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by Rick Baker
On Jan 12, 2010
This is blog #7 in an 8-blog series about Powerful Answers to 7 important business questions. The series is intended to be an introduction to strategic intuition and planning.
Preamble: In blog #3 of this Powerful Answers series I wrote, Business is about People and Process. And I wrote, People do only 3 things: good habits, bad habits, and new things. Considering the 3 things People do, business leaders want their People to do Good Habits and New Things to help the company accomplish its Vision , Mission, and Goals…and do those things in a manner aligned with the Corporate Culture.
This is a broad topic so I will limit this to two examples: the first is a tool designed to promote a Good Habit and the second is a written statement intended to guide how people should act and make decisions.
- P=2S+O©, covered in earlier blogs, is a tool we designed to promote both Good Habits and ideas about New Things [P=2S+O blog]
- At Spirited Investors, our Corporate Values are - Courage, Confidence, Conviction, & Creativity - were selected to promote Good Habits and New Things [Spirited's Corporate Statement]
Question 6: How do you prove your people do the RIGHT things EVERY day?
Powerful Answer:
'Let me show you. Here, on my BlackBerry . This web-link takes me to my Daily Vitals Journal. I can access this web-based journal from my BlackBerry, my desktop, my laptop, and my notebook. My Daily Vitals Journal keeps my actions organized and aimed at my goals. Everyone at our company has a Daily Vitals Journal, customized to help them achieve his/her goals.'
Postamble: John Medina* said people have about 5,000 thoughts per day. While listening to the audio CD, I did the quick math. Rounding it off I calculated that's about one thought every 10 seconds, every waking hour, every day. That little voice, which for most of us sounds just like our voice, is active all day long…perhaps, presenting a different thought about every 10 seconds. Even if that's half-right, that's an awful lot of distraction. No wonder we have trouble concentrating. No wonder things slip from our memories.
Processes and tools can help.
We recommend processes like Monthly Vital Signs, Weekly Vital Signs, and Daily Vital Signs and tools like the PlanBudget© and the web-based Daily Vitals Journal©.
The next blog will consider Question 7:
How do you manage your CRITICAL risk factors every day?
by Rick Baker
On Nov 26, 2009
For every Problem, there are at least 2 Solutions and there may also be some hidden Opportunities.
Experts tell us we have thousands of thoughts every day. Perhaps, on average, our thoughts arrive every 10 seconds.
Of this large number of thoughts, coming to our minds every day, we categorize some as problems…problem-thoughts.
Some of these problem-thoughts happen once or twice and are forgotten while others keep coming back until we find ourselves thinking, “Something should be done about this”.
When this happens to me, that’s when I step back and say..."How do I turn this P (Problem-thing that just keeps popping into my mind) into at least a couple of S's (Solutions) and at least one O (Opportunity)?"
I work at that.
As you have seen, I call the process P=2S+O.
I’m not as good as I’d like to be at initiating P=2S+O.
Sometimes I find myself being annoyed by a persistent thought…I mean I catch myself being annoyed yet inactive. [I see this as a bad habit.] Then, something clicks in and I realize I am annoyed because the thought is a problem-thought and it probably will keep annoying me until I replace it with some ideas about Solutions and Opportunities.
At that point, the good habit P=2S+O begins to replace the bad habit being annoyed by a problem-thought.
I'm not as good as I'd like to be at generating immediate Solutions. I wish I could say, “Much to my surprise…I catch myself being lazy and procrastinating”. But, that wouldn’t be accurate because I have caught myself far too many times to use the word ‘surprise’. However, I am getting better. I keep a laminated copy of the P=2S+O template/worksheet close by…as a reminder. And I keep several paper copies of it on hand so I can fill them out on the spot. Also, I have a neat little web-based tool with me at all times…which removes any excuse for not doing P=2S+O.
If you are interested in learning more about the web-based tool then please email me at [email protected].
I have developed an ability to be very open/receptive to Opportunities. Opportunities tend to pop into my mind very regularly.
So, for me, P=2S+O is working well….and it is becoming a good habit.
I will be thrilled to learn it works as well for you….so please, let me know.
…my next blog will introduce a new topic - Leading With Revenue...
by Rick Baker
On Nov 24, 2009
For every Problem, there are at least 2 Solutions and there may also be some hidden Opportunities.
In the last blog, I mentioned from time to time intuition may come to you and you may obtain Opportunities that way.
There is an interesting argument favouring an ‘opportunistic’ approach over the ‘traditional’ approach to strategic planning.
Rather than Plan the Work and Work the Plan, be prepared to recognize, receive, and act on Opportunities.
At that link, you can read about the three kinds of intuition... “The third kind, strategic intuition, is not a vague feeling, like ordinary intuition. Strategic intuition is clear thought. And it’s not fast, like expert intuition. It’s slow.” “Strategic intuition works in new situations. That’s when you need it most.”
Business people should do both.
Business people should Plan the Work and Work the Plan. Much of the value lies in the process of planning. That’s captured [maybe a little too strongly?] in this Dwight D. Eisenhower quote: “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensible.”
Business people should also work to understand and use intuition and creative thinking. When these are operating in high gear we are able to respond quickly and successfully while the pace of business change continues to increase.
P=2S+O stands on middle ground.
P=2S+O is process. P=2S+O is a system.
The process & system of P=2S+O was planned.
