How To Get Your Ducks In A Row

“To get one's ducks in a row” has become a popular expression these days in the global business world. Where did that expression come from? What can it teach us about being better businesspersons? First of all, your guesses as to the origins of this peculiar saying are about as good as mine. The most popular theories seem to suggest that "ducks in a row" came from the worlds of games and sports. Early bowling pins were often shorter, thicker than our modern pins. This led to their popular nickname: ducks. Prior to the advent of automatic resetting machines, these "duck pins" were manually put back into place in between rounds of bowling. Therefore, in bowling, “to get one's ducks in a row” meant having all of the bowling pins organized/properly placed before even launching the next ball down the lane. Another theory focuses on a popular carnival game involving using a small air gun to knock down moving duck-shaped targets. A conveyor belt system regularly aligns all the duck targets in a consistent row for easier aiming. Another theory points to a carnival game that uses plastic ducks floating by in moving water-filled track row (also for easy selection). Players attempt to select the ones with highest-value prize codes hidden underneath as these plastic ducks float by. Other theories have emerged from the world of nature. It is also possible that the expression came from the natural flight formation of ducks. Mother ducks nudge their young offspring into manageable straight lines before traveling over land or water. That way, any stragglers or escapees are more readily noticed. “To get one's ducks in a row” in a business context thus means to ensure all the small details as well as the vital ones are accounted for and in their proper positions before embarking on any new business project or endeavor. A salesman, for example, may get all of his or her "ducks in a row" by editing his sales script and rehearsing his sales pitch before delivering it. So, if you want your business to be all it is "quacked up" to be (pun intended), begin now to get all your ducks in a row! A smart way to do this as any new business cycle gets underway is to bring in a strategic consultant (such as myself) to help you do this.

The author, Dr. John B. Charnay, is now CEO of Charnay and Associates, a leading strategic consulting firm in Greater Los Angeles. He is frequently called upon to ensure that "all the ducks are in a row" at nonprofit , charitable and entrepreneurial ventures. He often advises and coaches philanthropists, charity executive and development directors, corporate executives, small business owners and individuals on successfully achieving all of their strategic visions, missions, goals and objectives. Invite him to be LinkedIn (email in profile) and contact him today!