There are quite a few initiatives deeply in debt from borrowing against their future intelligence when the interest was high and the prospects were low. These teams rightly believe that during the course of an initiative more data will lead to a progression of understanding. The later an analysis comes the more data it hasContinueContinue reading “Betting the Farm on Progress”
Author Archives: C.BS.Gore
Don’t put your money on 100, take the over on 50
Perfection is a losing game, but endurance and appetite in chasing an 100% outcome often yields better options even when it becomes apparent the 100% outcome isn’t achievable. In transformation projects teams tend to gravitate towards one of two approaches. Aggressive De-Risking: A team can ‘de-risk’ a path to an 100% outcome, convincing themselves to trade aContinueContinue reading “Don’t put your money on 100, take the over on 50”
Making adversaries of comrades
Purpose: Become aware of when we are choosing to make an adversary and challenge ourselves whether making an adversary is appropriate. Adversaries are inevitable. Whether it be the competitor trying to take over your market share, a different department vying for control, or an individual with a competing objective. Even when not a ‘leader,’ itContinueContinue reading “Making adversaries of comrades”
9 Agile Ways to Launch Your Agile Idea Agilely
Get an Agile Coach Scrum coaches are what make agile a team sport. Without them you’re going to have to use a soccer metaphor. Make sure they tell teams to deliver things faster, and agile. Clarify your products from projects This distinction will help you keep the non-agile people separated from the Agile ones. ThisContinueContinue reading “9 Agile Ways to Launch Your Agile Idea Agilely”
In Defense of Ignorance: Not Waiting on Certainty’s Permission
Earlier today while driving I came upon an intersection in a forest preserve. I had two options: continue straight to the parking lot or turn left down a scenic one-way road. I was almost certain the scenic road to the left was a public drive. However, I will admit, to my shame, “almost certain” wasContinueContinue reading “In Defense of Ignorance: Not Waiting on Certainty’s Permission”
The Trouble with Meetings
An open secret in the corporate world is that meetings are a necessary evil that replicate rapidly and consume time greedily. Consider how so many meetings conclude with a thoughtful consensus: there ought to be more meetings about these things. Chances are that no one is really clear on what the things are, but byContinueContinue reading “The Trouble with Meetings”
Cult of the Obvious
I think we’ve all had moments when an ‘obvious’ idea is unreasonable, but inexplicably supported by others. “Obviously, we should create an engagement committee to handle the day to day for the financial governance committee. Engagement is a key driver of our financial results.” “Good point Drake, I’d hate to be someone who doesn’t support engagement or committees” Ideas can be soContinueContinue reading “Cult of the Obvious”
Subtitles
One of the challenges with being a business practitioner and a philosopher is that your imagination sometimes takes over during meetings. The other day I was in a meeting with executives who were discussing a very complex problem. I started to notice a disparity between what everyone was saying and what they were communicating. Because one can only listen toContinueContinue reading “Subtitles”
Hidden Disagreements
Language in all it’s abundant complexity offers multitudinous opportunities for misunderstanding. We’ve all been in meetings or conversations where it suddenly becomes apparent that people’s understanding and use of a phrase dramatically differs from our own in a meaningful way. “How are the new engines for these bicycles?” “Great!” “When can we stick them toContinueContinue reading “Hidden Disagreements”
The Demand of the Norm
In business there is an effect similar to gravity. A business’s history and culture acquires a mass of its own over time. That mass perpetuates the values and norms of the business. In large organizations the mass of its history becomes a monolith by many names “what we’ve always done,” “the right thing,” “what we learned last time,””weContinueContinue reading “The Demand of the Norm”
Return on Intelligence 