Month: January 2024

Two Great Questions That Bring Clarity

Uncategorized / By

I am a big fan of “Getting Things Done” by David Allen. In a recent post (1/21/2024) David asked two great questions that bring clarity to most anything:

  1. What is the successful outcome? And,
  2. What is the next action to make it happen?

If you think about it, these two questions provide a framework for being more productive and successful.

What are the results you are looking for from:

  • The meeting?
  • The letter you are writing?
  • The way you are spending then next hour?
  • The project you are starting?
  • The service you are planning?

When you have clarity on the outcome, most things naturally fall into place.

Then, what is the next action you need to take to make it happen? This gets you moving in the right direction.

I encourage you to make these two questions a part of your planning process.

 

Organizational Control and Empowerment

Strategy / / By

All organizations must deal with the issues of Control and Empowerment. It is not one or the other, but the relationship and balance between them.

When organizations lean too far towards control, they stifle creativity and innovation. They also tend to disfranchise people on the fringe.

When organizations lean too far towards empowerment, they often lose central focus and mission. The organization tends to fragment and lose clarity.

It is the equilibrium between control and empowerment that provides the most results. The leadership controls the mission, culture, and values, while at the same time allowing great empowerment of their people to innovate and bring new ideas into the organization.

How is your organization doing at finding the right balance?