I have a colleague and friend (we will call him Don - you know who you are) ……and he has a very annoying habit. I have pointed it out to him multiple times that I find it annoying- but he continues ….. probably because he knows how much it annoys me.
It happens a couple of times a year - we are in a very important meeting (is there any other kind ?) to plan some grand endeavor.
The discussion starts out great with energy and enthusiasm…… but after a while the meeting bogs down - we are going in circles and hitting dead ends.
That’s when Don, without fail, will politely raise his hand and ask a very annoying question.
……with his annoyingly cheerful tone,
…..in his annoying British accent,
….and wearing an annoying smile.
“What does good look like ?”
In my head I say “Damn you, Don - are you doing THAT again !!?! The first time he did it I had to ask several times “What the hell are you talking about?” I asked why can’t you simply ask what our objective is? He insisted that there was an advantage to asking it this way…… over time I realized he was right. Can see why this is so annoying?
“What does good look like?” Everyone pauses and looks at Don….
“Once we have done all these great things, what would a great outcome or result look like? What would it feel like?”
…… and people begin to answer. Soon it becomes clear there are several conflicting views on exactly what we are trying to achieve.
It is obvious why the meeting was going nowhere - we were debating how to get something done - but we were not yet clear where we wanted to go.
We debate what “good” looks like…..ideas begin to converge….Don annoyingly and deftly pushes for clarity and details and examples. He doesn’t accept those management weasel adjectives and superlatives - world class, strategic, leading….. (he winces painfully when someone mentioned Digital Transformation).
Our goal is coming to life …….in a detailed way we all can grasp. And now the execution to get these becomes much more straightforward.
Don’s annoying smile becomes bigger.
In the south we would say he was “grinning like a mule eating briars”…….we also have a less polite name for that grin…
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”
Chris Gale - Darden Business School
“Have a clear end goal in mind” is so basic….. so damned elementary - it is Management 101. It is insulting to even bring it up.
Yet, I have seen this happen over and over again. On the front line, in middle management, the C-suite and even the board room.
Why is it that smart, motivated people continue to neglect getting clarity on “what good looks like ?” before diving into execution details?
Seems to me that one, or some combination of these issues are usually the culprit:
- It’s Obvious - Since we all already “know” what ii is we are trying to achieve. there is no need to belabor it. This is the most common in my experience.
- It’s Messy - We can sense there is not agreement on the goal. But it will be painful to work it out now. It will work itself out as we go along.
⁃ It’s Urgent - We are in a hurry - In a time crunch it feels so good to jump right into executional details. It soothes that project launch anxiety. Yes, please pass me that nice soft Gantt Chart blanket.
⁃ It’s Hers - Someone has stated the goal with authority, but others are unclear or even disagree - but don’t speak up. Don’t want to derail this train! But as the execution plan is developed, well meaning managers begin including hedges that water down the goal or allow other goals to fit in.
- It’s Changed - In the past we all knew and agreed on the objective. But something has changed. Maybe new internal priorities. Or perhaps customer needs or competitor positions have evolved. Now the old goal is no longer appropriate, but we didn’t recognize it, call it out and reset.
Whatever the reason, it sure seems to happen a lot. We blaze down a path of execution and we aren’t yet clear and agreed upon “what good looks like”.
So, if one of your meetings or projects ever happens to bog down ….or is just seems to be going around in circles…… I hope you are as fortunate as I am to have an annoying colleague like Don in the room.
If not, I would be very happy to introduce you to Don - but I warn you, he is annoying.
……some thoughts for a Friday.
Have a great weekend,
Walt
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That’s a very clear analysis Walt. What do you recommend in terms of next steps? Indeed - ‘what would good look like’ from your perspective? 🤓
Welcome back Walt! Loved this edition of FT