since when is thinking not productive?

So there I was rocking back in my chair (as you do) contemplating possible solutions over a problem when my boss wanders over and says “that’s hardly productive is it?”

I replied, “I’m thinking…”

He said (and I couldn’t make this up), “we don’t have time for that, get back to work!”

Now, being in a consulting environment one would guess that thinking about problems, current solutions and the marriage of the two are pretty important, but it would seem to my narrow-minded manager that unless I am on the phone, at a client’s office, in a meeting (and don’t get me started on productivity issues there) or typing furiously at my computer I’m not being productive.

Surely more time should be spent contemplating the correct course of action rather than running in, guns blazing, and then being forced to retreat because we hadn’t thought it through.

Sometimes I think we all need to just slow down and think about things. Or maybe its just me…

© management mojo 2010. All rights reserved.

the desperation of the specialist

I suppose that if you are only equipped with a hammer than eventually you see everything as a nail.

I have spent so much time with “experts” in the past few days. The only things they really have in common is that their expertise is so specialised that everything in life is viewed through their narrow range of vision. Every situation presented to them is given an answer related to their areas of competence.

Surely we need to realise that our areas of competence ends at some point? We can’t have an opinion on everything, or can we?

What ever happened to the old school generalist in life? The one who could offer a pretty decent view on things because he / she had a broad range of knowledge that provided a great deal of insight into many different challenges. These days its seems that no one is able to comment except on very narrow areas and as a result tend to ignore other problems or opportunities as a result.

The cynic in me thinks it’s a ploy by professional service firms to argue that they need to bring as many people in as possible in order to complete a job, therefore bumping up their corporate fees. Unfortunately it’s not that simple and while I know many professionals who would quite willingly offer some general advice, their regulatory bodies, driven by lawyers and politicians prohibit them from doing so.

This inability to provide general advice creates a conflict of interests as specialists try to convince clients that the solution needed is one that their specialism provides, if you follow me. By being unable to provide general advice we are cutting off a revenue source and therefore impartial advice at the same time.

Think about it. Message to politicians: stop interfering with all your regulations…

© management mojo 2010. All rights reserved.

obsession with growth

What is the obsession with growth? I can’t figure it out.

We are obsessed a country with growth, obsessed as businesses with growth, and obsessed as individuals with growth. I hasten to add this largely refers to financial aspects, not our waist lines.

Yet when I ask business owners and leaders why they are keen to grow the revenue by 10, 20 or 30%, they provide me with very little in the way of insight. They can’t seem to clearly articulate the reasons. If there was an objective (need for exceptional profit for reinvestment in capital equipment, etc) I could understand it, but often it just seems “because”.

That’s quite sad really. If you don’t know where your business is headed then why add all the extra stress on yourself and employees by pursuing growth for the sake of it. I have seen far too many people become downright miserable as their businesses “grow”, and see no real happiness in society as we pursue higher GDP growth.

For goodness sake – have a purpose, have a vision, have a mission – know where you are going and what you need to do to get there. Growth may not be needed. In fact a smaller business may be more effective, and dare I say, profitable.

© management mojo 2010. All rights reserved.