I’ve noticed something strange in the last five years or so: people seem to have forgotten how to think, and nowhere is that troubling fact more obvious than in the workforce. This lack is not limited to common sense. It is not limited to emotional intelligence. It seems that the sheer capacity to question, to wonder, and to contribute something new to our collective human consciousness has been almost entirely snuffed out by self-satisfied complacency and attention spans so short they would make you average four-year-old blush. There may be some other reasons, too.
Admittedly, questioning authority (and the status quo) isn’t always easy, and it isn’t always safe. Depending on the reigning style of management at a given organization, sometimes offering an opinion too loudly or promoting an alternative too forcefully or rocking the boat too vigorously can be a quick way to enter the ranks of the unemployed. We need to be careful about how we broach certain subjects. Battle cries for new world orders clearly need to be tempered with some tact. But the thing that no one needs is another lemming following its brainless predecessors off a cliff.
As a species, we have been given the gift of reason, the capacity to think for ourselves. Yet, too often, we default to the opinions of “experts”; we bow to the expertise of our “superiors”; we get swept away by the torrent of groupthink just because it’s there. We have gotten comfortable and become lazy; we are content to let others do the thinking for us. We have forgotten how to think critically, failing to question the decisions being made all around us with neither our input nor our consent. We have been trained to get along by going along. The newest generation of employees has not been rewarded for being innovative. They have been downsized, outsourced, and laid off. This is partially their fault and partially not. They try to go unnoticed so that they can keep their jobs. For many, it’s purely a case of self-preservation. Keeping their heads down has made them invisible, entirely unremarkable, and kept them under the radar. The unfortunate fallout is that it has also made them drones. What a waste.
Some of the most influential people in our history have also been the most cantankerous. Galileo Galilei, widely known as the father of modern science, refused to let go of the notion that the earth is not, in fact, the center of the universe. For that, he was tried by the Inquisition and found guilty of heresy. He spent the remainder of his life under house arrest because he refused to denounce what he held to be right and true, despite popular pressure. Where was that defiant spirit when Enron was busy cooking its books and stealing billions of dollars from its shareholders? Enron didn’t employ stupid people. For all intents and purposes, it wasn’t that they lacked ethics or character, either. What was missing was the ability to question authority, and the courage to draw a line in the sand.
I’ve noticed something strange in the last five years or so: people seem to have forgotten how to think, and nowhere is that troubling fact more obvious than in the workforce. This lack is not limited to common sense. It is not limited to emotional intelligence. It seems that the sheer capacity to question, to wonder, and to contribute something new to our collective human consciousness has been almost entirely snuffed out by self-satisfied complacency and attention spans so short they would make you average four-year-old blush. There may be some other reasons, too.
Admittedly, questioning authority (and the status quo) isn’t always easy, and it isn’t always safe. Depending on the reigning style of management at a given organization, sometimes offering an opinion too loudly or promoting an alternative too forcefully or rocking the boat too vigorously can be a quick way to enter the ranks of the unemployed. We need to be careful about how we broach certain subjects. Battle cries for new world orders clearly need to be tempered with some tact. But the thing that no one needs is another lemming following its brainless predecessors off a cliff.
As a species, we have been given the gift of reason, the capacity to think for ourselves. Yet, too often, we default to the opinions of “experts”; we bow to the expertise of our “superiors”; we get swept away by the torrent of groupthink just because it’s there. We have gotten comfortable and become lazy; we are content to let others do the thinking for us. We have forgotten how to think critically, failing to question the decisions being made all around us with neither our input nor our consent. We have been trained to get along by going along. The newest generation of employees has not been rewarded for being innovative. They have been downsized, outsourced, and laid off. This is partially their fault and partially not. They try to go unnoticed so that they can keep their jobs. For many, it’s purely a case of self-preservation. Keeping their heads down has made them invisible, entirely unremarkable, and kept them under the radar. The unfortunate fallout is that it has also made them drones. What a waste.
