Overcoming Barriers to Mission

What stands in the way of accomplishing the mission of your organization?

Is it the competition?  The right people?  Not enough working capital?  Maybe it's a problem with focus, commitment, or trust.  Is there uncertainty as to what the mission is?  

Perhaps it has to do with some or all of the above.  

After thinking about this I decided to make a list of reasons why some fall short in fulfilling their mission and how these barriers might be overcome. 

The underlined concepts below are drawn from the book, Organizational Culture, and Leadership, by Dr. Edgar Schein, with our commentary. Dr. Schein, an MIT professor emeritus and a guest writer on this site, is regarded by some as having written one of the more influential volumes on management. 

From our book notes, here are seven possible barriers with countermeasures for each:

Barrier No. 1

There is consensus on the core mission but the group does not share common goals.   

In fact, those who make up what is now called a "team" can have widely divergent views when it comes to setting goals.  The absence of commonality comes from different backgrounds, experiences, and world views. 

Nothing new here. 

The challenge for top management is melding these unique personalities and perspectives together to achieve a common purpose. Sharing deeply things of value is a distinct competitive advantage.

Barrier No. 2

The mission is often understood but not well articulated. 

One of the duties of a leader is to explain things.  Telling is easier but explaining requires a deeper understanding of the situation.  Repeating a statement of mission does not necessarily mean that employees and others know what's inside since no message guarantees its own meaning.

The main ideas that cause a business to exist have to be periodically clarified and updated.  Why?  Circumstances change.  The original and current contexts of the business are likely very different.   

 

Employees tend to respond favorably when leaders and managers illustrate the mission in tangible ways.   Nothing wrong with communicating values but knowing the desired outcomes is a benefit to all. 

Behavior may be the clearest articulation of mission.   

Barrier No. 3

The group does not have a common language and shared assumptions on the goals making it difficult to move from the abstract to the concrete realization of something.

Imagine the next time you're on a flight that the pilot and control tower are trying to communicate with each other at the same time using different languages and radio frequencies.  A scary thought. 

So it is with those in a business or nonprofit simultaneously communicating mixed messages on multiple channels.  Another scary thought. 

Communication, including feedback, is everything when it comes to accomplishing something worthwhile. 

A carefully constructed list of internal and external assumptions can be worth their weight in gold.  They are the basis of common understandings and should find their way into conversations and plans.

Barrier No. 4

Not understanding that mission and strategy can be rather timeless while goals must be formulated for what to do next year, next month, and tomorrow.

Part of the problem may be an omission of goals altogether.  There's talk about vision, mission, and strategy, but goals are nowhere to be found.

When properly set, the right goals complete the strategic puzzle.  They provide high resolution to the mission and facilitate implementation, including accountability.  Goals also make it possible to measure progress. 

Yet the real benefit in goal-setting, according to Dr. Schein, "is that the process often reveals unsolved issues or lack of consensus around deeper issues."

Barrier No. 5

Mixing strategy and goals since strategy concerns the evolution of the basic mission--while operational goals reflect short-run tactical survival issues.

Knowing the difference between strategy (set of options and use of available resources) and goals (desired results usually with a timeline) is essential for effective management decisions. 

Taking time to know the proper relationship between strategy and different kinds of goals could be the difference between profit and loss--and the future of the business. 

Barrier No. 6

Lack of clarity on the means by which goals will be met.

Goals need to be set and owned by those responsible for their achievement. They are also the ones to identify the best means of meeting a particular goal.  

If a major goal is to be met someone has to take the lead in communicating the goal, how it was established, and why it's being put in place.  Reaching this goal means what to the organization?

A clear goal, with credible leadership, improves the chances of departments pulling together to profitably make soap or software.  

Meeting goals is a matter of personal responsibility, even in a team environment.

Barrier No. 7

Failing to agree on what indicators to pay primary attention to in order to decide how well the organization is doing and what corrective action, if any, needs to be taken.

Ever notice when staying in a hotel how the Kleenex tissue goes from white to beige with high usage?  The color change is an indicator that the tissue supply is getting low.  Housekeepers are trained to look for this and (hopefully) take steps to keep the box filled.

