Five Steps for Innovation in Strategic Planning and Your Business

On March 14, 2016   /   General  
Five Steps for Innovation in Strategic Planning and Your Business

I was doing some research on innovation and was surprised to find that a lot of what I write and talk on follows the steps of innovative strategic thinking. I have come to realize that sometimes we might get caught up in the need to find innovation when innovation already exists in our organizations.

Yet we, as people, can be our own worst enemy. For example, the business leader who says we need to be more innovative in our business to survive but then counteracts that statement by living for yesterday (memories of the past), not providing the tools nor the steps to be innovative or providing the time,  space or culture for people to be innovative. I think we can all agree that in our rapid business world innovation is needed for invention and re-invention. Yet maybe we approach it the wrong way.

As I was doing my research I started to realize that in my book, S.E.T for Success, I covered the steps to innovative thinking in various chapters. Innovation is the action or process of innovating, usually to conceive a new idea, approach, product or service. Innovation proceeds invention and implementation and it comes from allowing people the space and place to be innovative.

In your planning process consider these five steps for innovation to create your business’ future.

Question Everything. I have always loved that statement and learned to apply it years ago in university while studying social-economics at the University of Manitoba. It means ask questions and doubt the answers to challenge the current thinking. You should allow people the space to question and doubt. This is especially important in planning or open discussion sessions with people.

Look at the Possible. Don’t shut ideas down. Allow your teams to take a deep drive and come up with creative solutions to business challenges and opportunities. This is an important part of innovative thinking and should be done with no positional barriers. You might find that the best ideas come from the unlikely of places.

Diverge to Converge by Connle Ma

Diverge to Converge, Connle Ma http://bit.ly/21rgw9h

Diverge in Your Thinking. Don’t be surprised if this process causes your team to diverge before converging on great ideas and agreement. You need to provide people permission to do so. There will be lots of idea and some people will be confused. It’s normal for innovative thinking. Initially you should diverge in the beginning stages of the thinking and planning process. Just let it happen with a planned chaotic approach.

Converge on Great Ideas. Eventually things will move towards convergent thinking as people start to agree on the important items and the decisions that need to be made. Capture the convergence of thinking and business decision-making. Decide what the focus items should be for the overall success of the business. This could be a new product, a new market, a new direction. Find ways to make it happen.

Evaluate the Alternatives. In business analysis we often talk about defining business problems and opportunities and then evaluating the alternatives. At some point in the creative innovative thinking process an adult must appear and make a decision on what you will evaluate or re-evaluate or not the process will go on forever. Look at what makes sense with the team and pick what you will focus on. Make sure you consider the options in your initial discussions after all the ideas have been born. Don’t evaluate as you go along as that will kill creative and innovative thinking. At some point a decision will need to be made. It’s a bit of a balancing act as you can’t always know if you’re right. A bit of science and art mixed together. Have fun with that.

Business leaders and their teams face challenges, uncertainty, and an increasing need to keep up with the breakneck speed of change in their field every day. This is accelerated by the global business world around us. People know the road to their success is paved with peaks, valleys and detours, all of which need to be skillfully navigated. The bigger reality is the need for innovation on this journey. That means finding the space and the place to allow for innovation. Usually not something that is done once a year. It is usually built with a culture that is willing to take a deep dive and follow steps that provide people permission to be innovative.

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5 Steps You Could Take to Agree to Disagree

On March 6, 2016   /   General  
5 Steps You Could Take to Agree to Disagree

I was facilitating a discussion with a team of senior people in a transportation company. The challenge I heard they were having is that they were not communicating, ideas were not being shared

Let Me Get This Straight by Richard - Flickr

Let Me Get This Straight by Richard – Flickr

or going nowhere. The problem as stated came from the VP of Operations and he wanted help fixing the problem. So he requested to have an outside facilitator conduct several meetings for him and his team.

As the team was working on table topic, brainstorming ideas and discussing solutions to the problem at hand an interesting thing happened. The VP of Operations slammed his hand on the table and said “I don’t agree with any of you, last I looked you weren’t made VP, I was, and therefore what we do should be up to me”. Wow, I think we found the problem and it was not the team members. It was a person who needed to be in control and right. Once this happened everyone shut down. I found a way to adjourn the meeting.

There is a lot happening in this situation. More than I can cover in one blog. In this case I want to address the importance of agreeing to disagree. Believe it or not, you don’t always need to be right.

