Picking up from Part 1, to align culture with strategy to achieve mission impact, at Bethany College we executed an action plan to build the preferred, new culture keeping the best of the “clan culture” (charming small college) and adding elements of innovative and competitive cultures. As a result, the distance from where we began to where we were going created a … [Read more...] about Tug-of-War: Strategy vs Culture (Part 2)
implementation
Implementing Almost Impossible Goals
The implementation of traditional Attainable goals is straightforward. By definition, you figure out how you are going to accomplish the goal while you are setting it. Usually this means that there has been a certain process you have been using in the past that you are making some incremental improvements to. Based on your projections of how well those improvements are … [Read more...] about Implementing Almost Impossible Goals
Strategic Plan? Oxymoron.
Strategy? Yes. Plans? Yes. Strategic Plan. No. Not exactly. What organizations need is a Strategy – an overarching general explanation of how they are going to guide their performance during the coming years. Then they need to build specific Plans to implement the Strategy. The Strategy should be targeted toward Strategic Stretch Goalsthat are designed to significantly … [Read more...] about Strategic Plan? Oxymoron.
Good is the Enemy of Great
Every chance I get, I talk with people about how to pursue breakthrough performance. And I can tell this gets on some people’s nerves. “Rob, we are working our butts off and now you are suggesting we do more? Why?” Yes, I am suggesting that more is possible. Why? Because there are millions of people on our planet who need more and better. And “No,” I am not … [Read more...] about Good is the Enemy of Great
When More Duct Tape Won’t Do It
A number of years ago I was flying to Rockland, Maine with a couple friends and we needed to take a small puddle jumper for the final leg of the trip. Before we took off, the pilot got out a ladder and went over to the wing near the window where we were sitting. Then he pulled out some duct tape and applied it to something we could not see on top of the wing. Duct tape … [Read more...] about When More Duct Tape Won’t Do It