Self-serving

I keep six honest serving-men

(They taught me all I knew);

Their names are What and Why and When

And How and Where and Who.

Taken from The Elephant's Child published by Sir Rudyard Kipling in April 1900, this is one of my favourite governance quotes.

[Yes, I do have more than one!]

Those six one-syllable words are the roadmap to the best projects and the most effective decisions.

Why?

? The place to start:

• Aligned with strategy and policies
• Determined to address a defect or problem.

The five whys is an iterative interrogative technique that ever-more-deeply explores the cause-and-effect relationships underlying a particular problem.

What?

???? The scope.

Form follows function:

• Option(s) as to the best way of addressing the answer to "why?"
• Informed by evidence and best-practice.

Who?

???? Assemble the best:

• A leader who can drive and inspire
• A team of the most-qualified and experienced practitioners.

How?

???? When the team's convened, leave them to it.

As Steve Jobs famously opined:

It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.

If you got the "who?" right, they'll know how to deliver.

When and where?

??? The critical path.

The project plan that manages the variables in the project management triangle of scope, cost, and time.

Sometimes we can over-complicate when it comes to governance, strategy, and projects.

With Kipling as my inspiration, here's my take on the six words:

Why before what.

I'm who, and who knows how.

You say where and when.

#KeepItSimple #Just6Questions #BestDecisions #BestProjects #TheGovEnhanceGuru #HughesAMuse #EverydayMusings

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