Here are 5 Steps you can take to Agree to Disagreement and keep on keeping on.

  1. Stay connected to the strategic agenda and initiatives of the organization. This is a place I always start with before any meeting. What is the point of even trying to have an open discussion unless it is linked to what the organization is seeking to achieve. Person mandates should be neutralized. Remember you need to focus on bridging the gap from the strategic to the tactical. This means connecting your topic with the strategic plans of the organization to provide focus for all parties.
  2. Be clear on the problem you are seeking to solve and what is truly important. It is surprising how many meetings have no purpose or focus what-so-ever. Unless you have clarity to begin with you are going to go around in circles like the dog chasing its tail. Part of being clear on the challenge is being open to how people define it and be willing to learn from others. Believe it or not, teams of people provide creative ideas and solutions. The other part of this is picking your battles wisely. I learned this skill when I had teenagers and it applies to the work environment. Defining the problem and considering what is important really helps.
  3. Let other people have their say without shutting them down. Sometimes people just want to have a say, be heard and then they move on. However, if you have a tendency of a) monopolizing the discussion, b) always having an opinion, c) debating or d) needing to be right then the advice is simple. Shut up and let your team talk. This also applies to the team member who falls into these categories. I know I just wrote those words (shut up) but lets face it, your team is thinking it. Help them out. Stay quiet for a little while and manage your actions, activities and verbal thoughts. Allow yourself to have an open mind to allow the conversation to progress naturally.
    Meetings by Jamal Fanaian - Flickr

    Meetings by Jamal Fanaian – Flickr

  4. Use non-violent communications. I really don’t know how else to phrase this one. Slamming your hand on the table is a violent act. So is yelling at people. Acting accordingly could trigger a heated argument. In turn something negative will transpire. Remember, what you think, you feel, what you feel you act, what you act is the results you get. You need to alter your thoughts quickly and act appropriately expressing your concerns openly in the discussion. This means making sure you are participating in a discussion.
  5. Learn to agree to disagree. This is a skill that everyone should master. As I have gotten older with life experience I have learned that agreeing to disagree is all right. No matter your belief can you not respect someone for their thoughts and opinions and agree to disagree? The skill and art of this is knowing when it’s all right to disagree. Be tactful, respectful and diplomatic. Be willing to stand your ground but don’t shut the other person down because you disagree. Learn to incorporate the opinions of others and learn from them. Don’t force your opinions on others. Over time they will react negatively to your need for rightness. In essence you need to embrace the space between the lines, the difference.

Agreeing to disagree is an art and skill to master. It takes time to work on ones need to be right whether from a source of personal belief or external pressures to perform. It’s an important business and life skill that will help you on your journey to greater success. Maybe there is something in this week’s blog that will have you be better at agreeing to disagree.

 

 

 

 

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5 Steps You Should Take to Say No and Be Better in Your Business

On February 29, 2016   /   strategic, strategic planning, strategy  
5 Steps You Should Take to Say No and Be Better in Your Business
A big NO on the Wall by Steve Boneham

A big NO on the Wall by Steve Boneham

Saying no is not a bad thing. Yet saying no doesn’t come easy for most people. No is actually something you should learn how say and use in business. No forces you to focus on what is important. If you don’t say no you end up with way too much on your to-do plate. You, your team and business become diluted as your attention fragments. Eventually you become ineffective, stressed and frustrated. If you say no you end up creating a list of things that you, your business and the people you work with should not be doing. You created not-to-do list that will become larger than your yes list. Nothing wrong with that as telling people no or have a not-to-do list helps you say yes to the things you want or need to do. That is a major win for everybody.

So let’s start with the 5 steps you should take to say no. In later blogs I will explore the creation of the not-to-do list and how to use if effectively in your business. I guess you can say that this blog stream will have several parts.

