The Execution of Chocolate Cake

Was there a time when you had big dreams for you organization or your particular career? Did you somehow, over time, let go of those big ideas and settle for something mediocre because it was just too hard to get people on board? To keep up unflagging optimism? To not get bogged down in the minutiae? If so, then you’ll want to keep reading.

It seems execution and follow-through (or lack of!) have become a slow, painful torture for many organizations. But I believe it’s possible to reconnect and achieve the things you once aspired to — Powerhouse Learning helps people do it every day. I must warn you . . . my approach requires you to do more than just read this article. It requires you to take a good, hard look at yourself with integrity and commit ideas to paper, so you can begin to change your perspective on how to effectively execute. So grab some paper and a pen, and let’s try it my way.

What’s the big hang up?

It’s such a shame to walk into good agencies only to hear all the excuses from organization leaders and account management teams who are not moving forward with a visionary purpose. I hear, “We’re tired; We’re overwhelmed; We don’t know how; and (my favorite), I don’t have time to do something new ... I’m too busy now.”  How sad. What happened to carpe diem — living in the present with a passion and embracing the joy of life?

On the bright side, I also hear, “What are others doing? How do I measure up in the market?  What can I be doing to create a better profit margin?” All of these questions tell me an organization is seeking a better vision and more measurable results.  I believe that most people want to change, and want to implement and execute change in your organizations. Heck, if people didn’t want to, they wouldn’t spend billions of dollars a year on self-improvement programs and diet plans.

So, what’s the big hang up? One reason is fear. People tend to vacillate between worrying about a past they wish they could alter (what I call the “woulda, coulda, shoulda”) and a fear of the future. There’s also the “I don’t know HOW” factor.  But, there is hope and there is a way.

Charting your course, to a “T”

Many years ago, Charles Merrill of Merrill Lynch determined that by making decisions quickly he would be right 60% of the time.  He realized if he studied and spent time waiting and analyzing, that percentage would increase to only 70%.  In his case, he determined the extra 10% wasn’t worth the lack of forward movement for the organization.  It was not worth all the time lost for what little was missed.  

So, how can you apply to this to your life? First, you must author a vision for your future. Ask yourself, “What do I want to achieve?”  Be clear and write it down -- even in as little as three sentences.  Perhaps it is the overarching vision of your dream to be profitable, to have staff that is self-governing, or to get back on track with your sales.  

Next, make a traditional “T” chart with 2 columns. Label the left side column THE PRICE I PAY. In that column, write down in bullet-point format all the bad, sorry, disappointing things that happen because you are not achieving what you aspire towards.  Your list may include: tired, overwhelmed, stressed, lack of productivity, frustrated, lackluster results, etc.  

Now comes the hard part. I have seen clients literally transform themselves and their organizations with this next breakthrough piece. But you must be serious about it and you MUST have written down the thing you aspire to.

Next, label the right side column WHAT I GET. It’s important to note that this is NOT THE PAYOFF, or the good things, because if the prices we pay were compelling enough to make us change, none of us would eat a piece of chocolate cake ever again.  

What do I mean by that, you ask? Here’s my theory… there is nothing good about chocolate cake – but for most of us, there is EVERYTHING good about chocolate cake.   WHAT I GET is often the chance to be right, complain, be lumped in with the norm, be a victim to my circumstances, to be the nice guy, to not have to find a way to say, “I tried once, but it didn’t work out.”

Focusing on WHAT and BY WHEN

The T-chart exercise is designed to help you understand what you want to achieve and the reason you are not moving ahead. It will help you recognize your lack of progress is because you are more content with “staying put” than committing to making lasting changes. But you are not doomed to feeling stuck on the hamster wheel. Now that you have determined:

1. The thing you aspire towards;
2. A list of things that you pay prices for; and
3. What you get out of staying stuck,

You will break through your lack of execution. How? By focusing on the WHAT and BY WHEN— this is a list of what you want to accomplish, and my favorite two words, BY WHEN?

Be specific — next week, the beginning of the quarter or after the holidays isn’t specific enough. For Producers, this might look something like:

WHAT:  I will spend 5 hours this week meeting with my existing clients to ask for referrals and do a mini-client survey by the end of 2 weeks.

BY WHEN: Thursday the 11th by noon I will have set those appointments, and by the following Thursday at 5:00 they will be done.

Executing lasting change

Execution or implementation is a simple thing. Not moving toward our goals is often a reflection of the lack of purpose and the lack of focus on that purpose. If your purpose is not clear, you will easily be tossed around by everyone else’s agenda.  

Trust me, the hard way that I described above is worth it in the long run. What do you have to lose, anyway?

About the Author

Brandie Hinen specializes in professional coaching and business training to help firms move from DISCUSSION to ACTION!  She can be reached at [email protected].