“Where do I go from here?” was actually the first thought that popped into my mind as I started writing this morning.
I've sort of hit a wall writing the “Stupid Question 101” posts, so it wasn't really a shocking first thought of the day. But it did get me thinking about where I have come and where I want to go with my career and my business. And as I thought more about it, I realized that “Where?” is a great question for clearing your vision...and for getting you back on track and moving toward making your vision a reality.
“Where?” is a tool that can force us to see where we've been and look at where we're headed.
“Where we have we been?”; “Where do we want to be in 100 years?” and “Will our current direction take us where we want to go?” are all critical questions that need to be answered before you can effectively decide where to focus your efforts today.
Of course, once you've cleared your vision; once you've figured out what track you need to be on, then “where?” can help you decide how best to get on track. And how best to stay there. That's when questions like “where are our customers?”, “where do we produce our product?” and “where should we locate our facilities?” come into play.
And each time you answer one of these, you also need ask “Will help get us where we want to be a hundred years from now, or will it side track us?”
If the folks at Countrywide Mortgage, Enron, or Morgan Stanley had bothered to ask THAT question (and answer it honestly!), they might have seen that their short-term greed would put their companies out of business inside of 10 years, not help is continue thriving in 100. But that's a topic for another day.
For today, just remember to keep asking “where?”...it will help you keep your eyes on the horizon.
____________________
If you need help seeing your horizon, let me know by leaving a comment here or e-mail me at: TomFawls@Council4SmallBiz.com.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
STUPID QUESTIONS 101: When?
Whenever I start planning a new project, “When does this need to be finished?” is usually the first question I ask. Like any good former military officer, I prefer to use “backward planning” - starting from the due date and working back to a start date.
“When?” is one of those questions that can be painfully annoying when you're the one being asked. “When will it be done?”; "When will it be delivered?”; “When are you going to quit asking me annoying questions?”
Answering “when?” usually requires some sort of “guesstimation”...and that makes many people uncomfortable. The problem with answering “when?” is that a smart manager / customer won't let you get away with an indefinite, inexact answer. They want facts. They want specific dates. They want exact times. You can't fudge “when?”.
Answering “when?” carves your answers in stone and holds them up so anyone can measure your performance. Answering “when?” is scary...and most people will avoid it whenever possible.
Which is why the best managers don't let folks get away with nebulous answers. They also, however, understand that most times the best answer that can be given is an estimate and they will understand (and plan for) some fluctuations.
So next time you ask “When?”, remember two things: first, get a specific, exact answer and second, understand that not every exact answer is going to be accurate.
____________________________
Need help figuring out when? Leave a comment here or e-mail me at: TomFawls@Council4SmallBiz.com.
“When?” is one of those questions that can be painfully annoying when you're the one being asked. “When will it be done?”; "When will it be delivered?”; “When are you going to quit asking me annoying questions?”
Answering “when?” usually requires some sort of “guesstimation”...and that makes many people uncomfortable. The problem with answering “when?” is that a smart manager / customer won't let you get away with an indefinite, inexact answer. They want facts. They want specific dates. They want exact times. You can't fudge “when?”.
Answering “when?” carves your answers in stone and holds them up so anyone can measure your performance. Answering “when?” is scary...and most people will avoid it whenever possible.
Which is why the best managers don't let folks get away with nebulous answers. They also, however, understand that most times the best answer that can be given is an estimate and they will understand (and plan for) some fluctuations.
So next time you ask “When?”, remember two things: first, get a specific, exact answer and second, understand that not every exact answer is going to be accurate.
____________________________
Need help figuring out when? Leave a comment here or e-mail me at: TomFawls@Council4SmallBiz.com.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Stupid Questions 101: What the !@#$%$^& ?!?!
Next in line on our Stupid Question Primer, is “What?”.
While the most popular use of this word - “What the @#$#^% ?!?”; can be very effective in certain circumstances, today we'll be looking at some of the less dramatic uses of this question.
“What?” can help clarify your thinking, narrow your focus or streamline your operations. “What?” is useful in all sorts of situations.
“What are we trying to accomplish?” or “What are you working on?” Your people should understand what they're working on and why. The first time you ask one of these questions, you might be surprised at how many people in your organization don't really have a formal assignment. Forcing yourself to answer this question before you assign work, will help you eliminate truly useless tasks...and help your people understand where you're heading.
