It "sorta" went according to plan... working in the spectrum.

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here.

We all love when it "goes according to plan", as it confirms we know what we are doing, we get to celebrate and revel in the emotion that comes with winning - There is no denying it. We are also aware, that no matter now much we plan and cover all of our proverbial bases, inevitably "things" will not go exactly the way we had wanted or planned. This, we do not love as much.

We tend to look at success of our plans as a black or white situation, where either it "went according to plan", or "did not go according to plan"; in reality however, it is a spectrum of grey that says, and I quote, "it sorta went according to plan". More often than not, we are working in this so-called spectrum, not something black and white. 

Our plans are aligned with our personal goals or agendas and fit very nicely into what we want. Where our challenge lies, is that the world is indifferent to what we want and tends to get in the way... all of those people out their with their own plans (that may not align with yours) or simply the randomness of the universe with it's laws, weather and the such. Managing your plans' expected results in an absolute sense may not be the most effective way in achieving success, but instead managing degrees of success as an on going series to achieve your plan. In fact, it is far more important that you are moving in the right direction towards your planned results - Are you further ahead this week than you were last week?

Some thoughts for working in the spectrum that come to mind - 

Have your plan written down : Yes this may be obvious, so lets just call it good housekeeping. What is important is to have measurements in place so you can determine success of your plan and activities. This way you can determine how successful you are and your status according to plan when you say, "It sorta went according to plan".

It always takes longer then you expect (Be Patient): People (as a species*) are notorious for underestimating how long something will take to do... we underestimate how difficult it will be, we overestimate our capability, we underestimate what is needed, etc. This is even before the randomness of the universe gets involved with weather delays, recessions, real-estate busts, etc. I should point out I'm a big believer in driving urgency to stimulate innovative thinking and creativity, but not necessarily as a driver for a deadline.

It is an intellectual activity not an emotional one: Working in the spectrum, as with most activities in business, is an intellectual activity... problems to be solved and opportunities to be capitalized on, that's all. Intellectual work executes plans, not emotional work. With that said, utilizing emotional intensity can help you work through challenging times.

You continually need to be moving in the right direction: Success is measured in moving towards achieving your plan and ultimately your goal. If you find yourself moving the other direction there is much work to be done. This is why you need a plan that can be measured, so you can determine if your efforts are moving you towards success.

Do not quit: It will get difficult every so often, very difficult. If you believe in your plan and your goals, you need to work through this. Sometimes it will be simple will power (emotional intensity) that gets you through the day.

Measure often: Measure how you are doing relative to the plan... more often than not you will be farther ahead than you think and you will be able to course correct faster.

Plans do evolve: This is not to say that if things get difficult that you should change your plan but rather to say, as plans are being executed, that circumstances, as well as managing the spectrum itself may require the plans to evolve. My experience in this regard is plans tend to become loftier, as playing in the spectrum offers an infinite number of possibilities to build upon.

I saw a friend the other day and asked how it was going. He said, "Two steps forward, and one step back".

To that I replied, "Sounds about right".

gpe 

* artistic licence, with a splash of humour.

A "Quality" Fable...

Let us start with a very blustery night a few months back; the winds were so strong they literally snapped fence posts bringing down large panels of fence. It was quite a storm to say the least, but should not have been that devastating. Fast forward to a couple of days ago; a crew arrived to reset the fence posts and put the fence back up - The stage is now set.

For those of you who not familiar with how fence posts are set, it goes something like this: 

• You dig a hole that is a meter or so deep and a third of a meter wide.
• A circular tube, called a sonotube (which acts as a concrete form) is placed on the hole.
• The fence post is placed into the sonotube and the tube is filled with concrete.
• The post is then squared up to ensure it's perpendicular to the ground and braced with temporary supports.
• A couple of days later, the concrete has cured enough that you can put the remainder of the fence up.   