Some of the most influential people in our history have also been the most cantankerous. Galileo Galilei, widely known as the father of modern science, refused to let go of the notion that the earth is not, in fact, the center of the universe. For that, he was tried by the Inquisition and found guilty of heresy. He spent the remainder of his life under house arrest because he refused to denounce what he held to be right and true, despite popular pressure. Where was that defiant spirit when Enron was busy cooking its books and stealing billions of dollars from its shareholders? Enron didn’t employ stupid people. For all intents and purposes, it wasn’t that they lacked ethics or character, either. What was missing was the ability to question authority, and the courage to draw a line in the sand.
Being a step ahead of your competitors is a great place to be and gaining that extra step requires that you focus on the future. General Motors understands that better than most and it shows. GM operates in a highly competitive market where the ability to think ahead and strategize accordingly are vital to the company’s continued prosperity.
Every year, General Motors invites top college students to intern in their design center where behind tight security the auto maker develops its future models. This year the discovery channel has gotten involved, creating a reality-TV series called “Future Cars” that will showcase the interns’ bright ideas. Their task was to envision the year 2030 and design personal transportation for the needs of GM’s customers 20 years from now.
The interns were told to dream big and think of the possibilities that the future might hold. They talked about designing the car for “Generation I”, those born after the integration of the internet. As they designed the cars, they had to imagine how new technology, materials, and social situations would affect how cars would need to be designed in the future.
Leaders at GM viewed this experience as a reverse mentoring process. Larry Burns, VP of Strategic Planning for GM, said, “I think we ended up with a lot of great ideas, and it’s going to help the business leaders of General Motors stretch their thinking about how far we need to be pushing innovation into the future.”
Most businesses today may not be thinking 20 years into the future, but if you are not thinking strategically about what the future may hold, your competitors will. Similar to the concepts the interns were exploring; future technology, new materials, and social situations, to name a few – companies across all industries need to be considering these ideas as well. Gathering and understanding information on what the future could hold can help company stakeholders make smart strategic decisions – and propel these companies to the top of their industry.
Greg Page, CEO for Cargill, once quoted in one of our strategic learning events, “You have to be more effective and strategically minded than the person in the same role who is working for our competitors.” To gain the step ahead, employees at all levels of the organization need to spend time thinking strategically about their position, their job responsibilities, and how to improve efficiency, and where they might find strategic opportunities.
All it takes is one strategic idea to get a step ahead.
This past weekend I completed my 3rd full, 26.2-mile marathon. After finishing such a strenuous task, I realized how much I use strategic thinking to get myself across the finish line.
I prepare my mind and body for months before embarking on such a journey. I begin by figuring out what my “bottom line” is, exactly what it is I want to accomplish. Different runners measure accomplishment in different ways: some may simply want to cross that finish line, while others may try to finish the race in a certain amount of time either for personal gratification or so that they qualify for the Boston Marathon. Marathon runners map out every element of their training programs. Designing their workout regimens, eating plans, and sleep cycles according to their personal goals. They plan out how they will handle elevation changes and how fast they want to run each mile in the race. Every detail of the marathon is planned out very specifically, very strategically, and to the very last detail.
After spending months on the preparation stage, marathon runners apply their strategic planning to the race itself, the 26.2-mile journey. Although the marathon itself can take time, be difficult, and throw unexpected obstacles at the runners, their careful strategic planning allows them to handle any unexpected stumbling block with grace. I have run in races in which I had to deal with inclement weather, health problems, and in one instance, a fractured foot. When runners come across barriers on their path to success, they must strategically alter their carefully laid out plans to still achieve the desired bottom-line. If I had not been flexible during my training program, willing to change, and attentive to what worked best for me and my body, I would not have been able to finish the race, especially in a way that brought about the result I desired.
You may be aware, or may have personally been affected by Apple’s New Year glitch. The first day back to work for many after the holiday break started out on a sour note when Apple users were left sleeping when a glitch with some Apple products internal clock, including iPhone, iPad, and iTouch, prevented the alarm clocks from going off. As an Apple customer who experienced this glitch firsthand, I know I would have been a lot more satisfied with my Apple products if I had not had to experience a problem this large in stature. Not only did this cause many people to arrive late for work, many travelers missed flights and had to delay their travel plans. As of January 3rd, the alarm glitch should be fixed; allowing these clocks to function properly, but this didn’t prevent any hassle on the first day of the New Year.
