"...keeping you great" Ten Minutes with the Growth Guy
HEADLINES:
Word version of the updated One-Page Strategic Plan is now available
-- my apologies for taking so long to get this Word version posted. We
introduced the new format at the Growth Summit and we taught it during
our most recent Rockefeller Habits workshops. You can find it in the
left column of My Gazelles (gold box in upper right of www.gazelles.com).
Summary of updates to One-Page Strategic Plan
-- though there IS NOT an updated manual to go with this updated
version (that will come later), most of the boxes are self-explanatory.
The major updates: space for summarizing a full SWOT at the bottom; the
addition of Jim Collin's Profit/X from the Hedgehog; and space along
the top of the form to place Key Performance Indicators for each of the
key relationships and processes that drive your business. There is also
more detail around the Critical Number and a more complete 7th column
for putting each individual's ongoing KPIs, quarterly priorities, and
their measurable Critical Number(s) for the quarter/year.
146 ideas in 30 minutes -- Bank of Tennessee's employee feedback process
-- ‘tis the season when many firms seek employee feedback. Roy Harmon,
CEO and President of the Bank of Tennessee, sent me this note Nov 30 "I
took a variation of the (Dell) Ideastorm and sent out an email to all
our 200 employees requesting suggestions -- it was fast moving and fun.
I offered $100 to someone randomly drawn from each 20 suggestions that
I received. As I received 20, I had one selected by different employees
and announced the winner. I received 146 in about 30 minutes! Contest
over. There were duplicates and the ideas ranged from very good to
so-so, but the employees had some fun and got a little Christmas cash.
I think that sending them to the CEO got their attention as everyone
wants to give ideas, but for lots of reasons, do not. Sometimes simple
works." Roy, I agree -- simple works!!!
What were some of the ideas? Notes Harmon "There
were a couple of main themes...first is what I can do for them to make
their life at work better...jeans on Fridays, upgraded computers, more
insurance coverage, etc. I did run the last $100 give away for cost
saving suggestions though. The best was for us to really push
electronic statements which we already have in the works. It does show
employee support for that initiative which will help us cut paper and
postage cost."
Innovate Like Edison: The Success System of America's Greatest Inventor
-- this is the title of a new book on innovation which I
enthusiastically endorsed. And I was at first leery to read the book
since I wasn't a fan of co-author Michael Gelb's first book How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci
which I thought was full of feel good platitudes and generalities
(though many people would disagree with me). However, his latest book
is a homerun from my viewpoint. As I read it, I felt I was reading some
of the same fine specific insights that went into the timeless classic Think and Grow Rich.
In fact, I'm also teaching Gelb and Sarah Caldicott's step-by-step
process to my two oldest sons. Edison WAS systematic in his methodology
and what is more important to our children's future than innovation,
something not taught in the majority of today's schools.
Ignoring Problems
-- I did receive some questions regarding my push to focus on "what's
working" vs. trying to solve specific problems. My response "you DON'T
ignore the problems -- in fact, you have to address the C's -- its just
that you can't FIX the C by studying the C -- you have to study what's
working in your company or others -- that's the idea of Best Practices.