Strategic planning դժվար decision making is difficult, but when individuals, policies: bias are involved, it becomes even more difficult. It takes courage to deal with conventional thinking. Someone has to ask the awkward questions that people are thinking about … but never want to raise. Sometimes there is a strong temptation to keep quiet, do not challenge the process – just finish it.
Well, I’m going to ask the hard questions. As my grandmother used to say, “The only way to change is to do things differently.” If you want to drive a real, measurable, relevant change, be bold, go ahead, step up, ask. Each process must be challenged from time to time. Start kicking scared cows with such questions.
15 rough questions to answer
- Why do we do that? Do we have compelling reasons?
- If we were to start all over again, would we do that?
- Were it not for the company’s policies, competition or bias, how would this project or decision have changed?
- Who are the people who get pregnant, do the work, do the work, who are just behind?
- Why do we need people who just watch?
- What are the three great things we can do for our customers that will have the greatest positive impact on them: our business?
- Are our products and services really different? Do they offer real, measurable value?
- Whose solution are they using while waiting for our solution?
- Is it easy for us to do business? Is it easy to buy us?
- Is our unique value proposition really unique and valuable?
- What does our company do to steal our competitor business?
- Is our department developing strategies to grow the business or just to protect our budget?
- Does our marketing capture the business that we want, or just the business that wants us?
- Are the customers / customers we have today the ones we want և need in 3-5 years?
- How do we change our business model to get the customers we need?
Why ask?
No one is going to make a bad decision. In fact, every bad decision starts as an attempt to make a good decision for someone. Most of the problems arise because you do not have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how to do it. So the big corporate tap dance begins, the process goes on and on until all the best options disappear. Remember, the latest version is never the best solution.
Every change starts with a question and answer session. If you never ask tough questions, nothing positive will happen. So have the courage, the challenge, the challenge – to grow your business in 2010.