Our Milquetoast recommendations

When diplomacy substitutes for conviction

“And then she went to the porridge of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and tasted that; and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right.“ Robert Southey, Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Some time ago I was theoretically leading a project for a client to recommend how to improve a severely underperforming business. 

The project kickoff meeting went well enough, but then a conflict came up for the second big meeting and I called instead of being there in person…. the team seemed well organized…. I got busy (distracted, unfocused) ….one thing lead to another and before I knew it we were a week before the final review …..and I had lost touch with the project ……. I know better, I really do……and I let it happen anyway…..So I have to take blame ….. 

When I read the summary recommendations I felt a pit in my stomach. They read something like this:

• Set clear, specific and demanding goals

• Review performance on a regular basis

• Hold managers accountable for results

• Allow managers freedom to test new ideas

• Reduce costs carefully but invest in key areas

• Accelerate product launch cycles without reducing quality

• Launch innovative products that are proven

• Leverage external sales channels but minimize channel conflict

• Optimize the sales force

Well, you get the idea….. it was terrible…. no, it was much worse than that….. we were set to deliver a big cold wet noodle for dinner….. it was a disaster.

Our recommendations were DMBF – do more, better, faster – the business will be better if the management team just does more things, does them better and does them faster …….. not helpful, not insightful.

There were no new market revelations, no recommended tough decisions or highlighted tradeoffs….. “not to hot, not too cold, but juuuuuust right….”

The team had done excellent analysis and had clearly identified the real issues  - the performance opportunities were clear …..but there were some very tough decisions to be made. The relationship with the client was fairly new … and our team did not want to offend anyone…..

….we knew from our market analysis that the company needed to quickly reduce their sales force by 30 -50% and transition to distribution….. but that direction was really upsetting the head of sales.

"Give me a one-armed economist!"

President Truman (frustrated with economic advisors who would make a clear recommendation and then continue "On the other hand. . .")

It was also clear they had to dramatically reduce product costs to remain competitive… ….. but the head of R&D was adamant the company must be the innovation leader……

So we went for the easy way……. no insights, no hard recommendations……. Nice platitudes, obvious suggestions that would offend no one…. a Milquetoast strategy in its finest form!

On rare occasions we don’t have deep insights or a strong recommendations or clear ideas….. maybe the platitudes are the best we can do……

But more often than not, we do know ….. and we get seduced into watering down a clear course of action…. taking the safe middle road…….

Of course we have to be diplomatic when we are recommending or driving change…. But perhaps we use the rely too often on the excuse of diplomacy to cover for the lack of conviction ? … or courage?

Thoughts for a Friday……..

Walt