“What needs to be done?” Be proactive. Getting your people to look beyond their own jobs, to see things beyond their own desks that need to be done goes a long way to killing the “not my job” attitude that besets too many companies as they grow.
“What do you need?” simply asking the question places an obligation on us to help out. To work to get those asked the things they need. Sometimes we won't be able to meet their needs, but we may be able to point them to someone who can. And sometimes, this simple act of asking the question with genuine concern will make all the difference in the world.
“What can we do without?” In these tough economic times, it's one of the most commonly asked questions. The trick is to carry this thinking with us into the good times. To keep looking at our organization, our operations, and our own habits to cut the fat and keep the business in “fighting trim”.
“What's worked for our competitors?” There are always things you can learn from them...even if it's only what not to do. Being able to see the good in your competitor can help you improve many aspects of your own business; from sales to operations to planning.
“What went wrong? What do we do to make sure it doesn't happen again?” notice we're not asking “Who's fault is it?” in this question. The goal is to get to identify the causes of the problem(s) and fix them, not to find the perpetrator and hang them. Of course, in the case of sabotage or gross negligence, finding the guilty party might not only be appropriate, but critical to preventing similar incidents in the future.
“What don't we know? What did I do wrong?” or “What needs to change?” Are all higher level questions I tend to only hear from customers who are comfortable enough with themselves and their organizations to change themselves when necessary. These companies understand that nobody is perfect and that the best way to handle bad news is taking it head on and dealing with it as it comes.
Leaving these questions unasked (or asked but unanswered) can kill your business.
All too often, though, we let fear; bad habits, complacency and internal politics stop us from pursuing the answer to this critical question. Take the time to ask the “What?” questions. I suspect that in the long run you'll be glad you did.
____________________________
Need help figuring out what to do? Ask for help! Either leave a comment here or e-mail me at: TomFawls@Council4SmallBiz.com.
While the most popular use of this word - “What the @#$#^% ?!?”; can be very effective in certain circumstances, today we'll be looking at some of the less dramatic uses of this question.
“What?” can help clarify your thinking, narrow your focus or streamline your operations. “What?” is useful in all sorts of situations.
“What are we trying to accomplish?” or “What are you working on?” Your people should understand what they're working on and why. The first time you ask one of these questions, you might be surprised at how many people in your organization don't really have a formal assignment. Forcing yourself to answer this question before you assign work, will help you eliminate truly useless tasks...and help your people understand where you're heading.
“What needs to be done?” Be proactive. Getting your people to look beyond their own jobs, to see things beyond their own desks that need to be done goes a long way to killing the “not my job” attitude that besets too many companies as they grow.
“What do you need?” simply asking the question places an obligation on us to help out. To work to get those asked the things they need. Sometimes we won't be able to meet their needs, but we may be able to point them to someone who can. And sometimes, this simple act of asking the question with genuine concern will make all the difference in the world.
“What can we do without?” In these tough economic times, it's one of the most commonly asked questions. The trick is to carry this thinking with us into the good times. To keep looking at our organization, our operations, and our own habits to cut the fat and keep the business in “fighting trim”.
“What's worked for our competitors?” There are always things you can learn from them...even if it's only what not to do. Being able to see the good in your competitor can help you improve many aspects of your own business; from sales to operations to planning.
“What went wrong? What do we do to make sure it doesn't happen again?” notice we're not asking “Who's fault is it?” in this question. The goal is to get to identify the causes of the problem(s) and fix them, not to find the perpetrator and hang them. Of course, in the case of sabotage or gross negligence, finding the guilty party might not only be appropriate, but critical to preventing similar incidents in the future.
“What don't we know? What did I do wrong?” or “What needs to change?” Are all higher level questions I tend to only hear from customers who are comfortable enough with themselves and their organizations to change themselves when necessary. These companies understand that nobody is perfect and that the best way to handle bad news is taking it head on and dealing with it as it comes.
Leaving these questions unasked (or asked but unanswered) can kill your business.
All too often, though, we let fear; bad habits, complacency and internal politics stop us from pursuing the answer to this critical question. Take the time to ask the “What?” questions. I suspect that in the long run you'll be glad you did.
____________________________
Need help figuring out what to do? Ask for help! Either leave a comment here or e-mail me at: TomFawls@Council4SmallBiz.com.
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