Manage To Change

When Habits Collide

Sometimes it only takes one comment to stimulate your thinking. Phil provided that comment yesterday in response to When Brands Collide:

“You know, Internet service providers noticed the same thing. At first, they thought we would never change our e-mail address, so they thought we were trapped.” [Emphasis Added]

The premise of yesterday's post was that people are finding it easier to move from one product or service to another and they’re doing so more frequently.

A change that might have taken them years to make, now takes months or weeks.

Unfortunately, while consumers are finding it easier to change or replace products, many companies are finding it more difficult.

Rather than creating products, services and features their customer would value, they turn to “stickiness” with a flawed intent.

They believe they can trap customers on their platform.

That used to be true – but times have changed.

The only true stickiness is a phenomenal, accessible, and relevant product!

When Brands Collide

Months ago, a friend of mine was buying a smart phone for the first time. When he polled people about what to buy, it seemed that they had stayed with the products they’d first bought.

I’ve been no exception. Having started with a Blackberry, I was so anxious to get the Pearl that I moved from Verizon to Cingular to get it faster.

It appears to take a significant disappointment in your current product or a major breakthrough in a competitive one to inspire change.

I had access to my first PC at 18. I’ve worked on a PC ever since. Next month I’m getting a MacBook and I don’t expect to look back.

Vista was my significant disappointment.

Although I love my Pearl, I expect that I will soon be the proud owner of an iPhone.

I have an iPod Touch and I love it. As soon as I can rationalize the purchase of an iPhone, bye, bye, Blackberry.

My Blackberry has never disappointed me. It’s just getting out maneuvered.

What’s interesting is that switching products is becoming easier for me:

PC to Mac = 25 years

Verizon to Cingular = 10 years

Pearl to iPhone = 1 year (estimated)

Product developers should be worried.

Confessions of an Optimist

I have a problem.

I believe things take less time than they actually do. In my world, there’s always room for one more errand, phone call, deliverable...

When this problem makes me very busy, I don’t mind. I like being busy. It feels good to have a steady stream of things I need to do.

When my problem makes me late, I do mind.

I hate being late.

I hate keeping people waiting.

So I’ve decided to take a proactive approach. Whenever there’s an appointment on my schedule, I’m going to cut out the last two things I plan to do before that appointment and resolve to be early.

If I’m heading to a meeting I can bring work with me so that I can feel productive while I wait for the meeting to start.

I’ll tell you how it goes!

Status: It’s a slow start. I wrote this post as I was running out to meet someone. I was late.  I'll do better next time!

The cycle continues…

Taking Consensus Too Far

Seeking consensus can support change by increasing buy-in, communication, and active listening. 

But, consensus doesn’t mean 100% agreement of all those impacted by a decision. 

In practice, it often means that major stakeholders state their opinions, trade-offs are made, and a path is selected.  That path may be agreed upon by many of the participants, but not necessarily all of them.

When considered a substitute for decision-making (as opposed to a supplement), consensus can impede progress and reduce flexibility.

To make matters worse, consensus can be confused with communication.  People are included in the pursuit of consensus only to insure they’re “in the loop.”

In my experience, when trust, respect, and open communication exist within an organization, decisions can be made outside of committee. 

Life in the Intersection

Planning is important but it isn’t everything.

Planning has evolved.

As the rate of change around us continues to increase, improvisation (flexibility) is crucial. But even our improvisation requires some structure.

Success is determined by how we manage the intersection.

Success depends on knowing when to adjust the mix.

Of all the insightful graphics David Armano has produced, this one is my favorite!

I like to view this is a sliding scale where the circles move in either direction, causing the overlap to become larger or smaller, depending upon our goals.

What do you think?

The Art of Consulting

My clients often know what they need before I arrive.

So, why do they hire me?

Sometimes their knowledge is buried in the organization. The information exists at some level, but it hasn’t gotten to the right place or into the right form to inspire action. I help dig it out, refine it, and package it for decision making and execution.

Other times, decision makers feel they’re on the right track, but they’d like validation from an outside party. Is the organizational knowledge bubbling up (sideways, or down) accurate, current, and complete?

They could also be looking for a fresh perspective, one that isn’t tied to organizational practices or biases.

Consultants can also help fill resources gaps until someone is hired or peak demand subsides.

In whatever role I find myself, I’m almost always amazed at how smart organizations can be. I might help refine or target their ideas, but they already have a collective wisdom that is pretty spot on.

My job is to help the process along: communication and execution.

So maybe consultants are people who take the watch off your wrist and tell you the time, but I’m hoping we offer a little more than that!

Bonus: One of my favorite jokes about consultants. I considered naming this post "Give Me Back My Dog" but didn't think most people would get it.

Gender, Race, and the US Presidency

(Change: Being the first is always difficult.)

US voters don’t look at the president and believe his actions and behaviors represent the entire US white male population.

People can separate the president from the race or gender of which he is a member.

They just think of him as the president.

This doesn’t seem to be true for female or African American presidential candidates.

I wonder how many African American or female presidents it will take before we don’t even notice a candidate’s race or gender.

The Power of Inertia

Did you ever need to get something done (even something relatively simple) and have to go through an organizational gauntlet to get started? 

Next time, don't wait for permission. Just do it.

Stopping your progress will then require someone to act.

Odds are no one will.

To act requires taking a stand or voicing a position.

To act requires taking responsibility for stopping forward motion.

People generally don’t like to do that.

Instead of being frustrated by the inertia in your organization, find a way to get it to work for you.

(Re-edited and reposted from March 27, 2006)

Paying Attention

Technology is not good or bad. It has no morality.

Technology creates capability and convenience.

It makes it easier for people to do what they do and to be who they are.

It doesn’t teach us moderation or responsibility.

We have to learn that on our own.

While we become more easily connected to others, we also become increasingly susceptible to ignoring the people right in front of us.

At the same time we enjoy the convenience of a quick call, we also risk ignoring the car that just stopped short for no apparent reason.

Technology is not responsible for these actions.

It's not selective.

But, we can be - if we think about what we’re doing.

Is there someone or something in front of me that should have my complete attention - right now?

Is this call, IM, or email more important than they are?

Am I creating a hazard?

Ironically, technology can make us both more connected and more disconnected - at the very same time - if we're not paying attention.

Great Expectations?

We all hear what we expect to hear.

We have discussions with our colleagues and perceive them as always saying the same things.

Maybe we’re always hearing the same things.

Maybe we need to listen to someone else’s interpretation of the conversation -

Someone who doesn’t expect to hear what we think we’re hearing.