The application of the P=2S+O template [worksheet] has some structure...that is, the template/worksheet contains sections for describing Problems, Solutions, and Opportunities. On the other hand, the template/worksheet does not set boundaries on how to come up with Solutions and Opportunities.
The P=2S+O template/worksheet provides a picture or what needs to be done.
This series of blogs provides an introduction to why a P=2S+O is important and how people can use P=2S+O to obtain business success.
The next blog will be the final blog of this P=2S+O series.
by Rick Baker
On Nov 19, 2009
For every Problem, there are at least 2 Solutions and there may also be some hidden Opportunities.
Some quotes & comments about Opportunities...
Quote:
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
[Charles R. Swindoll]
Comment: Twenty-something years ago I was listening to a Bob Proctor tape and he talked about “ opportunity riding on the wings of adversity”. I grabbed on to the phrase the first time I heard it. It caused me to start to think about Problems in a different way. Here’s a link to Bob Proctor – www.bobproctor.com
Quote:
“It is often hard to distinguish between the hard knocks in life and those of opportunity.”
[Frederick Phillips]
Comment: Milton Berle said, “If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.” We built P=2S+O to be an open door to Opportunity...and a clear window too.
Quote:
“The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.
[Benjamin Disraeli]
Comment: In the last blog I said we do not expect to find Opportunities every time we find Problems. P=2S+O means we may find Opportunities hiding in Problems. It is like playing a game of cards: sometimes the Problem deals great cards and the Opportunity jumps out at you, other times no Opportunities come to mind, and other times the hand doesn’t look that impressive at first but intuition hits you and you recognize a ‘hidden’ Opportunity. Keep your mind open for Opportunities and work at making the most out of the hands you are dealt.
The next blog in this P=2S+O series will share some thoughts about intuition ...
by Rick Baker
On Nov 17, 2009
For every Problem, there are at least 2 Solutions and there may also be some hidden Opportunities.
In his LITTLE GOLD BOOK of YES1 Attitude [2007], Jeffrey Gitomer states, “Instead of griping or wallowing in your problems, why not spend the same amount of time working on solutions? Being solution-oriented has done more for me and my path to success than any single strategy. Every obstacle presents an opportunity – if you’re looking for it. If you’re too busy concentrating on the problem, the opportunity will pass you by. "
P=2S+O aligns well with the direction of Gitomer’s thinking.
Is there a better way to ensure solution-orientation than linking Solutions to Problems in a formula?
I don’t think so.
The same applies to Opportunities.
P=2S+O, however, is not as demanding about Opportunities as it is about Solutions. For Solutions, there is no option. If there is a Problem then there must always be at least 2 Solutions attached to that Problem. On the other hand, for Opportunities, there may or may not be one attached to the Problem.
Why?
I do not agree with Gitomer’s point, “Every obstacle presents an opportunity – if you’re looking for it.”
That’s not been my experience.
Sometimes Opportunities are hiding in Problems.
Sometimes Opportunities are not hiding in Problems.
Even if I am wrong and Opportunities always hide in every Problem, most times there is a diminishing return trying to get them out of their hiding spots.
If a situation is annoying enough to count as a Problem requiring our attention then we must replace that Problem with a good Solution. That’s what P=2S+O demands. We must convert Problems into Solutions.
Bosses like that - Clients like that - Co-workers like that... etc.
From time to time as we work at finding and doing Solutions we come across Opportunities.
The key is having an open mind...a mind open to receiving Opportunities when they visit.
Based on this thinking, P=2S+O means: for every Problem, there are at least 2 Solutions and there may also be some hidden Opportunities.
More about Opportunities in the next blog...
by Rick Baker
On Nov 12, 2009
For every Problem, there are at least 2 Solutions and there may also be some hidden Opportunities.
Link to P=2S+O worksheet/template.
[click to download]
In the last blog I mentioned P=2S+O is about thinking…thinking aimed at success.
I recently read ‘HOW SUCCESFUL PEOPLE THINK, Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life’, John C. Maxwell, 2009.
Here is a link to John C. Maxwell
http://www.johnmaxwell.com
Providing a formula like P=2S+O is intended to be a starting point.
Tools are required to help our people excel at converting Problems into Solutions and Opportunities.
We create tools for problem-solving.
And, we seek out the advice of experts...seminars, audio tapes, books, etc.
John Maxwell’s little book - HOW SUCCESFUL PEOPLE THINK, Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life - is as good a guide as I have come across. In clear and simple words, John introduces several types of thinking and he provides some good suggestions on Why we should and How we can approach thinking from different directions.
Here are samples of John Maxwell suggestions that fit very well with P=2S+O:
HARNESS CREATIVE THINKING - Characteristics of Creative Thinkers:
- Creative Thinkers value ideas
- Creative Thinkers explore options
- Creative Thinkers embrace ambiguity
- Creative Thinkers celebrate the offbeat
- Creative Thinkers connect the unconnected
- Creative Thinkers don’t fear failure
EXPLORE POSSIBILITY THINKING – why you should become a Possibility Thinker:
- Possibility thinking increases your possibilities
- Possibility thinking draws opportunities and people to you
- Possibility thinking increases others’ possibilities
- Possibility thinking allows you to dream big dreams
- Possibility thinking makes it possible to rise above average
- Possibility thinking gives you energy
- Possibility thinking keeps you from giving up
P=2S+Omeshes well with thinking as John Maxwell describes it...thinking aimed at Success.
More on this in the next blog...
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