As an eternal optimist I have had to learn how to be cynical. Playing the Devil's Advocate is sometimes easy but not without value because the positive traits of optimism and unfettered entrepreneurial energy can often be broken on the rack of reality. A belief that all can be achieved if you set your mind to it is a romantic maxim. I may have even reiterated to my children that all is possible in the countless "take every opportunity, live life to the full, the world is your oyster" cliche ridden motivational speeches that is the want of a father trying to guide but not dictate a life path for their offspring.
I do not however make my living as a motivator but as a strategy consultant and I would give up if ever I uttered anything as trite as "all is possible". Not only it is patronising and although my kids may appreciate the literal benefit in the future, I would not expect a client to pay for it. More importantly it is not true.
At this point if there is anybody deluded enough to disagree with me while bound by the accepted laws of physics and common understanding that Harry Potter is not real consider this; in about three weeks time Usain Bolt will attempt to cement himself as the face of the 2012 Olympics by winning the blue ribbon one hundred meters final. I do not have a chance of beating him in the race!
There will undoubtedly be a pedant somewhere that will wish to challenge me on that one, siting that Bolt could be injured, a handicap system could be put in play or he could be disqualified. Absolute rubbish! Although the spectacle of Price versus Bolt will amuse those that know me it is not going to happen in the one hundred meters at London 2012. The important point here is whether or not it is possible not my relative ability against Bolt.
The mentioned scenario is impossible because of the restrictive nature of the deliverable. Beating Usain Bolt over one hundred meters is highly unlikely whoever you are, however Yohan Blake did beat Bolt in the Jamaican trials last week, therefore beating Bolt is not the issue in isolation. The issue is the race itself which is a final and follows two semi-finals, four quarter-finals, heats and pre-heat qualifying. It is restricted to three competitors from each country who have achieved a preordained qualification time of 10.24. Qualifying closed on the 8th of July. Forget that at the last recorded attempt back in 1984 I recorded 14.5 seconds for the hundred meters and certainly have not improved since then; forget I would have to beat all but seven other competitors to get into the final, forget there are at least three Britons more eligible than me. The simple fact is that I did not enter and I do not qualify for the race. If however Usain wants to take me on somewhere else at a different time I am open to offers, the handicap, injury and a multitude of other factors make my victory possible if somewhat improbable.
In stating the mind numbingly obvious that I will not be beating Usain in London 2012 I bring your attention to a common failing of business strategy; the failure to set realistic objectives. Whether it be a measurable achievement, the time period and budget in which to achieve it or a combination of these many business strategies are doomed to failure at outset because of a lack of realism. With the best people, an appropriate budget, common vision, achievable time frame and strong leadership business change and improvement can be massive. Failure to put any of these elements in place will compromise any goal. A common error I often come up against is that businesses put a relatively large budget in play to compensate for inadequacy in the other areas. Weak leadership is the most common source of failure and usually manifests itself in an inability to compromise. It is the first days of the project when the terms of reference are being drawn up that will dictate how the project is run and by definition its chances of success.
I welcome a vision that is ambitious, "number one in every market", why not! However if any of the elements are unrealistic they must be challenged at the outset. Strategies are implemented by hitting a series of milestones on time and on budget, significant failure to hit these milestones will accrue and accumulate until the whole project is in danger, the staff will doubt feasibility of the objective, become demotivated or potentially leave. Project sponsors will blame everybody for the failure with the exception of themselves.
Therefore, if you want to be "number one in every market", show me the plan with ambitious but ultimately achievable objectives. I will ask, Over what time? By what measure? Define "Every Market". Who is delivering this? Are they qualified? What is the budget? How is it being spent? What is Plan B? A thorough tyre kicking exercise is warranted before any major strategy or project is implemented.
Finally in the absence of my participation at London 2012 I will attempt to run 30 meters in 9.5 seconds while Usain runs 100m. I will start just outside my front door and run down the street while Usain blasts out of the blocks in the Olympic stadium. If I finish first I will have achieved my objective!!
Huw
July 2012
At this point if there is anybody deluded enough to disagree with me while bound by the accepted laws of physics and common understanding that Harry Potter is not real consider this; in about three weeks time Usain Bolt will attempt to cement himself as the face of the 2012 Olympics by winning the blue ribbon one hundred meters final. I do not have a chance of beating him in the race!
There will undoubtedly be a pedant somewhere that will wish to challenge me on that one, siting that Bolt could be injured, a handicap system could be put in play or he could be disqualified. Absolute rubbish! Although the spectacle of Price versus Bolt will amuse those that know me it is not going to happen in the one hundred meters at London 2012. The important point here is whether or not it is possible not my relative ability against Bolt.
The mentioned scenario is impossible because of the restrictive nature of the deliverable. Beating Usain Bolt over one hundred meters is highly unlikely whoever you are, however Yohan Blake did beat Bolt in the Jamaican trials last week, therefore beating Bolt is not the issue in isolation. The issue is the race itself which is a final and follows two semi-finals, four quarter-finals, heats and pre-heat qualifying. It is restricted to three competitors from each country who have achieved a preordained qualification time of 10.24. Qualifying closed on the 8th of July. Forget that at the last recorded attempt back in 1984 I recorded 14.5 seconds for the hundred meters and certainly have not improved since then; forget I would have to beat all but seven other competitors to get into the final, forget there are at least three Britons more eligible than me. The simple fact is that I did not enter and I do not qualify for the race. If however Usain wants to take me on somewhere else at a different time I am open to offers, the handicap, injury and a multitude of other factors make my victory possible if somewhat improbable.
In stating the mind numbingly obvious that I will not be beating Usain in London 2012 I bring your attention to a common failing of business strategy; the failure to set realistic objectives. Whether it be a measurable achievement, the time period and budget in which to achieve it or a combination of these many business strategies are doomed to failure at outset because of a lack of realism. With the best people, an appropriate budget, common vision, achievable time frame and strong leadership business change and improvement can be massive. Failure to put any of these elements in place will compromise any goal. A common error I often come up against is that businesses put a relatively large budget in play to compensate for inadequacy in the other areas. Weak leadership is the most common source of failure and usually manifests itself in an inability to compromise. It is the first days of the project when the terms of reference are being drawn up that will dictate how the project is run and by definition its chances of success.
I welcome a vision that is ambitious, "number one in every market", why not! However if any of the elements are unrealistic they must be challenged at the outset. Strategies are implemented by hitting a series of milestones on time and on budget, significant failure to hit these milestones will accrue and accumulate until the whole project is in danger, the staff will doubt feasibility of the objective, become demotivated or potentially leave. Project sponsors will blame everybody for the failure with the exception of themselves.
Therefore, if you want to be "number one in every market", show me the plan with ambitious but ultimately achievable objectives. I will ask, Over what time? By what measure? Define "Every Market". Who is delivering this? Are they qualified? What is the budget? How is it being spent? What is Plan B? A thorough tyre kicking exercise is warranted before any major strategy or project is implemented.
Finally in the absence of my participation at London 2012 I will attempt to run 30 meters in 9.5 seconds while Usain runs 100m. I will start just outside my front door and run down the street while Usain blasts out of the blocks in the Olympic stadium. If I finish first I will have achieved my objective!!
Huw
July 2012
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