A "Golden Rule" for effective execution.

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

Recent events have reminded me of something I had learned many years ago and has made me smile at myself for such a lapse in memory. It's regarding optimizing effective execution and I am now defining it as a "Golden Rule", never to be forgotten - "Wait for two green lights and seven business days before you actually start doing anything."

The story goes something like this. -

My professional history has had me working in heavily matrixed organizations that encouraged urgency, a pro-activeness, and involvement from many corners of the organization to ensure ideas were "pressure tested appropriately". Sometimes this created a dynamic environment for getting projects off the ground, but it did increase the likelihood of overall success.

One day I was talking about a previous project with a senior leader in HR and she asked me if I had started the "new project"; I went onto say I had the green light but then it was put on hold, and it had now happened twice... I then said, "I have learned to wait for two green lights and seven business days before I actually start doing anything." To that, a director who was listening in on the conversation started to laugh and laugh; the senior leader smiled and nodded. They wished me all the best, and the project started about three weeks later... give or take.

The decision making process, particularly if the risks are high, there are competing agendas, and voices, is not a simple "go or no go".... it is more like "go, wait, no go, wait, wait, wait, maybe we will change the scope, wait, go!!!" - My experience is the larger the organization, the more true this can be.

"Wait for two green lights and seven business days before you actually start doing anything" is admittedly a little tongue in cheek, but figuratively (and sometimes literally) it rings very true as a Golden Rule to increase the effectiveness of your execution. And here is why...

• You are reminded to actually ask the question, "Does this project have a green light and when is the start date?" If the answer isn't anything but "yes", then someone is still deciding.
• Starting something before the project has the final green light exposes you to doing unnecessary work and the frustration that can come with wasted time and effort. Granted there can be advantage of getting ahead of the curve, but be forewarned there will be stops, starts and changes you didn't anticipate... some may make any advanced work moot.
• The Golden Rule reminds us of patience, and as we all know, a clearer and calmer mind gets things done more effectively. 

The "two green lights" are not just to know if the project is a "go or no go", but allows you to better understand the calendar of the project and available resources; frame up your time and event schedule, and prepare for the detail... and this brings us to the "seven business days".

I have found that once a project is a go, there is always some "additional ideas and thoughts" to take advantage of what is going on. The "seven business days" allow you to work any of these last minute additions or corrections into the plan... as well as remind all the appropriate parties of the lock down date for the final execution plan. After the lock down, it's just execution, execution and more execution. 

As we know, once it's locked down, it's locked down... and only an "act of god"* can change it" - This is why this Golden Rule is never to be forgotten again... it minimizes the changes after plan lockdown that can impact execution.

gpe

*In our respective business settings, we all know who holds the "act of god" cards.

Wanna know how you are doing?

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

"OMG! It's going to hell in a hand basket, it's over... it's done! I will save you the trouble and throw myself under the bus... a complete failure!" Dramatic maybe, but have you ever taken this kind of perspective with something?  Wait before you answer...

You then look to another point of view, and although somewhat similar to yours, it tends to be different; more often than not doesn't involve a bus, you are on the right track, you are better off than you thought, and there's just more work ahead of you (granted, maybe a lot more).

If ever there was a truism, it is this - People will look at "situations" differently... and with that said, never assume the way you look at the situation is correct. "Situations" in this context can be anything... a problem, an opportunity, a team's performance, an individual (you)... name it. If you want to understand, improve, harness or deal with a situation effectively, you need to see it for what it is - To do this effectively, you need different points of view to get a true picture; increase your chances for success. It is at the heart of all effective planning and execution.

And there it is, the answer to "wanting to know how you are doing?" - Get other people's point of view regarding you and your situation... the more objective and tangible the point of view, the better. Expanding on this a little, here are some thoughts:

• If you have a strong sense of worth (ego) and a strong need to be "right", you have to "check this at the door". It will impede your ability to listen, let alone understand another point of view. If you find yourself getting defensive or outright dismissive, that is a sure sign you have work to do.
• Remember the question "how you are doing" has to be relative to something... ensure what that is has been clearly defined and there is context to the question.
• Getting a point of view from someone that thinks like you isn't very helpful and is just an elaborate exercise in self-validation. You need a point of view from someone with different ways of thinking, life perspective, credibility and experience.
• You need more than just one different point of view, which allows you to develop themes and ultimately a clearer picture of the situation. This creates a valid perspective of how you are doing.
• Depending on the situation, this can be an emotional question; we are human after all. Knowing this, think of "a point of view" as a constructive, intellectual exercise that helps develop clarity and understanding. If you are being asked for your point of view, do it with respect and appreciation that it can be a "big deal".
• If you are a people leader, you should be offering your constructive point of view before the question even gets asked.
• It never hurts to get mentors and set up an informal advisory council.

