Tag Archives: ever-changing environment

Bird Dogging Strategy

Posted on by
Reply

hunting dog -man hunter and curly coated retriever isolated on white backgroundWhen I was growing up, my dad always had a bird dog. When the dogs were little, Dad would work with them, fine-tuning their natural instincts until all he had to do was send them off in the right direction and let them follow their sense of sight, smell, their inner compass and quick reflexes to flush out the best opportunities (which in this case was probably a covey of quail).

Oh, if organizations could be so nimble when it comes to strategy. Well actually, they can be, but most aren’t. Somehow, far too many organizations have connected strategy with such rigidly quantifiable plans that they rarely consider, much less capitalize on, unexpected opportunities that maybe rustling around in the grass right next to them. Think about it . . . is it really realistic to know, in specific detail, what you should be doing three years down the road?

Let me be clear, I think a solid strategy is critical for organizational success, however I believe a strategic framework that provides direction, rather than a highly detailed strategic plan that dictates specific action, is much more conducive to optimizing impact in an ever-changing environment. What exactly does that mean? For example, a strategic framework might reflect the goal of collaborating with another organization or organizations related to integrated health, or developing new community-based programming, or geographic expansion, or revenue growth. All of these provide a direction, and you can measure whether you accomplished these things, but they also encourage on-going scanning of the environment regarding the best opportunities in these strategic directions.

I’m not alone in my skepticism related to “traditional” strategic planning. In his article “The Big Lie of Strategic Planning” (Harvard Business Review, Jan-Feb 2014), Roger Martin contends that developing a detailed plan maybe a great way to cope with fear of the unknown, but it’s a terrible way to make strategy. Discomfort and the unknown, and I would add nimbleness and instinct are part of the strategic process. In other words, sometimes on the journey to an intended goal, you end up following an entirely different path than you might have intended . . . and you’ll only find that path if you have the flexibility to follow an unexpected trail or two along the way.

Which brings me back to Dad’s bird dog. As the “governing body” of the enterprise, Dad made sure the dog didn’t get too far afield, but he also encouraged the pup to sniff out possibilities before focusing in on point. The process wasn’t always neat and tidy, but it certainly was effective . . .

… Maybe more of us should consider bird-dogging strategy.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Posted on by
Reply

Changes Sign

I shake my head a bit when I hear leaders discussing, at times almost frantically, the unprecedented change our industry is being faced with, and how it is jeopardizing the well-being of those they serve.  I shake my head not because the topic is not important — it is — but because we have been having the same basic discussion for virtually my entire professional career and yet we continue to appear blindsided by it.

Over the years the specific topics and buzzwords have changed, but the plot line of  “THEY” (referral/funding sources, oversight bodies, customers, legislators . . .) have  (changed the rules of engagement, made a short-sighted decision that will never work, dismantled a critical safety net . . .) and now (those we serve are going to pay the price, our organization’s survival is threatened, our industry is fundamentally altered . . .) has remained the same.

Change is a constant. Do we always like it? Of course not. Does it make our life more difficult? Often times it does, at least in the short term. But if we know it is going to happen, why not prepare for it rather than be caught off guard and then have to scramble at the last minute? Peter Goldberg, former President/CEO of the Alliance for Children and Families used to talk about the need to “look around two corners.” Is it always clear what we are going to encounter down the road? No . . . but there are usually plenty of clues as to what is coming if we’re paying attention.  It’s sort of like those “overnight successes” who have been working at it for 20 years. There are usually lots of indicators of impending change if we keep our eyes open and look for them.

Of course, seeing the need for change and actually pulling it off can be two very different things. The status quo is easier. It is less stressful when you know the rules and have a clear path to follow.  Many staff will push back against change, especially during the gray stages of change when the details haven’t been worked out — in most cases not because they want to be difficult, but because they are committed to doing a good job, and they don’t know how to do that with a moving target.

So how do you maintain organizational stability and still lead strategically in an ever-changing environment? From my perspective, you build the foundation on what doesn’t change — your mission/vision/values, in our case our SMaC Recipe, and our strategic framework. These things anchor our staff and guide their actions.  With that solid foundation in place, you make change related to all the other stuff the norm. In our organization, things are changing all the time — whether as a result of a performance improvement initiative, because of trends we see coming down the pike, or in response to feedback from those who turn to us for care. When you do something on a regular basis, it becomes less scary and sooner or later actually becomes part of the organizational culture.

Perspective makes all the difference in the world. Our staff knows they will make it through the ambiguity that comes with change because they’ve done it . . . a lot. There is a level of confidence that, even if we don’t know all the answers today, we’ll figure it out.  And that confidence allows us (most of the time) to ride the wave of change rather than having it crash down on top of us.

Change it here to stay. Embrace it, and you can be too!