  Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, set a goal of being #1 or #2 in every market in which GE had a business – and if GE wasn’t #1 or #2, then fix/sell/close that business within six months.  GE decided that even profitable businesses that did not match the organization’s vision had to go.  What is your business holding on to that isn’t part of the future?

Fund Success

Now we start looking at the budget.  How much does this new world order cost?  If your people were judicious in their work, you should find a minimum of discrepancies in what should be funded.  If they are still holding onto legacy business, unprofitable products or accounts, or programs that do not meet their intended purpose, you have an easier way to give guidance.  Repurpose budget dollars to fund the stated success, and/or increase revenue/donations/partnerships to fund that success.

DEFINE SUCCESS

ORGANIZE FOR SUCCESS

FUND SUCCESS

Joe Raasch :: Jan.18.2010 :: Innovation, Leadership, Organizational Development, Performance Management :: No Comments »

Leaders are the architects of boundaries

-  Dr. Douglas Reeves

Leading a team is one of the hardest jobs in any organization.  It doesn’t matter if this is a project team with individuals that do not report to you, or your direct reports that you work with every day.  Somewhere between, “decide and announce” and “whatever you want to do, team, go ahead” is where you earn your keep.

How best to ensure your team is:

• reaching its goals
• exceeding its potential
• working efficiently and effectively
• able to leverage your leadership to get the tools and support they need

Micromanage

Ever work for this boss?  Doesn’t matter what they say, you know they’ll be trying hard to insert themselves every step of the way.  This will happen overtly when they interact with you and your team.  It may also happen covertly, where they hold separate meetings to ensure all of the work is being done to their specifications.  When asked, they’ll typically say, “No, it is your project.  You are in charge.”  Doesn’t feel like it…

Done, but not how I like it done

Your boss gives you basic parameters for completing a project.  You go forth, give your best effort and report back on time, and within budget.  Then the criticism begins:  “Why did you do it that way?”  “Did you ever consider this option?”  “I want a different font size…” etc. etc.  All of these questions/comments could have been part of the original parameters, or requested during the project.  How much motivation is lost when the boss tries to improve the finished product by a small amount?  Too much.

Enough rope to hang

You could hear this too: “Go ahead, you know how to do this.  Get it done.”  You have questions, you have comments, you have concerns.  You get zero information or support from your boss.  Just admonishments for not working harder, leaning into the work and getting it all done.  The direction, support and ultimate outcome are either unknown or sketchy.  Not good business.

Trust – both ways

Or….the conversation goes like this:

Boss:  Go ahead with the project as you’ve recommended.  I just want to be sure there are these outcomes, plus a third that incorporates additional marketing.  You may want to pilot a solution too. etc.

Employee:  Ok.  Who do I go to with questions on this?  It encompasses a lot of departments.

Boss:  Come to me.  I will either answer your question or put you in touch with the person that can.  Put this project as a standing agenda item on your one-on-ones so we can discuss as needed.

Wouldn’t that be great?

___________________

How do you lead as an architect?  Do you draw up basic plans and let the team find a good way to a great outcome?  Do you micromanage every detail?  Do you ignore pleas for help and then get mad when the product isn’t delivered to your specifications?  What is the right level of support to give an employee?

Joe Raasch :: Dec.05.2009 :: Change Management, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Organizational Development, Performance Management :: No Comments »

You are at a meeting that has no published agenda, few know why they were invited, and 45 minutes into the meeting you are thinking…why am I here?  There is a lot of discussion, no notes, and little direction.  Great way to pass the time, if you’re so inclined.  I bet most of us have better things to do.  As leaders, our calendars are packed with meetings that are billed as ‘strategic’ or ‘action-oriented’.  Focus on the outcomes when you’re at that meeting.  If the presenter/facilitator doesn’t explicitly state the outcome for the meeting, you may want to ask up front.

Everything Is A Problem

Solving problems, as in definition #2 below.  Not as in an issue, challenge or something is wrong. As a question for engaging in action that provides discussion and solution.

problem – [prob-luh m]

1.  any question or matter involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty.

2.  a question proposed for solution or discussion.

3.  Mathematics. a statement requiring a solution, usually by means of a mathematical operation or geometric construction.

Leaders Are Paid To Solve Problems

Complex problems.  Easy problems.  Political problems.  Solved.  We need to lead our teams, our colleagues, our own bosses, towards solution-based actions.  The rest is conversation.  If you are lucky enough to work in an organization that has a robust performance management process, you’ll find that solving problems is what you should be doing all the time.

Joe Raasch :: Nov.14.2009 :: Change Management, Leadership, Organizational Development, Performance Management :: No Comments »