Let’s flip that question around. Whom shouldn’t you invite to your next decision? Those with relevant knowledge and expertise Those most affected by the decision The same old team Those with the authority to decide Make your selection and then click here to see if you are correct!
The Society for the Advancement of Consulting® has asked its global members to comment on what, if anything, most businesses should do about privacy as it relates to the Internet, social media, and related areas. “There is confusion about legal, ethical, and pragmatic policies,” observes SAC CEO Alan Weiss, PhD. “Here are two conclusions summarizing our findings.” “Some expectations of digital privacy may seem reasonable, but they are irrelevant,” says Ann Latham of Uncommon Clarity, a Massachusetts consulting firm (http://UncommonClarity.com). “Every transmission, whether text or image, whether sent via email, Facebook, text message, or other mechanism, has the ability to come back and haunt you.” Latham recommends you save topics like love, anger, and gossip for private conversation. “If you would be embarrassed to show your grandmother, you probably shouldn’t send it at all.”
At the conclusion of strategic planning with a client this week, one participant expressed tremendous appreciation for having been included. Although not a new employee, she was stunned by how much she had just learned about the company, its leaders, and the challenges and opportunities it faces. She was excited about the profound shift we created, and thankful that she understood the amazing ah-ha’s behind it. What a difference from two years ago when the previous strategic planning never even made a blip on her radar screen! I’ve heard this too many times to cringe. And often, the employee is wrong. She may have completely forgotten the strategic planning presentation she attended. But we all know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of such a presentation. It’s like being shown a picture of a tent and then expected to know how to survive in the wilderness.
Easthampton, MA – Ann Latham, president of Uncommon Clarity, Inc., will be speaking at the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network’s 2012 Conference and Expo in Marlborough, MA on October 25th. Her topic is “Uncommon Meetings – Better Results in Half the Time.” Ms. Latham has “never met a meeting that couldn’t be improved by dropping 15 – 30 minutes out of every hour.” She goes on to explain that all the clever ideas scattered across the Internet do nothing to address the root cause of ineffective meetings. Removing the chairs is one example of such nonsense. “Making me uncomfortable might make me eager to leave but it certainly won’t make me better able to listen and think.” Another example is to require agendas. “That guarantees nothing more than the proliferation of agendas, many of which are simply recipes for how you will waste your time.”
Ignore the endless volumes on how to motivate yourself and employees. Watch this 3-minute video instead!
Easthampton, MA – Ann Latham has been invited to blog for ASTD, the world’s largest professional association dedicated to the training and development field. Her first posting appeared on May 15th in the Human Capital Practices blog. “Whom Should I Invite to My Decision?” is the title of this first entry and you can read it by visiting ASTD.
Do you wish all meetings could be short and powerful? If so, this short and powerful video is for you!
Want a good decision and an accepted decision? Then you are smart to ask this question and smart to watch this 4-minute video.
If you are familiar with the concept of a “driving force” you know that strong, thriving organizations take their driving force seriously. Apple’s driving force is super cool products. You would never catch them launching something that wasn’t sleek, flashy, high tech, and intuitive. GE is driven by profits and is willing to acquire any business from appliances to healthcare to water quality as long as the profit is impressive. Slip and you are gone in a blink. The products and markets involved are irrelevant. Gerber is a good example of a company that is market driven. As they’ve expanded beyond baby food into children’s clothing and life insurance, their market has remained constant. Additional driving forces include: capacity, production capabilities, sales channels, distribution channels, natural resources, and social cause. A good strategic planning process establishes this kind of clarity. What is your driving force? But before you compare your company to the options mentioned above, take a moment to consider your REAL driving force? It may be none of the above!