Sometimes, to improve your company, it helps to step out and away from it. But this is hard to do when you are IN the business everyday. So try this:
Imagine standing on a balcony looking off in the distance at where you are going (your vision) and then down on your organization to see what’s really going on. I mean REALLY look!
- What work is getting done?
- Is it the most important work relative to making progress towards your vision?
- Is there less important work, or work you are not good at, getting in the way of the most important work?
- How is this work getting done? Are people working efficiently, effectively and cooperatively?
One approach that always worked for me was to look for internal staff frustration to pinpoint areas in need of improvement.
This week:
Walk around and ask several front-line employees, “What do we do around here that you think is really stupid or you find frustrating?” Their answers will help you start to see where you can make things better. Send me what you hear by Friday.
~Tony