Does your company have in place agreed upon, and visible, indicators to measure progress and alert everyone to a potentially serious problem?   Only a select list of indicators is of any practical use to management and staff. 

The right indicators won't be full-proof.  But they can go a long way in maintaining health, avoiding or minimizing trouble, and determining a possible course of action if something arises. 

Indicators are worthless if ignored. 

That's a key finding from the investigation into the tragic launch of Space Shuttle Challenger on 28 January 1986 which killed all seven crew members.  The vehicle exploded 73 seconds into the flight.  

Warnings about a flaw in the O-ring seals from as far back as 1977, the primary cause of Challenger's structural failure, were ignored by some NASA managers, according to the Warren Commission report.  The dangers of launching in cold temperatures (31 F/-1C) that fateful morning was also disregarded.

Final thought

No matter the size, history, or success of an organization, there will be obstacles along the way.  However, if the mission is that important, then finding the means to overcome one or all seven barriers listed above, should be a priority on your leadership agenda.  

Strategist.com

(C) Bredholt & Co.

 

Making Vision a Reality

"Perhaps God made the world round so we couldn't see too far."  

--Isak Dinesen, Out of Africa

While navigating Washington, D.C. recently I was reminded that the layout of the “District” is the result of someone’s vision.   

In fact, it all began in 1790 when, upon the recommendation of then President George Washington, Congress authorized the creation of a 100-square-mile federal district along the Potomac River that is under the jurisdiction of the United States Congress.    

Washington identified the location and at some point, his name was placed on what was called the "District of Columbia."  However, the concept came from the mind of French architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant. 

L'Enfant is responsible for a framework that, in remarkable ways, remains close to the original plan sketched out over 200 years ago.  

Beauty in simplicity   

According to Smithsonian Magazine, his concept was based on European models translated to American ideals. "The entire city was built around the idea that every citizen was equally important," says L'Enfant's biographer, Scott Berg. "The Mall was designed as open to all comers, which would have been unheard of in France. It's a very sort of egalitarian idea."

The original design of a "grand capital of wide avenues, public squares, and inspiring buildings in what was then a district of hills, forests, marshes, and plantations" is what we behold more than two centuries later.  

The biggest obstacles in the early days were funding for the project and the District's wealthy landowners who didn't share L'Enfant's vision. 

Nevertheless, the contours of the original survey have outlasted nearly eight generations of Washingtonians--something to think about in a city of mostly disposable ideas.

Mining visionary lessons

George Washington and Pierre L'Enfant offer instruction on the important, but sometimes misunderstood, subject of "vision."   

Before "casting a vision" toward a desirable destination here are some insights to consider:

Early stages 

• People first.  Washington selected the land but needed help.  So he enlisted L’Enfant.  The right person improves the chances of getting the right plan. L'Enfant was a seasoned architect when Washington selected him for this monumental task.

• The ideal starting point.   L'Enfant was able to start from scratch which is always the first choice.  It's harder to inject visionary thinking into a body at rest--although that's when it’s needed most. 

• Try collaborating.   The development of a "realistic, credible, and attractive" vision is less a solo performance and more likely the result of interaction and experience with others. 

Ingredients

• Enduring qualities.  It’s important to introduce concepts that are deep, not just wide.  ("Every citizen equally important").  Sloganeering and platitudes don't have a long shelf life and they're promotional in nature.  Well-thought-out visions hold their original value even when updated by succeeding generations and circumstances.

• Need a centerpiece.  For L'Enfant, it was the "public walk" or what is now known as the National Mall.  The two-mile-long strip of grass has become the world's stage for demonstrations and public debate as a showcase of democracy.

• The role of character. The values of the visionary become the values of the design.  What comes out is what's already inside.  This helps explain why some visions are elevating and others are grandiose.     

Other stages

• A proper horizon.  Vision becomes reality over time, not overnight.  A century later the work was far from complete.  In 1901 the McMillan Commission updated the original plan based on L’Enfant’s drawings and moved things into the next phase of development.

