LEARNING CHALLENGED BUSINESSES

I am curious about the dynamic of why organizations don't learn or are slow to learn or lag about 10-15 years behind the rest of the world.

I'd love to hear from any of you on this topic.
I'm just puzzling on it.

Just look at recent titles from The Harvard Business Review
(Which I do count on and read cover to cover).

"Engaging Doctors in the Health Care Revolution"
I shake my head.
Motivation, innovation, accelerated results only work with the involvement of all people impacted by major systemic change. This is not rocket science. Or new.
Yes, it takes time but saves huge wasted effort later not to mention avoids kicking up gigantic resistance.
Does no one remember the 70's efforts of Quality Circles, Search Conferences and Self -Managed Work Teams?  

"Women Find Your Voice"
Wow. Really. Thanks for the invitation!
Did we skip a generation of women?
Remember Assertiveness Training for Women in Business?
The hundred of books about men and women differences?
All the support for talent development of women?
The wave of authenticity over adapting?
I'm talking the 70's again. Where did that learning go?
Women's voices is not the issue. Creating an environment where truth can be told from all voices--irritating,smart, creative, dull, linear, slow, fast, introverted
on and on.  Your job CEO.

"How to Spot Talent--(Hint: Experience is Overrated)"
What about changing job requirements to be about behavior not only schooling or previous jobs.
What about spelling out qualities not only experience like initiative, idea generation, able to share work and results for hiring requirements?
Or, open access to posting of jobs? Or just posting all jobs? Use a broad filter to find hidden talent?
Again, all worked on in the 70's.  
Let people jump levels. No career ladder.  Leaps up and sideways and zig-zag.

Innovation?
Transparency? 
Work/Life balance?
Execution blues?
Value of play at work?

As if these topics were new!
Or did I work during some kind of company Camelot?
What goes on here?

I am well aware of companies being very live organic systems that develop and adapt and are never stable.  But I'm talking about persistent learning problems.
What is it about the organization that it produces the same type of issues over and over and over again?  A couple with this dynamic would go to therapy or dissolve. What's up with this?  The seventies were a long time ago.

SPEEDY DELIVERY

I recently spoke to a CEO who said, "Your blog is right on. I just don't have time to read it."

And I get it and am not insulted or irritated.
It's such an odd dilemma a CEO lives in.
Here he or she is at the top position of the company  and the business runs their life and time.
Reversing that is tough.
First you have to step away from the work to see clearly.
Then you have to put a stake in the ground for how you intend to work.
Establish your rhythms for what is good for you and for the company, then let the organization adjust to your healthier approach.  

I'm usually a very egalitarian voice.
Not here. Use every ounce of your authority to make your calendar truly yours.

See nice and short.

TWO BLIND SPOTS IN EXECUTIVE DECISION MAKING--WELL THREE OR FOUR

Blind Spot #1--SPEED
Making fast decisions seems to be admired.  There is a kind of bravado at play.  "I'm willing to make the call even if no one else will."  Action oriented companies and executives can't stand the tension of wrestling with a tough decision.  There are two elements here.  One is "What do we need to know to make the decision?" and two, "What is the window of decision time that we have to make the decision?"  Then dig into the decision making process which should include  the criteria for a good decision.

Blind Spot #2  THINKING DECISION MEANS ACTION
Some executives will avoid a decision because they aren't ready to put it into action.  And other executives can't tolerate waiting to act after they have decided.  Put breathing space in-between a decision and it's execution.  Plan the timing of action after the decision is made. Two separate events.

Blind Spot #3 LETTING TALK ALLEVIATE THE PAIN OF DECISION
Some organizational decisions are doozies.  They are tough and complex and painful to make.  And so they get talked about and talked about and talked about and talked about.  The talk soothes that moment of decision and helps to put it off.  Task forces and committees and consultants can all soothe the pain instead of forcing the decision.  (See blind spot #1 for remedy)

Blind Spot #4 PERFECTIONISM
For top level CEO and executive decisions, there is always risk. And usually the acted on decision has some unexpected results. You know this and still it's hard to act. You want to get it right. The decision was hard enough and now there is the energy needed to execute and clean up any  mess that results. And what if: the documents are not exactly right, the legal foundation isn't solid enough, what if XYZ changes, what if the market isn't ready? The stalling for perfection can  kill a decision or make it so late that it loses the impact intended.  

Top level decision making is an art--a dance of data, timing, guts, intuition, pain management and readiness for the impact of the decision. This is, indeed, what you are paid to do.

IN TRIBUTE TO MALCOLM LLOYD--FOUNDER AND CEO OF DOUBLE CROSS VODKA

I wrote about the death of Malcolm Lloyd last week without naming him, talking about how important the CEO role is.

Now I want to honor Malcolm personally  in his very unique qualities as the CEO and founder of Double Cross Vodka. He was a long time friend of my son as well as business partner and I had the pleasure of hearing their stories of how to grow a business from a lark to a solid enterprise.