According to a variety of news articles, this isn’t the first time that Apple has experienced problems with the functionality of their products’ alarm clocks. In November many iPhone users in Australia woke up an hour later than they were supposed to be because the phone’s internal clocks didn’t adapt to daylight savings time.
A little bit of strategic thinking could have saved Apple from a large number of upset customers. Since Apple was aware that they had previously struggled with their internal clocks, it would have been strategic to solve the problem, even before it took place; to keep the future in mind, so that what they were doing yesterday and what they are doing today, will allow them to be better equipped for the future. Strategic thinking requires people to analyze the changes happening today that will influence tomorrow’s reality. Apple could truly benefit from looking at what is happening today that will influence their success tomorrow. If they take the time to prepare for and adapt to these changes, Apple will be better equipped to handle and prevent problems, now and in the future.
I wonder if any any Apple employees experienced the problem?
Question #1: Is it possible for a manager to manage sales in a retail store?
Through out the retail industry, including manufacturers and distributors, the sales number is often the number one priority. Indeed, in many companies sales numbers are so far above any other measurement that managers live and breathe by whether sales are up, or down. If sales numbers are so important they must be manageable, right? Let’s find out.
A number of years ago two highly experienced retail store managers quit their jobs and promising careers and purchased two stores and began a career of teamwork as owner-partners, rather than employees of a large chain. For four years the partners did everything imaginable to build sales volume in both stores. During the first two years the partners frequently told friends and family, “Sales are up.” In fact, about 18 months into the venture one of the partners said, “Can you believe it, our sales are up 22 percent over last year!” Without doubt these two owner-partners had achieved the American dream. They owned their own business and were controlling their own destiny. Clearly, everyone who knew the owners was envious, wishing they had as much courage to do the same. After all, isn’t this how other successful retail business began?
The first indication of trouble was when the partners tried to sell one of their stores. When that didn’t happen, they abruptly closed it over a weekend. Their explanation was that the store had always had problems and by closing it they could focus their attention and capital resources on the one remaining store. With the problem store closed, friends and family once again heard reports of, “Sales are up.” But within a few months the second store was also closed and the owner-partners declared personal and business bankruptcy. Literally the partners lost almost everything they owned. They escaped the failed venture with one taking a job as a clerk for Home Depot, and the other selling used cars.
What happened? If sales were consistently up, how could the business not be profitable? The answer is that in retail there is no direct connection between sales and profit. Unless gross and expenses are fixed, sales and profit become independent variables. It is possible for sales to go up, for example, while profit goes down; and profit can go up, while sales go down. The reason is that there are no guarantees in retail. Other factors such as gross margin, labor, overhead, and expenses have greater impact on profit than sales alone. That’s what happened and crushed the American dream for two enterprising, former, store managers. Now do you know the answer to the question, “Can sales be managed?” Let’s use a bit of strategic thinking and drill a little deeper toward the answer.
Question #2: Is there anything a manager can do directly to sales that will make the number change? Is it only possible to impact sales by influencing other factors?
Actually, sales are a product of two factors. That means nothing can be done directly to sales to make it change. To change sales a manager must manage something else, not sales itself. Therefore, to focus primarily or excessively on an unmanageable number, at the expense of the things that can change it, could lead to failure. This explains the failure of the two storeowners.
Question #3: What are the only two factors that determine sales in a retail store? Can these two factors be managed?
It’s true that many things contribute to retail sales; things like, margin, signing, suggestive selling, pricing, displays, merchandising, stocking, store location, advertising, product availability, and many more. But all of these things can be rolled up into two factors. Do you know what they are? The accompanying illustration is the key. All of the things listed above, and many more contribute to two factors: (1) Number of Guests, and (2) Sale Per Guest. The number of guests and the amount of each transaction determines sales. Did you answer correctly?
Question #4: Can the two factors that contribute to sales, Number of Guests and Sale Per Guest, be managed?
As with the sales number, what can a manager do directly to Number of Guests or Sale Per Guest to make them change? The answer is, not much. Once again, it isn’t possible to manage these numbers either, because they are the products of other things. Although they are excellent measurements of the health of a retail store (or company), they are technically unmanageable. To focus primarily or extensively on them at the expense of the basic things that really drive sales could be a mistake.