5 Steps You Should Take to Say No and Be Better in Your Business (for that matter life)

  1. Use Needs Assessment: This is a skill you need to master, period. It is an important part of all decision making. In this case understand the request on your time, money and resources from the requesting person or organization. Make sure you understand their needs but also you need to have a set of criteria to determine if the request makes sense or not for you. Know your boundaries and priories. Use a set of criteria in the needs assessment and make your decision accordingly.
  2. Straight Up is Always Better: My kids learned a long time ago that if I say “I’ll think about it that usually meant yes”. They just needed to be patient. If they won’t then it would be a no. I was teaching them a lesson, I guess. That tactic is not always the best approach. Business people need to know where you stand. Don’t be afraid to respectively decline. Be a Canadian and say, I’m sorry but I can’t do that or no your request doesn’t fit with our present mandate. Whatever the request insure you provide your reasoning.
  3. Be Polite About It: It is important in your straight forwardness to be respectful of the requestor. No need to
    be nasty. Politeness always wins and is a form of a life line that keeps you connected with the people or organization you are saying no to. It is about maintaining engagement, relationship and self preservation for all parties involved. Maybe there is something else you can do for them, a suggestion maybe.
  4. Prepare for the Response: Saying no may not be easy but might be the only way. People will respond to your no and it may not always be a positive response. My favorite response I received from a professional organization was, what do you mean no! Surprised me at first considering they wanted a 300 hour commitment. In this case I focused on working with the person’s reaction to my no. They were frustrated. So I inquired about their frustration and presented my decision making and business requirements. They were surprised to learn why I had to say no. I too learned something about their needs. When you say no don’t take the other persons reaction personally. There may be another issue.
  5. Practice Makes Perfect: I always loved this saying. Because we all have learned it from the time we were kids. The thing is you need to be practicing the right skill. Practicing the wrong saying no skills won’t help you. Saying no starts with setting your boundaries, knowing what you don’t want any longer and practicing it out loud. Tell your friends that you need to learn to say no. Have them hold you accountable for this learning and practice with them. In business consider hosting a saying no session. The objective would be to achieve clarity on the importance of saying no, how to say no and the ways to ensure you gain the outcomes required. Eventually saying no will become easier.

There are many reasons to say no. Some people find saying no a real challenge. Acknowledging you have this difficulty is a good thing. You now have a place to start from to develop a set of rules and boundaries that could work for you in your business. To get clear on what is important to you consider creating things-to-say-no-to-list. Start by practicing saying no to those things first. If an employee or business partner makes a request of you or your organization that does not fit the business mandate ensure that you have your readymade reasoning available. But don’t say anything until you evaluate the other persons request, don’t be harsh and be respectful. Learning to say no to the right things will improve your business and personal life. It’s just the way it is.

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Richard Lannon: Raised in an entrepreneurial family, Richard learned to find opportunities, solve problems and implement solutions quickly. During his career he became a strategist, helping organizations find the road to their success. His cross-industry experience has made him a proven expert, one who has worked with a big four consulting firm, top tier corporations, mid-level enterprises, and small business leaders from around the world.

Business author,professional speaker, and coach, Richard guides you to actionable roadmap as the means to your business success.www.setforsuccess.ca

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5 Terms in the Strategic Planning Process – Filling in the Strategic < blank >

On February 22, 2016   /   strategic planning  
5 Terms in the Strategic Planning Process – Filling in the Strategic < blank >
External Memory - Analog Saved Me by Christmas Withak

External Memory – Analog Saved Me by Christmas Withak

I have been thinking and discussing the word strategic with a lot of people. More importantly posing an interesting question, what does it mean to be strategic? The word strategic in the context of the question asked is an adjective generally “relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them”[1]. When you associate the word strategic with one of five other words (analysis, planning, leadership, management, and implementation) it takes on a life of its own. The strategic process is revealed, defined, and clarity of roles and responsibility formed.

5 Terms in the Planning Process that Every Leader and Professional Should Know: Filling in the Strategic < blank >

Strategic Analysis:  This term has a simple definition. It is the process of developing the strategy for business by researching the companies and the environment in which it operates[2]. Often it requires the knowledge and use of various tools to prepare business strategies by evaluating the opportunities and challenges faced by the company as it moves forward. It takes into consideration internal and external factors that would be impacting the organization. The essential parts of the strategic analysis is having a good tool belt and know how and when to use them. This could be done by the business analyst.

Strategic Planning:  Is a systematic process of envisioning a desired future, translating this vision into broadly defined goals or objectives, and then mapping out a particular sequence of steps to achieve them. Unlike long-term planning, which begins with the current status and lays down a path to meet estimated future needs, strategic planning starts with the desired end and works backward to the current situation. Rather than focusing on internal operational “issues,” a strategic direction addresses and solves business problems and opportunities from a larger, over-arching scope of discussion. It’s formulated before tactical action be taken.[3]

Strategic Leadership:  The process of using well-considered tactics to communicate a vision for an organization or one of its parts. Strategic leadership typically manages, motivates and persuades staff to share that same view, and can be a valuable tool for implementing change or creating organizational structure within a business[4]. Without real leadership strategic initiatives, the desired future state goes nowhere. If you are failing here, then look at your leadership abilities as there is a good chance you are missing the fundamentals of achieving people engagement through communications.

