Results Count More Than The Process

A little while ago, I talked about the four basic pillars of management, which are Planning, Organizing, Directing, and Monitoring. Each of these aspects of management are very important; however, it is all too easy to get hung up on planning. While it is important to plan, unless you get beyond planning you will not accomplish anything. Analysis paralysis. Sometimes we get so involved in our planning we aren’t nearly as efficient as we could be. Planning is very important and is probably the most overlooked part of business. We must remember, however, planning has its limits. Those limits should be dictated by the risks involved.

Important but not the end goal

Things like sending a manned spaceship to the moon, open-heart surgery or a bid for the office of president of the United States all have greater risks than throwing a weekend barbecue for friends. To send someone to the moon, the planning by necessity would be extensive because the risk is very high. A weekend barbecue for friends, on the other hand, isn’t such a big deal and doesn’t require nearly as much planning. Sure, you need to make sure everyone has enough to eat but the weekend barbecue isn’t rocket science.

Truthfully, planning is the step you take to ensure success in what you are doing. It certainly is not the goal itself. Many managers shortcut the planning stage because they do not think they have time. This is a big mistake. A bigger mistake is over-planning. I remember early in my college career, a few friends and I decided we were going to open a nightclub. We planned and planned and planned. You know what? We never got out of the planning stage. We had big dreams but never saw success because the planning stage became the purpose of everything we did.

If you’re someone who tends to over-plan because you don’t know when to stop, change your focus to the risk level. Make the plan good. Make them good enough but do not worry about making the plans perfect.

Sometimes people continue to plan because they are afraid of the next step. They know if they finish planning then they have to do something. To avoid that, they add more details. They revise and update the plan. Soon, the planning process becomes an exercise in thinking about doing something. They never do anything because they are always planning. Dragging out the planning process allows for outside forces to make decisions, leaves the manager in a reactive state rather than taking proactive action. Truly, this makes for some of the worst possible solutions.

Implement the Plan, Git ‘er Done!

As manager, our responsibility is to get things done. Avoid “analysis paralysis”. Do the planning but don't allow that preparation stage to get in the way of the doing stage. Get the job done.

Take The Time to Think

Like any good manager, Bill Gates realizes he doesn’t need to know everything. He has employees that do that for him. He relies on them, as he should. He recognizes how important it is to learn from his employees, take the time to understand what they know. He learns from the ideas his employees have. He takes time to think about and ponder the direction Microsoft should take. A few years ago, the Wall Street Journal published an article, In Secret Hideaway, Bill Gates Ponders Microsoft's Future, in which Robert A. Guth describes one of Mr. Gates’ “Think Weeks”. He takes two one-week retreats from work and family. (The article is only available to subscribers.)

In any case, the idea of Think Week struck me and got me thinking about innovation and the processes involved. Alone, Mr. Gates reads the manuscripts of Microsoft associates. The topics cover a large spectrum from the future of technology to the speculations of what the next best products might be – new products and revisions of current products. Did you know any employee could submit their ideas to Mr. Gates? He reads as many as 110 of these papers during his Think Week.

Beyond reading, Bill Gates responds to the employee. One of these essays could spawn an email from Mr. Gates to hundreds of Microsoft employees. The employees are anxious to see whether their paper or idea might get the green light from one of the Think Week retreat.

Reading and thinking during time alone offers Bill Gates the opportunity to utilize one of his greatest tools for innovation – his employees.

What this means to the rest of us.

A CEO whose time is worth about $3000 per second takes the time to read and ponder the future of Microsoft (estimates based on increase of Mr. Gates’ wealth from 2007 to 2008, working a 16 hour day). I think it just might be worth my time to read about new ideas, consider my work and life and make some changes. It’s probably true for just about everyone out there. Learning from the more successful people in this world is probably better than trying to emulate your drinking buddies.

Innovation and Creativity from Thinking and Dreaming Excercises

1. Read with pen and notebook in hand. Take notes. No idea is a bad idea. Write down any idea that comes to mind while you are reading.
   
   
2. Keep a notebook. That period of consciousness when you are thinking about nothing in particular before you fall asleep or while you are driving your car can provide significant insight into what might be going on in your life. Those ideas need to be recorded for future reference. Keep track of these ideas by keeping a notebook in your car and on your nightstand.
   
   
3. Write one idea on a piece of paper. At the top of the paper, write your idea. Brainstorm any thought that comes from that one idea. Record any thoughts on the what, how and where to use the idea. Who can help you implement the idea? Record any other thoughts that enter your mind about this idea.
   
   
4. Read non-fiction. You know, I love to read. I read a lot. Most of what I read is fiction, though. Like candy for the brain, there is not a lot to gain from this reading list. Pick up trade magazines and journals, read online articles. Get into some of the more meaty and brain-nourishing treats. Non-fiction is a good place to get some depth into your thinking.
   
   
5. Keep a folder for reference. Keep articles in a folder of related articles or ideas for future reference. Then, periodically reference the folder. Glance through the folder for insight. You thought it was important enough to keep once. Look at it again.
   
   
6. Utilize technology. Create “idea files” on your computer. Create an Idea or To-do file in your email program. Use this as an easy place to add ideas as they come to you.
   
   
7. Stare out the window. Take the time to do something rote that allows for thoughts to spin uncontrolled through your mind. Play with a desk toy, take a quiet walk.
   
   
8. Encourage staff and coworkers to do these things and share their ideas with each other. Sponsor “think” or brainstorm sessions. Schedule a place and time to plan and generate ideas.
   
   
9. Develop an employee suggestion process. Employees are the ones doing the work. You might find they have some very good ideas for improving the processes they do every day. I tried an idea box once. It didn’t work. The process has to be a little more proactive. Creative ways to get employees involved goes beyond a box you hang on the wall.
   
   
10. Make time. Schedule think weeks, days or hours for yourself or your work group.

Think and learn. Taking the time to think and learn is critical. Creativity and innovation don’t happen in a vacuum. There is truth in the old adage, “stop to smell the roses.” Make the time to plant ideas and harvest innovation. This will fuel progress and success.

Four Square Manager

The purpose of this blog is so I have an outlet to share my opinions as to some of the pressing questions facing the manager today. This blog will focus on just that. Here you will find articles focusing on methods the employer can implement to qualify, develop and guide employees to become more successful.