There is an old saying that what you measure is what you get. The problem is that what you’ve got isn’t always what you measure. In other words, there might be things falling below the radar simply because you aren’t measuring them. There is a simple example of this in the book Jurassic Park. The island …
Read more “Don’t get fooled by rigor and precision – they might be masking reality”
I recently read a quote from Jeff Bezos where he said that when anecdotal data and quantitative data don’t match, usually the quantitative is wrong. I thought that was interesting. However, it’s an issue that many of us deal with on a regular basis. It’s hard to trust cold impersonal numbers when what you see with your …
Read more “Help! My metrics/data don’t match my observations and experiences! Now what?”
The other day while walking my dog I noticed a mailbox leaning toward the street. As I continued the walk, I suddenly became aware that about 1/3 of the mailboxes on our route were leaning. We’ve lived in our house for nearly twenty years. I’m pretty sure that when we moved in, most mailboxes stood straight …
Read more “Leaning mailboxes and the erosion of expectations”
According to LinkedIn, I am celebrating the 11th anniversary of starting Kolar Associates/Avail Advisors. I know this because I am suddenly getting “congratulations on your work anniversary” messages from people who never talk to me the rest of the year! However, it’s nice to be reminded as time has a way of sneaking up on …
In my last post, I talked about using the “What, Why, But, And” approach for telling your story simply and effectively. However, sometimes you are doing more than telling a story. Sometimes you are making a recommendation. Just as people often over-explain their story, sometimes we over-explain the recommendation as well. Your goal should be …
Do you like getting status updates? I’ve met few people who do. They tend to be long drawn out presentations that are heavy on data but light on insight and action. Well, guess what? Your boss and clients don’t like them either. The problem is that most people over-explain. Your audience doesn’t need every detail. …
Read more “Telling your story simply, quickly, and effectively”
Giving feedback is a lot like playing darts. The best way to win is to have a sharp point, pitch it at the right angle, and have it stick. Keeping your point sharp Darts become dull when used over and over again. So does feedback. Saying the same thing repeatedly doesn’t reinforce your point, it …
Read more “What playing darts can teach you about giving feedback”
Good goals are helpful. They provide focus for teams and create line of sight between an individual’s work and the broader success of the business. However, while everyone in an organization might be working toward the same goal, each person should have his or her own unique goal. A problem that I see in many …
Read more “Are your goals empowering or suffocating your team?”
Here’s a challenge. You have to get your organization to work in new ways but your workforce is well versed and even committed to the old ways. Sound familiar? Many leaders are finding themselves in this position. They have a vision but can’t seem to get it executed. Certainly, sometimes the issue is the leader. …