…‘But I thought *you* were doing that?’ …‘What do you mean, I don’t have permission? You asked me to fix it!’ Here’s a simple, powerful way to improve clarity. Take a piece of paper, divide it into three columns. Think of a task, role, or project you've been given by someone.In the left box, write the hard … Continue reading How often do things go wrong because of lack of clarity?
This intriguing image contains two possibilities for organisations, and the people who spend their lives in them
It's the first modern organisation chart, and here are the stories. One story is that this was created after the first fatal railroad accident. They hired an engineer, so he saw the railroad as a big machine. The org chart is to allocate blame - 'let there be no question as to who was delinquent … Continue reading This intriguing image contains two possibilities for organisations, and the people who spend their lives in them
The Campaign Against Consultancy – do you want to join?
Are you fed up of consultants who- create dependency and undermine the confidence and capacity - sell the same old solution whether it fits the problem or not?- are more focused on position in their business than value to the client Look, I'll come right out - I'm a consultant.A former member of the Worshipful Company … Continue reading The Campaign Against Consultancy – do you want to join?
Why is a bridge and water such a good explanation of how people go wrong with business transformation?
Why is a bridge and water such a good explanation of how people go wrong with business transformation? I use this image to open a lot of my learning and teaching on service and business transformation. What do you see? Some see - white water - froth and waste which we can remove one obstacle … Continue reading Why is a bridge and water such a good explanation of how people go wrong with business transformation?
There are five core things which, if you make them your practice, are likely to lead to organisational success.
Three basics: 1. honest conversations, discussing the undiscussable of emotions and reasoning – nothing can develop unless there's a shared effort to get at the truth 2. clarity – no learning is possible, and productivity and psychological safety are unlikely, without clarity of roles, tasks, decision-making, and relationships 3. learning – true learning isn't possible without … Continue reading There are five core things which, if you make them your practice, are likely to lead to organisational success.
Local public services in the UK face a ‘perfect’ storm – we need Adaptive Councils
The challenges appear insurmountable. Conditions that are truly ‘turbulent, uncertain, novel, and ambiguous’. And we are running on empty. This paper, from @RedQuadrant and the Public Service Transformation Academy @ServiceReform, sets out twelve principles for an adaptive approach to meet the needs of our circumstances. Which of these twelve capabilities do you think is the … Continue reading Local public services in the UK face a ‘perfect’ storm – we need Adaptive Councils
What would you say if I told you customer intimacy was dangerous?
If you want to really satisfy your customers, read on. - Most organisations hear 'listen to what the customer needs' and say 'yes! optimise for this!'- They hear 'transactional efficiency saves money', and go 'yes! everything efficient!' Truth: there are two types of customer service flavours: 1) transactional - customers can reliably specify and find … Continue reading What would you say if I told you customer intimacy was dangerous?
‘the chick does not break the egg out of hatred for the shell – it does so out of a desire to walk under a wider heaven’
Here's a little exercise I developed nearly twenty years ago, useful for any kind of change where you have some vision or outcome which resonates. - Share the vision with the group- Ask 'if we are here in one year, doing the post-mortem, because we failed to make this happen, what barriers or obstacles will … Continue reading ‘the chick does not break the egg out of hatred for the shell – it does so out of a desire to walk under a wider heaven’
We’re all trying to make sense of things – in our own way and from where we are
Everyone responds to the incentives, demands, risks, and situations they face – only a tiny bit of this is visible to anyone else. That’s why I use the ‘blind men and the elephant’. My point is *not* that we can ever see ‘the whole of the elephant’ – forget it. Everyone’s world is their own, unique, … Continue reading We’re all trying to make sense of things – in our own way and from where we are
A practical approach to making decisions in complexity
First, you establish enough shared context to move on – so you all know what is happening around you. Then, you establish enough shared purpose or intent to move on. Remember, you all need to be able to move to the next step together – any problems, back down you go! Then, identify the critical … Continue reading A practical approach to making decisions in complexity
chosen path 