Question #5: So what can a retail manager manage?
The answer to this question is everything that contributes, or rolls into, Number of Guests and Sale Per Guest. The basic elements are the things that can be managed, not the products of these elements. That means the most effective place to manage sales is not with sales itself, but rather in all of the fundamental elements that begin the process. These are the things that are manageable, not the product number such as sales. When a retail employee is told, “Your sales are down, you better get them up,” the employee can only make the change at the basic element level. And if the employee doesn’t have a good understanding of the process, it will be very difficult to make the change.
Welcome to the March 31, 2010 edition of Business Lessons. In this edition of Business Lessons the topics that will be covered are: Leadership, Strategic Thinking, and Teamwork.
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of business lessons using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Once there was a boy who found there was a wonderful device, the telephone with a live person on the other line ready to help you. Her name was ‘Information Please’ and there seemed there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anyone’s number, the correct time and as the boy soon found was a means to gather intelligence.
The little boy took every advantage of Information please. ‘I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts.’ Information please came to the rescue… ‘Can you open the icebox?’ she asked. He replied he could. ’Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger,’ said the voice.
After that, he called ‘Information Please’ for everything. He asked for help with his geography, and she told him where Philadelphia was. She helped him with his math. She told him his pet chipmunk that he had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts. This little boy gathered information for any question he desired.
Where do we go to gather our intelligence? Thinking we are getting the most accurate information possible, we often use the World Wide Web as our personal Information Please. Unfortunately, the computer only answers what it has been told. The information we receive is at times not only misleading but inaccurate as well. So what do we do then?
To gather the correct information needed to make an educated and informed decision, a little strategic thinking may be involved. You might follow five ways to gather intelligence as taught by CMOE in its strategy programs:
Do your homework and research your target thoroughly (get knowledge hungry)
Investigate and understand the environment you are working in, moving into, or encountering
Decode and anticipate future trends, recognize patterns, and “connect the dots” (cause and effect links)
Seek out accurate and objective information about your capabilities and readiness level
Establish signals, harbingers, and mechanisms to track progress and alert you to opportunities and dangers
Sometimes it takes more than just clicking a key on the computer or picking up the phone to gather information. Regardless of whether we use ‘Information Please’ or the Internet to gather our intelligence to make a decision, we must make sure the information is accurate.
All my life exercise and sports have been a huge part of who I am. As I got older and entered into the “real” world of work, family, and other responsibilities, I soon found myself in a position I had previously not known. I was 30 pounds overweight. It got me before I even noticed it was coming.
One day I heard an expert talking about exercise, the benefits of physical activity and the regret of doing nothing at all. He brought up the point that in many decisions we make in life, we can either discipline ourselves to do what we know we need to, or regret later doing nothing. One thing I know, “discipline weighs ounces”, “regret weight pounds”! I had to make a change.
I immediately set some goals for myself, and after three months I had lost 20 pounds. I was feeling great. Better yet, it was noticeable to others. One friend asked, “What are you doing? You have lost a lot of weight and are looking good. What diet are you on?” My reply was, “I am on the GOAL diet.” He looked at me confused and so I explained to him that I set goals for myself and then worked to achieve my goals.
By the look on his face, I think he was expecting a different answer. He went on to tell me that he had a goal of losing 25 pounds in 6 months, but he’s had that goal for 2 years. His biggest frustration was, “Why Can’t I Achieve My Goals?” I thought about the question for a while and here are three things you should ask yourself if you are struggling to achieve goals.
Are your goals written down and reviewed daily? This is vital to your success in achieving goals. The old saying is, “Goals not written are just wishes.” Reviewing your goals on a daily basis will keep you focused and keep the Goal in mind every day.
Is your Main Goal divided into “Mini-Goals”? My friend’s goal was to lose 25 pounds in 6 months. That was it. He didn’t have monthly, weekly, daily goals. Now that doesn’t mean divide the 25 pounds by 6 months to get your monthly goal and then divide that by 4 for your weekly goal. That would be the same goal. You need goals for specific actions that will help you achieve your Main Goal. In this example, a good weekly goal would be, to exercise 4 times this week. A good daily goal would be, to not have any sweets today. All these “Mini-Goals” keep you on track in reaching your Main Goal.