Strategic Management:  It involves the formulation of tactical plans and the implementation of the major goals and initiatives to be taken by a company’s top management team.[5] It should be based on consideration of current assessment of the internal and external environments in which the organization competes. Often high-level work plans and communication plans are formulated at this level with consideration for current constraints (time, money and people), what the organization is seeking to achieve and the activities that need to be managed to make it all happen.

Strategic Implementation:  This is where the rubber meets the road. It is where the tasks needing to be performed according to the plans to achieve an overall goal are implemented.[6] For example, strategic implementation within a business context might involve developing and executing a new human resource and capital plan to appropriately manage succession to keep good people. Or a sales and marketing initiative is implemented to improve regional sales for a company’s products or services. In either of these scenarios, tactical management and staff would be engaged to perform and make them happen.

I wonder if we sometimes miss the boat when it comes to being strategic, what it means and actions that we need to take at each level. If you are involved in being strategic then there is a good chance that your role and responsibilities align with the adjective/adverb combination of strategic ________________________ (you fill in the blank). Not only that, there is a natural order of things from strategic analysis to implementation that connects the organization and the actions taken. Don’t miss those linkages.

20170310-IMG_2080 (1)Richard Lannon: Raised in an entrepreneurial family, Richard learned to find opportunities, solve problems and implement solutions quickly. Over the course of his career, he became a strategist, helping organizations find the road to their success. His cross-industry experience has made him a proven expert, one who has worked with a big four consulting firm, top-tier corporations, mid-level enterprises, and small business leaders from around the world. Author, speaker, coach, and cheerleader, Richard guides you to renewed hope, a bigger vision, and a realistic, actionable roadmap as the means to your business success.

[1] “Google.” Google: What Does It Mean to Be Strategic? N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.

[2] “What Is Strategic Analysis? Definition and Meaning.” BusinessDictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.

[3] Lannon, Richard. S.E.T. for Success, a Roadmap to Transform Your Business. Winnipeg: BraveWorld, 2016. Print.

[4] “What Is Strategic Leadership? Definition and Meaning.” BusinessDictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.

[5] “Strategic Management.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.

[6] “What Is Strategic Implementation? Definition and Meaning.” BusinessDictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.

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3 Steps You Can Take Before You Take Action

On February 14, 2016   /   General  
3 Steps You Can Take Before You Take Action

Some years ago during an economic adjustment I wrote an article about the importance of being clear on the steps you need to take to figure out what to do next, to solve business problems and 3110608108_3dce4e0981_ofind opportunities. I think it is especially important to look at those steps again as we wrestle with a significant portion of our economy going through adjustments. As a strategic planner I find that the simplest approach can be the most fruitful.

I think in times of adjustment we need to apply a grade school life lesson. That is to say, stop and look both ways before you cross the street; use your eyes, use your ears and then use your feet. It often amazes me that what we learned as children applies to our adult lives and in business. Your job as a business leader and professional or even an entrepreneur is to minimize your risk through gathering and documenting information about your economic and customer’s needs. There is nothing worse than offering a service, product or a solution that does not fit the requirements and no-one cares about. Or even looking for an opportunity where on no longer exists. It could be like getting hit by a car when crossing the street. Hopefully the damage is not too bad but you can lose everything.

So, what do we do to avoid the accident, to move on or get out of the way? Stop and use your eyes, use your ears and then use your feet.

First, use your eyes. Observation is a great information gathering technique used to learn about your customer and clients needs or about the greater needs of the economy. For example from a sales and marketing perspective think about where your customers hang out, how they do their work and what is important to them. Observe your clients and customers in their unique gathering places (UGP). This could be at their offices, professional associations, their local church, personal interest and fitness clubs, at business centres and other organizations. Go to where your customers hang out and observe their behaviours. You will learn a lot.