• Getting credit, getting paid, or both.  It's possible to have a vision or idea and not get credit for it--or get paid.  L'Enfant quit in frustration and was never compensated for his Washington, D. C. assignment unless you count having a Metro station associated with your name (L'Enfant Plaza).

• Proceed with caution.  Visions need some vetting.  Unchecked dreams often become nightmares.   A huge waterfall cascading down Capitol Hill never went anywhere.  Washington and L'Enfant were tested in many ways yet the essentials of the design are still in place.  

Final thoughts

The good thing about principles is they are scalable.  A department or business unit is not Washington, D. C. but those you lead and manage still need a sense of purpose and direction.   Associates should understand the "goal" and be able to measure progress toward its achievement.    

A shared vision is an absolute necessity for getting something done through others.  Both face-to-face communication and social media can be enlisted for support.   

And the biggest myth about vision?  That vision makes it possible to do anything. (Burt Nanus)  

 

 

Strategist.com.

(C) Bredholt &  Co.

                                                                            

The Need for Self Renewal

"To me, the greatest tragedy in life is to be ordinary."

--Emilie Griffin, The Reflective Executive

As we come to the end of another challenging year, one thing is evident: Life takes a lot out of people these days. For many, it's the price of living and working (or not working) in a hyper-culture.

More specifically it's a combination of ever-present technology, competing demands, doing your job and a third of someone else's, and the inability to turn off the devices--even when you can. 

Too much going out and not enough coming in is a problem in terms of health, family relationships, and job performance. All reasons for taking this condition seriously.

Failure to periodically refresh the human spirit is not only damaging to the person but has longer-term consequences for society.

Know thyself

An essential part of renewal is coming to terms with who you are.  This is especially true in terms of team-obsessed corporate cultures which tend to diminish the role and necessity of the "individual."

In Self Renewal, author John W. Gardner says, “Good mental health derives from a reasonably objective view of the self—including the acceptance of the self. We run away from ourselves failing to explore and probe the fearful and wonderful world within.” 

He sadly concludes, “The individual who has become a stranger to themselves has lost the capacity for genuine self-renewal.”

Some principles

Gardner, the founder of Common Cause, identifies several principles with qualities that offer realistic optimism about the renewal process, and our part in it:

1. Social and organizational renewal depends ultimately on individuals who have the capacity for renewal.

2. For renewal to occur there needs to be motivation, commitment, conviction, and values—the things that give meaning to life.

3. There will be no renewal for us, society, or a troubled world unless we share a vision of something worth saving.

4. The mind—not the external environment—is the main barrier to renewal.

5. No society is likely to renew itself unless the dominant orientation is to the future. The idea is to move forward with confidence, not blind optimism.

6. In the ever-renewing society, what matters is a system or framework with which continuous innovation, renewal, and rebirth can occur. 

Sources of renewal

Everyone is different but we've found the following to be reliable sources of renewal:

• Helping those who can't do anything for us in return
• Timely conversations with persons of great wisdom
• A new challenge or change of scenery
• Periods of quietness often with a good book
• Recreation and rest--the two go together

What is renewing to you?

A self-diagnostic

Taking inventory is a helpful first step. Here are some areas of life upon which to reflect:

· Who are you?   The answer to this question is not a title or position. It has to do with what you deeply believe, care about, and value.

· Where are you now?   In life.  At work. In relationships. Toward achieving your goals.

· Do you know what time it is?   This is to gauge your awareness of reality and the moment in which you live. It has nothing to do with a clock.

· Where should you be going next?   Think opportunity. Maturity. Moving forward or stepping aside--both with a sense of purpose and direction.

· How are you going to get there?   We can't know everything in advance. Start moving and things begin to happen. The right people enter your life. Details become clearer. Stay parked and you'll never know what might have been.

A New Year's resolution

What about including an annual reminder on the calendar that says, "My life is worth renewing."   And once underway renewal has the potential to help bring about more of the same in others.

Restoration, combined with practice and perseverance, makes it possible to move beyond ordinary to extraordinary--which may be the secret of accomplishing great things.

Strategist.com

© Bredholt & Co.