Did you share your goal with someone else? There is something to be said about accountability. If we are only accountable to ourselves, it is too easy to justify a sub-par effort. Just knowing that someone is going to ask how we are doing, gives us more motivation to succeed.
Setting goals are important in all aspects of our lives. Used correctly, goals help to keep us on track and motivated to work hard and achieve what is most important in our lives. Used incorrectly, goals can hinder both our short-term and long-term success. As in the example with my friend, he had the goal for 2 years. Because he was not able to achieve that goal, he felt inadequate and unable to ever make the change. Therefore, he stopped trying. It is important to set our goals to be realistic and achievable (with some good effort). Then ask ourselves those 3 questions to make sure we are on the path to successful goal setting. If you Prefer Rules: 1. Write it down 2. Divide into Mini Goals 3. Create accountability.
Impressions of The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss.
While the title of this book intrigued me (only four hours of work a week), I just didn’t get around to reading the best seller until a couple of weeks ago. It’s a fast read and well articulated. I really liked Mr. Ferriss’ first concept that “Time is Money.” For me this view is right on. Too often, we are so busy trying to make a better income, we forget just how much it really costs us. Three main elements in the book caught my attention. I feel they are well worth considering if not incorporating into your life: Elimination, Selective Ignorance, and Outsourcing.
Elimination
As we age, we naturally reach a point where we begin an elimination process in our lives. We not only cut back on material possessions, we also begin to eliminate unfulfilling activities. Mr. Ferris is simply moving this process from the autumn years to the spring years of life.
Selective Ignorance One person cannot know everything about everything, and yet we all know people who will not, maybe cannot, say, “I don’t know.” Selective Ignorance, according to Ferriss, is the process of deliberately ignoring topics that may not be relevant or will take too much time to explore. I agree that it is important to limit our focus to what we can handle realistically, but it may not always be to our best interest in doing only those things we enjoy. Think about the first time you were on a bicycle; can you honestly say you enjoyed falling off that two wheeled contraption? Yet, today you may be an avid bicyclist.
Outsourcing
Asking others to do jobs that are outside our expertise is a no-brainer. However, I have two main concerns about giving our tasks we consider time wasters, to others. First, outsourcing will not guarantee that what you get will be what you wanted or needed. Simply put, no one sees the world like you do. Second, by giving your time wasters to someone else, are you adding more hours to their work week. You must ask yourself, “What’s the cost? Is your time more valuable than theirs?” Rather than outsourcing time wasters, let’s go back to the concept of Elimination. Get rid of them and make everyone more efficient.
Summary
What concerns me most about Mr. Ferriss’ book is the impression he gives that you should simply stretch the rules of the game to fit your needs so that you can win the prize. Example, early in the book he talks about using loop holes in rules to win an international sports competition. He drastically reduced his water weight to weigh in at a lower weight so later he would outweigh his opponent. And because he didn’t have the skills, he used another loop hole in the rules to win by pushing his opponents off the mat. So, okay, he won the prize. Strategy and tactics aside, what about ethics! What about to the personal satisfaction in acquiring the skill to compete? While winning is important, the pride in developing the skill is often more satisfying.
“If only I had enough time to… (fill in your own blank)”. How many times have you heard someone say those words in the last week? How many times have you thought those words in the last two days? I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone who has enough time to do all of the things they should do, let alone include the things they would like to do. Nor have I ever met anyone who claimed to have too much time. And the reality is each of us has all the time there is… exactly 168 hours a week, no more no less. So then, why is it that some people find a way to get so much more done than others in the same amount of time? Or, why is it that some people are so terribly busy, they’re running here and running there but rarely get anything of significance accomplished? I have a theory and I would love to share it with you.