Second, use your ears. Use active listening techniques to hear what your people are saying. Always look for the need and address it with your customers. Listen for the issues and objections. Think from the perspective of the WII-FM radio station (What is in it for me?). This is the Voice of the Customer (VoC) speaking. Capture that information and be honest with the information. In other words, do not write down what you thought you heard, write down and summarize what was actually said. Create a summary of findings and share it with your prospective customers or clients as a value added for them. Show them that you were listening.

Third, use your feet. Give what you learned some thought and put it into action. Use the information to find opportunities internally or externally, improve processes, help people out, make changes, provide alternative solutions to business problems, to create communication and marketing materials, for product or service branding or to develop enhanced skills and change programs.  Leverage the information as much as possible. Turn that information into business solutions and building opportunities through taking action and aligning it to common business objectives and the things people, your customers and clients need.

Even after writing and updating this blog I am amazed at how many places I can think to apply this grade school rule for crossing the street. Front the start of a new business, looking for a career position, researching solutions to business problems to sales and marketing, succession and human resource plans and the list goes on. Sometimes I think the simple rules and approaches to complex issues or challenges are the best.

The willingness to stop and take three simple steps, that we learned in grade school, can help us during economic adjustments and keep us safe when crossing the street (eyes, ears and feet). It is just a matter of how you act upon what you know.  So when you need to do something remember use your eyes, use your ears and then use your feet. Of course walk but don’t run as we don’t want anyone to get hurt.

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Shift Your Business Into Drive with a Balance Score Card

On January 9, 2015   /   balance score card  

To achieve a balanced business perspective consider using a Balanced Scorecard as part of your strategic planning initiative. A Balanced Scorecard is an approach that is used to align your business to the vision, mission, core values and strategy of the organization. The emphasis is to turn strategy into forward thinking actions that the senior team can implement against key performance indicators. To embark on a Balanced Scorecard, the company must have a mission and vision and know their financials, the present business structure and levels of employee expertise. They must also have extensive knowledge regarding customer satisfaction levels.

There are four key elements in a Balanced Scorecard: Customer, learning and growth, financials and business processes.

1) Customer: Research has shown that having a customer-centric view focused on satisfaction is one key to success. If the customers aren’t happy they’ll move on. Good or poor customer performance is a leading indicator for the future success or failure of a business. The ultimate question is this: What is the value proposition that you deliver on in your customer markets? Knowing your value as defined by the customer and having a clear understanding of what your customer is willing to pay is essential. This part of the Balanced Scorecard helps you focus on your markets and customers.

2) Learning and Growth: This part of the Balanced Scorecard includes your business culture, employee and business attitudes, self improvement initiatives and your investment in employee development. It is known that successful long-term businesses invest in the success of their people. High performance is driven by dedicated happy people. Most organizations today are operating on a knowledge platform. It is the unique knowledge of the people that keeps things going. Unfortunately, when people leave their knowledge leaves too and getting it back is painful. Things to consider include: employee satisfaction, retention, skills, experience and aptitude and the business’s beliefs, values and attitude. Ask yourself this: What kind of infrastructure is needed to foster long-term business success enabling us to grow and change to meet ongoing demands?

3) Financials: Data on company financials is important. The key is having the right kinds of data along with timely and accurate information. For management, just having return on investment information might not be enough. As data becomes more centralized, other financial data and key performance indicators become important. For example, consider cost-ease-benefit analysis or risk analysis to consider long-term impact. This is a slight shift that changes thinking.

4) Processes: This refers to the internal processes of the organization. Most businesses have a maturity line when it comes to processes. They are usually chaotic, reactive, proactive, service or value providers. These can all be measured. The management team needs to know what is working and what is not working in relation to the customers’ needs and the business mission. Understanding the present state of business processes allows for a focus on a desired future working state that will provide positive, measurable results for the business. The best people to do that work are the people who do the work. The key is to know what existing and future business processes must be focused on to excel as a business.

Having a Balanced Scorecard that is aligned to the mission, vision, core values and guiding principles of the business is an important part of your success. If constructed well it becomes part of a strategy map and a communication tool that allows you to easily share your work and progress with stakeholders. With a Balanced Scorecard you can forward think and create the success you deserve.

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Get to Know Richard

Richard works with companies that provide products, services, and expertise to other businesses. As a senior strategic business analyst and consultant, his focus is strategic planning, business analysis, and training and development of client organizations.

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Richard Lannon
Voice: 204-899-2808
Email Us Richard Lannon
Website: http://braveworld.ca
Email: richard@braveworld.ca

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