Lessons from Malcolm:

He had the kind of literal energy and enthusiasm that could make a possibility exciting and real enough that investors said, "Yes!"

He was ready to have fun and to be very witty in the moment. You liked to see him coming.

He knew a start-up company was a fragile entity and he fussed and guarded and protected and did what he had to do to bring resources to his growing enterprise.

He was astute and creative and ready for whatever opportunity. He did not say "no" to himself.

He stretched people to their highest capacity. He stayed in contact, he nagged, he cajoled, he pestered, he loved to push and be pushed.

Yes, he could micro-manage.  Yes, he could have given more praise. Yes, he didn't know when to go off duty. BUT he was lovable to his team because he was loyal and generous and there, there, there for the good of Double Cross Vodka.  May it flourish.

YOU MATTER, YOU MATTER, YOU MATTER!

It's darn hard to keep any perspective at all in your role as CEO.
That's why I write this.  To remind you of blind spots  that your role makes hard to see.

I you are like CEO's I work with your tendency is to see your role as either too important or not important enough.
When you tend to too important, your habit is to carry it all alone, over prepare for all meetings, don't delegate big chunks of strategic work, micro-manage people who, in realty, could give you a run for your money.  When you lean away from being important you under use the authority of your role to guide the company, you don't use your power to inspire and demand high performance, you negate the symbolic importance of your actions.  

It's hard to get perspective just right in the CEO role.
A young CEO (42) of Double Cross Vodka, intimate friend and business partner of our son, was killed in a car accident three days ago.
Through deep sorrow and heartbreak the people in the company want to know
what happens next and they want to know right away.  The CEO presence and imprint provides such security, such grounding for action that there is paralysis without that top leader in place.  

Good or bad in the role.  Too important or not important enough.  You matter to the lives of everyone who works for you.  It sounds old fashioned but you have their lives in your hands. Know it.  You matter. Learn. Improve.  
Take very good care of yourself. You matter.  To others.  That's the needed perspective.  To others.

I AM SO TIRED TODAY--JUST PLAIN EXHAUSTED.

Say that sentence out loud three times.  "I'm so tired today, just plain exhausted!"

If you can't say it or bear to read it then probably you are---tired, just plain exhausted.

It's your job to be optimistic and tireless.  And your role is one of the most demanding and impossible in today's world.  I won't count the ways.  You know them.

So I would bet money that you are beyond fatigued and won't let yourself see it.  Chronic fatigue has become the default position that you live and work from.

I once interviewed  a group of top food retailing executives about their role.
After we finished the conversation, I reacted by saying, "You must be tired all of the time."  You know you have hit a taboo when there is a bodily reaction in a group all at the same time.  It was like I had set off an electric current.  One flinched.  One pushed back from the table.  One stood up spontaneously. You know the famous dead elephant in the middle of the room that everyone pretends isn't there?  Well I had seen it and named it.  Outrage and attack followed.

Exhaustion means less capacity for work, less motivation, reduced efficiency and accomplishment.  It also means lousy judgment.  Poor decision making--too fast or too slow.  There can be a sensation of boredom.  The formal definition is when "energy expenditure outstrips restorative processes".

One of the lousiest places to find yourself is under high, high demand combined with boredom and exhaustion.  And worse, not being able to admit it.
This is the penultimate blind spot of a top leader.  You have too many people depending on you to not care for yourself well.  Will power is not enough and I know you have plenty.  Get some body power to go along with it.

YES OR NO---YOU ARE CONSTANTLY CHOOSING ONE OR THE OTHER

I just said a big "yes" to myself and sat on my balcony in Mexico and read the March issue of Fast Company---the "world's most innovative companies" issue.

I allowed myself to dig in, no scanning.  Still I got up to do little tasks to tone down my excitement, my energy.  And then got mad at myself for doing it. There is such a temptation to run from the energy of YES.  NO is so much more comfortable and controlling.  AND this issue is all about YES.  Every person and company in it is saying YES.

YES creates energy and action and results------if you don't let NO tamp down all that excitement.  

YES to:
--Deciding to just start doing something/anything to solve a problem
--To the possibility of something new working---eventually
--Big important social goals and solutions
--Imagination, seeing that glimpse of different
--Steadfast determination to back-up the dream
--Strength of conviction
--A world view
--Caring about being green, gender aware, culturally hip and enjoying it
--The the pleasure, the amusement, the vitality of innovation
--To the irritations, the failures, the ego-maniacs, the boldness, the brashness, 
   the clash that goes along with innovation.

I would love to hear from top execs about the balance of YES & NO in your day.  How many opportunities do you have to say either?  How many times does the YES make you nervous and reach for control?  How many of your YES decisions are worth a "yes"?  What's your default position?  Yes or no?   

A big YES  is unsettling.  I experienced it just reading about bold (enough to mean something) innovation.  But saying "yes" isn't a feeling.  It's a commitment.