Post 12- Is the tail wagging the Dog?

Archive: Post 1- To get started, a bit about me | Post 2- K I S S | Post 3- The guts of it! | Post 4- The 5 X Rule | Post 5- Simple financial tracking | Post 6- Let's talk about risk! | Post 7- Time | Post 8- Marks Mantras | Post 9- Shades of Grey | Post 10- Undo!, Enlightenment, Enslavement or Extinction? | Post 11- The three legged barstool

Article 12: Is the tail wagging the Dog?

Our preconceptions are our windows onto the world. They have to be scrubbed now and then to let in the light.

I wish I could credit that quote but Mr Google isn't finding it for me! No idea where I heard or read it. Whoever you are, thank - you. Isn't it great?! From time to time we all need a wake up call, even when we THINK we are on top of our game.

Over the weekend I read an investopedia article which quotes Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon as saying "move fast and break things"

After you are done reading, liking and sharing MY article you can find it here :)

I am drawn to his philosophy but on chewing it over I had to admit I often say things that are pretty much contradictory.

• Don't reinvent the wheel
• If it aint broke don't fix it

Furthermore, a leader of a team needs that team to work cohesively.

I would not be happy if tomorrow I discover my team had read Mr Bezos and decided to joyfully smash my framework and run off in different directions!

And THAT my friends is a very long introduction to an article about minimum mandatory processes!

As leaders and project managers I hope we approach every challenge believing we are attacking the problem in the best, most effective/efficient way possible... right?

Maybe not. Consider this.

In a small business everyone is looking the customer in the face all day every day. Consequently, everyone makes every decision within the framework that the customer truly is the King.

In large businesses the crucial support roles are quite rightly kept away from the bleeding edge of sales. We don't see it, we don't feel it.

Let's take a moment to remember the bedrock reason why we CAN get out of bed and go to work.

Nothing matters more than the sale nada, mafi, zip

Every business is out there carving market share to make a profit. Absolutely everything flows from the sale.

It is understandable that critical support teams need help to remember that SALES pay the rent (yes I have said critical twice because big business can not deliver on a sale without HR, Accounts Receivable, Procurement, Office Administration, Engineering etc etc)

So, while I caution the Sales Professionals to remember the shiny car isn't going anywhere without an engine, gearbox and fuel, there is no denying that the rest of us have a duty to make every decision and process all about the support of the sale.

Which gets us to the core of today's point.

• With no processes we would be floundering... wasting time, duplicating effort, rudderless in a stormy sea. Inefficient, customer lost, unemployed.
• With too much process the tail is wagging the dog. We become slow on supporting the delivery of that sale. Again, we lose the customer, go out of business and finally get to sleep in while we starve to death.

Like everything else in life, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

We must constantly challenge ourselves to ensure that every process adds real value to protect the business and facilitate delivery with minimum drag and overhead.

Times change. The process that made perfect sense last year under those conditions can probably be optimized for the evolving circumstances.

Here is where I will end it. The big lead up to the concise point above is to remind us all WHY and give CONTEXT.

It is human nature to be creatures of habit and to feel defensive of what feels safe and comfortable.

It's a competitive world out there. Safe and comfortable wont work.

I encourage you to challenge your preconceptions, invite constructive criticism from inside and outside your team and be open to taking a look at your ways of working. Give those processes a good shake to keep them lean and mean, minimum mandatory.

Joke break: There was a man named Cletus that lived in a small town with only one traffic light. Cletus had saved up his money and bought a mo-ped. One day Cletus was at the light waiting for it to turn green when a shiny new Corvette convertible pulled up next to him. Cletus had never seen anything like this in his life. The Corvette had its top down so Cletus leans over the side of the car and starts checking out the interior. This annoys the driver of the vette so when the light turns green he steps on the gas, laying down rubber as he leaves the intersection. He gets up to 60mph when suddenly Cletus flies by him on his mo-ped. The driver of the vette says to himself "This clown wants to race". Shifting into 4th gear he steps on the gas again. He leaves Cletus in his dust as he gets up to 100mph. Then out of nowhere he sees Cletus coming up fast in his rear view mirror. He can't believe it as Cletus flies by him again on his mo-ped. The driver of the vette shifts into 6th gear and floors it. He passes Cletus and gets up to 150mph! Once again, Cletus passes him like he's standing still. Shocked, the driver of the vette pulls over to the side of the road. He hears gravel flying and brakes squalling as Cletus pulls up next to him. The driver of the vette congratulates Cletus on winning the race and asks him what kind of an engine he has in his mo-ped. Puzzled Cletus replied "Race? I was just trying to get my suspenders off of your side-view mirror!

That's all for now, have a great day!

Archive: Post 1- To get started, a bit about me | Post 2- K I S S | Post 3- The guts of it! | Post 4- The 5 X Rule | Post 5- Simple financial tracking | Post 6- Let's talk about risk! | Post 7- Time | Post 8- Marks Mantras | Post 9- Shades of Grey | Post 10- Undo!, Enlightenment, Enslavement or Extinction? | Post 11- The three legged barstool