SWOT analysis – analyzing the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of an organization – is usually not done well. I often feel as if organizations are just sleepwalking through the process. I think this is because so many people look at this as a mechanical and analytical process while it should be spirited and creative. Examples: “I think our #1 Weakness … [Read more...] about Sleepwalking Through SWOTs
A “Mess” of Trouble is Heading our Way!
You probably have things in your organization that you know need to change, that you want to change, that you know absolutely must change, but – how do you get started? Many experts agree that the first step in leading a change is to create a “sense of urgency” among those who need to help make that change happen. But how do you do that? One of my favorite recipes for … [Read more...] about A “Mess” of Trouble is Heading our Way!
Goal Setting Primer
This is a summary of all the important things you need to remember about goals, with links to my earlier blogs for more detail. Tack this to your bulletin board as a reminder. Set Goals! The mere act of setting even general goals helps direct attention to relevant activities.* Keep your life and work more relevant by setting goals. Set Goals as Outcomes. Focus on what … [Read more...] about Goal Setting Primer
“We celebrate noble failure.”
If you are like most people, your relationship with failure is this: you avoid it at ALL costs. I am suggesting that if you are going to produce higher levels of performance, and especially breakthrough performance, you need to transform your relationship with failure. I met a corporate executive once who told me that one of her favorite sayings was “We celebrate noble … [Read more...] about “We celebrate noble failure.”
Using Almost Impossible Goals to Produce Breakthroughs
If you want innovation and breakthrough performance, you should set Almost Impossible Goals – goals that you think only have a 1% chance of being accomplished and you don’t know how to do it. So how does this work? You set the goal and then start thinking of new ways to go about it that you never thought of before. Try to get others to help you out. Here’s an … [Read more...] about Using Almost Impossible Goals to Produce Breakthroughs