At this point, it is important to note that when you fill the sonotube with concrete it needs to be levelled to "grade" (level with the ground); if this is not done, water will be able to pool and over time the wooden post rots. And when the wood rots, it just isn't strong enough to stand up to a spring storm. 

So the result of not ensuring the original fence posts were "sunk" properly are as follows...

• A day to dig around the old fence post footings so they could be removed.
• A long day to remove 600 pound concrete footings by hand from holes that are a meter deep and two thirds of a meter wide. (This particular crew had limited access to tools and got very creative with levers to remove the old concrete. It was a reminder to always bring the right tools.)
• Two days to reset the new posts and let the concrete cure.
• A day to put the fence back up.

So there you have it... the story of high winds, a fence, and what happens when someone does not put in the effort to ensure the job was done correctly in the first place.

As I watched this unfold in front of me, I was struck with how the efforts of someone you may never know, can, and will affect you down the road; creating quality foundations can have a profound effect - It is the same with the effort and quality in what you do, as it too will effect someone down the road.

So, put the best effort into everything you do! And in turn, hope someone else is doing the same   because we all know every once in a while it gets very windy. 

And there you have it, a Quality Fable*

gpe

* Technically speaking fables include cuddly animals as the characters, but we all know a rabbit or a squirrel couldn't lift 600 pounds of concrete... so I took some artistic license.

Do you recall the last time you just watched?

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here.

I was early for a meeting and had the opportunity to sit quietly; just watching the world go by. The venue was a modern “Innovation Centre” that brought scientific research together with business and government to explore business opportunities... businessmen in their suites (some stylish and others not so much), doctors in their scrubs, researchers with their security tags, young women carrying thick binders and so on… some alone and others in groups; all with a purpose in mind. It was the everyday hustle and bustle of life.

I should clarify that when I say I was watching, it is not a passive event where I also read email, surfed the web and checked stock reports, but rather a very conscious activity -  Watching for how a person looked and acted, what they are doing, how they interact and react with their environment, etc. This is a thinly veiled segue into how with business and most other activities for that matter, there is nothing more important than knowing your customer*... how they act, what they need, how to interact with them, and how they are changing in a rapidly changing world... all that market research is just a sophisticated form of watching. 

Circling back to my active watching moment, I had quickly focused on a series of five large photographs** on display for people to view as they made their way through the Innovation Centre - And guess what? Not a single person stopped to look at them, and of the hundreds of people who walked by, less than a handful even glanced at them. I will wager that somewhere, someone is saying something along these lines, " Look what we have done, we are highlighting this local photographer, connecting with the community and enhancing the environment of the Innovation Centre!"

I will argue that since no one is even looking at the photographs, none of this is happening... it is as if the photographs were not even there. It looks "great on paper" as they say! Some thoughts quickly come to mind: 

• The photographs simply weren't engaging for the demographic. 
• The location just wasn't suitable for someone who is "on the go"... expecting them to stop and look at the photographs was not realistic.
• There was no "call to action" or context for the photographs that would engage a person... such as a sign.
• The same people may frequent the Innovation Centre, so they had seen the pictures many times and had become just part of the familiar landscape.

Personally, I believe that the photographs were in the wrong place, as this was a high traffic area and people were heading somewhere, with no interest or opportunity to stop. This was probably compounded by the lack of context regarding why the photographs were there. But, then again I would have to ask those people who "walked on by".

And this comes to the point and something that was re-enforced for me as I watched - We are busy (or make ourselves so) doing things, "making it happen" and "driving action", and if we are not truly watching what we do, as well as why we do it, our efforts will be misaligned and ultimately ineffective.

And of course everything is always changing, so active watching needs to be ever present.

gpe

* Business governance probably is a close second as a poorly run business inevitable goes down in a ball of flames. In the end however, if you are not intimate with your customer you will perish... guaranteed

** In my humble opinion the photographs were beautiful cityscapes and the work of a very talented photographer.