Ultimately, we are trying to scratch at the reality of a situation so we can develop the appropriate understanding and a plan of action moving forward. There is no doubt that different points of view will help you understand a situation clearer. But I would suggest there is something even more important, and that is, "asking the question in the first place".

With that, "How am I doing?"

gpe 

Why do we tolerate "untrustworthiness"?

Yes untrustworthiness is a real word and is defined as, "the quality or state of being untrustworthy"... with untrustworthy meaning, "not able to be relied on as honest or truthful". 

Why do I bring this up? Let me tell you, and although some may think me naive, hear me out because eventually I will get to how it impacts optimizing your execution.

The other day I mentioned in passing that I had an agreement with someone and  immediately the question was, "do you have it in writing?" To that I mentioned I had a letter of intent... with shock she said, "You need a contract!" After offering some context to the situation, I then said, "I trust the person". The horror that spread over her face... it was as if I had slapped a baby*; we changed the topic.

I understand that there is process, procedure, and complicated situations where clarity of language and interpretation is needed... I get contracts; what struck me though, was the extreme insistence that a contract was needed and all would be solved**. This is not the first time I have heard this type of thing, and it is as if there is a grand untrustworthiness that surrounds us... all to be solved with a contract. 

It was not so long ago that the handshake or raising of a glass was not simply a symbolic gesture; someone may actually be trying to kill you. Maybe we are hardwired to assume that we are all simply untrustworthy and have to act accordingly, if only for survival's sake. The problem is that sustainable success in anything involves working with others, and with that comes our struggle to find trust - We need each other for our mutual success, but innately don't trust anyone... the universe sure has an interesting sense of humor. 

So maybe the response of "get a contract" is natural and ultimately the correct one... but then again, she could have said, "do you trust this person?" Our energy seems to be directed towards putting mechanisms in place to minimize "untrustworthiness", instead of maximizing trustworthiness; we insidiously re-enforce an underlying belief that unless there is some sort of document to hold a person accountable, being untrustworthy is alright. Where this is really problematic is with the small stuff, and that brings us to its impact regarding optimized execution. Let me offer an example - 

Your team needs to get a project done, on time, on budget and it has to "shine"; you have a team where you:

• Trust that people will meet their deadlines, as you know things are usually all connected.
• Trust that if issues arise they will be communicated quickly and accurately.
• Trust that professionalism will trump any personal issues.
• Trust that people will raise their hand if they need help.
• Trust that there will be candid, open communication.
• Trust that "confidences" will not be compromised.
• Etc.

Knowing that the right "skills" are in place to support that trust, I would suspect you are confident that it will get done with great fanfare.

Now, if we started substituting out "trust" for "untrustworthy", how comfortable would you feel? Can you already envision the little problems growing into bigger problems, missed deadlines, apathy, and sub performance as "untrustworthy" creeps in?

It is true that trust needs to be earned, but it also needs to be promoted, supported and recognized. Building trust is a mutual endeavor and may be very situational specific, but there are pillars that you can generally count on for support:

• Do what you say you will do.
• Take responsibility for your actions.
• Act with the best ethical and moral intensions.
• Be honest (and it will hurt sometimes).
• Offer up your experience.
• Communicate openly.
• Wholeheartedly support and foster trustworthiness.

There will always be a need to a good contract; I have a few of them myself. But when you look over at the person you work with every day, your teams, the entrepreneur you are looking to partner with or the person you are thinking to bring on as a partner, the foundations for mutual success will not be build on a "tightly worded contract", but TRUST in each other and the desire to get things done.

For me, trust first, then a contract; saves on legal fees in the end. Plus I guarantee your execution will be much better for it... trust me. (sorry for that)

gpe 

* no babies were slapped in the making of this blog.

** I have also heard that a contract is as good as your lawyer... not sure where I heard it though.