I’ve come to the conclusion, that for most of us, time management is not the problem. There is little doubt that each of us couldn’t get better in some aspect of time management. I’ve taught time management classes for more than 20 years. And while far from perfect, time management is not my biggest challenge either. So what is the biggest challenge to getting more done and creating more value where it matters most? I believe the answer is a lack of well thought out and clearly defined “strategic targets” which will have a significant impact on your future. Let me explain.
A “strategic target” represents an innovative, strategic idea or initiative you want to pursue. It describes where you want to be or what you want to accomplish at some point in the future. These targets could be personal or professional; they could be linked to your family life or relationships, your career or some aspect of your current job. A target could be as simple as “What are the expected outcomes of a meeting you’re facilitating this afternoon?”, or as complex as “What will the organization look like after the merger?”
Without specific targets to focus our limited time and energy, we spend a lot of time spinning our wheels on things of little strategic value, things that keep us running in frantic, meaningless circles. We’re very busy trying to do everything for everyone, and in the process, getting very little done that really matters or adds value to our lives or the lives of others. It is ironic that very few of us would get in our cars and drive frantically without a clear destination in mind. And yet, most of us have a tendency to go through our projects, jobs, careers and lives in just such a fashion… no clear destination or target in mind. No wonder we find ourselves so tired and so stressed out and yet no farther down our desired path.
Time management is not the problem… a lack of strategic targets is. What targets, if obtained, would make a difference in your life? Where are you going today? Do you know?
I’ve noticed something strange in the last five years or so: people seem to have forgotten how to think, and nowhere is that troubling fact more obvious than in the workforce. This lack is not limited to common sense. It is not limited to emotional intelligence. It seems that the sheer capacity to question, to wonder, and to contribute something new to our collective human consciousness has been almost entirely snuffed out by self-satisfied complacency and attention spans so short they would make you average four-year-old blush. There may be some other reasons, too.
Being a step ahead of your competitors is a great place to be and gaining that extra step requires that you focus on the future. General Motors understands that better than most and it shows. GM operates in a highly competitive market where the ability to think ahead and strategize accordingly are vital to the company’s continued prosperity.
After spending months on the preparation stage, marathon runners apply their strategic planning to the race itself, the 26.2-mile journey. Although the marathon itself can take time, be difficult, and throw unexpected obstacles at the runners, their careful strategic planning allows them to handle any unexpected stumbling block with grace. I have run in races in which I had to deal with inclement weather, health problems, and in one instance, a fractured foot. When runners come across barriers on their path to success, they must strategically alter their carefully laid out plans to still achieve the desired bottom-line. If I had not been flexible during my training program, willing to change, and attentive to what worked best for me and my body, I would not have been able to finish the race, especially in a way that brought about the result I desired.
You may be aware, or may have personally been affected by Apple’s New Year glitch. The first day back to work for many after the holiday break started out on a sour note when Apple users were left sleeping when a glitch with some Apple products internal clock, including iPhone, iPad, and iTouch, prevented the alarm clocks from going off. As an Apple customer who experienced this glitch firsthand, I know I would have been a lot more satisfied with my Apple products if I had not had to experience a problem this large in stature. Not only did this cause many people to arrive late for work, many travelers missed flights and had to delay their travel plans. As of January 3rd, the alarm glitch should be fixed; allowing these clocks to function properly, but this didn’t prevent any hassle on the first day of the New Year.
After that, he called ‘Information Please’ for 
One person cannot know everything about everything, and yet we all know people who will not, maybe cannot, say, “I don’t know.” Selective Ignorance, according to Ferriss, is the process of deliberately ignoring topics that may not be relevant or will take too much time to explore. I agree that it is important to limit our focus to what we can handle realistically, but it may not always be to our best interest in doing only those things we enjoy. Think about the first time you were on a bicycle; can you honestly say you enjoyed falling off that two wheeled contraption? Yet, today you may be an avid bicyclist.
I’ve come to the conclusion, that for most of us, time management is not the problem. There is little doubt that each of us couldn’t get better in some aspect of time management. I’ve taught time management classes for more than 20 years. And while far from perfect, time management is not my biggest challenge either. So what is the biggest challenge to getting more done and creating more value where it matters most? I believe the answer is a lack of well thought out and clearly defined “strategic targets” which will have a significant impact on your future. Let me explain.
