Two weeks ago I delivered an all new presentation – Fast Future! Fifteen Uber-Trends that Will Rock Our World, and What Leaders Must Do to Survive and Thrive on the Road Ahead – at ACEC’s Fall Conference in Las Vegas. In it I review today’s economy and business context, outline the fifteen most important large-scale trends affecting our business and world, and map out a plan of response – for both individuals and organizations. My goal is to shake things up – to provide a wake-up call, and a real sense of urgency for professional services firm leaders – to plan for the future, get organized, and get moving with important projects in the enterprise. Frankly, it’s not hard to see that the future ahead will be different from the present. Much more difficult is to understand that this future – what I call the Fast Future – is not just coming. It’s already here.
Then last weekend, New England was hit (yet again this year) with more wacky weather. The “Snoctober Surprise” dumped a foot of fresh snow on top of our brilliant fall foliage – and with it came a similar message of warning: the winter is not simply coming … it’s already here!
The changing of seasons reminds me to stop – and to reflect, reorganize, and recommit to important plans both short and longer term. This week’s Snoctober Surprise has jolted me to action – adding a sense of urgency to address the year completing, and the one ahead.
If you’re looking for a simple way to get organized and get going – try out this approach: first, gather up all of the project ideas, new initiatives, and business opportunities in front of you, and combine these into one master list [I had about fifty unique action items on mine]. Next, segment the list into three groups, assigning to each an A, B, or C priority, defined as:
Priority A – opportunities both important and urgent – to be completed within the next ninety days (February 1); the A priority list must be limited (by definition) to those actions which can be completed within the schedule and time available (among other business priorities); [my A list included about a quarter (12 out of 50) of the identified initiatives];
Priority B – opportunities that are important, but less urgent – to be reviewed again after ninety days (February 1); a few might see some action in the interim, getting started over the next ninety days, but only as time – and progress with A priorities – permits; B priorities should total no more than an additional 20 – 25% of the full list;
Priority C – initiatives which are interesting and potentially valuable, but with either lower priority and/or lower urgency than As and Bs above – these ideas probably require additional work, analysis, or consideration. If further study supports, some will be elevated to the B (or even A) lists; if not, they should be deleted completely from the action agenda; [C priorities represent about 50% of my current plan];
Though it’s a bitter brew for creative ‘idea people, the desired outcome of this process is to simplify and focus – and to let go of some opportunities and initiatives, in favor of a greater chance of success with others. The truth is that ideas themselves don’t matter much. Great ideas are frankly not all that uncommon. By contrast, great execution of great ideas is indeed rare – and in short supply in most all organizations.
This prioritization and focusing process is easy to understand – but for most hard to do. (We worry that we’ll miss a good idea or two, and so we hoard them all – and then get none of them done). But this process – making difficult choices – is the very essence of strategy,the intentional pursuit of one pathway, one goal, one vision.
I use the changing of the seasons as my cue – three or four times each year – to be ruthless in dealing with clutter – clearing out the junk, organizing my work environment, setting priorities, and refocusing on the key objectives, strategies, and action initiatives that matter most in my business and life.
How about you? Is this the time for you to pause – and reorganize, refocus, and recommit – to your own success and that of your firm? Is this the time for you to face what’s almost already here – Old Man Winter, the New Year – and the Fast Future ahead?
Let me know what you think.
Happy hunting!
John
