Place High Value On The Small Stuff - It's Key To Success

Small stuff needs to be celebrated. How often have you been to a meeting, been involved in a project, attended a convention or a gathering where things clicked – where it became apparent that there had been a great deal of planning and attention to detail – and the overall effect was terrific. The small stuff got the attention it needed to ensure success.

Think about kaizen – the Japanese philosophy of “continuous improvement.” It has had a huge positive impact on productivity and profitability – but it depends on a lot of what some would call “small stuff” for its success.

As a point of information, “small stuff” was originally a nautical term used to describe cordage – usually of less than an inch in diameter – the small stuff as opposed to the larger diameter rope used as standing and running rigging, and mooring and anchor and towing ropes. It didn't mean small stuff was unimportant – small diameter rope has a thousand critical and decorative uses aboard every boat and ship.

The problem with the term “small stuff” is that it sounds so dismissive, as if whatever has earned that description doesn't really matter. And the problem is that it does matter – a lot - and dismissing it can have a negative effect on outcomes.

Outside the nautical world, small stuff isn't that easy to define. One person's small stuff is big stuff to someone else.

I worked with a manufacturing firm – 1000 employees and about $100 million in annual sales - that was looking for savings from operations to help boost profit without capital investment. Project teams were established and tasked with finding real dollar savings within the operation – savings that could be sustained and would have a positive impact on the business. At the first status meeting to review progress, the teams were excited about providing feedback on their results. The first team presented its first finding – a reduction in cost of $25,000 that could be implemented quickly and with no capital investment. The CFO, who was new to the organization and its culture, made it very clear that he considered $25,000 “small stuff” - he was looking for the really “big dog” savings. The effect of his response was to take all the air out of the teams – the savings the teams had identified were all of a similar size, and after his reaction they backed away from presenting them. They didn't want to be embarrassed or dismissed for their lack of scale. In fact the teams had identified an aggregate of $500,000 in savings that could be achieved. quickly and with little out of pocket cost. While the CFO kept looking for the big dogs, the little dogs didn't get done.

Nobody likes being told that what they have accomplished is “small stuff.” Dismissive words or gestures that challenge the value and importance of work are extraordinarily destructive.

The CFO in this situation realized his mistake and adjusted his own approach to fit the culture he found himself in. He experienced a valuable lesson from his first reaction – a reaction of disappointment. But he recovered, inventoried his own beliefs, adapted to the beliefs of his new organization, and got back on track .

It took awhile, but the project teams recovered their commitment and pressed on and the cost savings actions were accomplished. They were a major contributor to the success of the business.

The CFO found out that successful organizations, like the one he was now with, have a number of shared beliefs that result in the commitment and engagement of their people. Here are four of the top beliefs:

1 - They believe all work being done is necessary and important to the success of the enterprise – there is no “small stuff” in the negative sense.
2 - They believe goals are the linkage that binds work together and aligns it with the important few objectives of the enterprise
3 - They believe clearly stated goals provide the direction needed for the most important work to be done first
4 - They believe goals provide the structure for people to know they are part of a worthy enterprise; that they are contributing to the enterprise; and that they can receive recognition through goal accomplishment.

To increase your own engagement and commitment, and that of the people you work with, take inventory of your own beliefs and behaviors and those of your organization. Compare them to the four beliefs listed. If you hear “small stuff” in your vocabulary or the vocabulary of others, make sure its used as a positive descriptor. Then celebrate and recognize those positive "small stuff" contributions. It may not seem like a big shift, but big shifts – of all kinds – come from the cumulative effect of small shifts – what some may call “small stuff.” That's how positive, effective, long lasting change occurs.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph & Fax: 602-795-4100; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved

The Hypocrisy of the Torture Policy

This post doesn't have much to do with Multiply Your Success, but I just had to write it.

I've just gotta get this off my chest. I've just gotta write my feelings about the current torture debate and another formerly high profile issue, and the hypocrisy I see between the administration's stand on the two.

Like so many others, I've been watching the development of the “torture” debate. I have my own feelings about what represents torture and when it's appropriate, but the position of the administration on torture versus its stand on late term abortion strikes me as so contradictory – so hypocritical.

On the one hand our leaders are telling us we must be true to our moral values and not use torture as a means of gaining intelligence and information that may be critical to our national security. And we are told there can be no exceptions to this policy. We are told there are better ways – or different ways to get that information – although what those ways may be remains a mystery. We are told that the use of torture cheapens our moral values and exposes us to disapproval throughout the rest of the world.

The administration has gone so far as to release highly classified documents that detail the debate and the techniques defined by the previous administration. They have released information that effectively “outs” some CIA operatives involved in the alleged torture – who were simply obeying orders. Wasn't the Valerie Plame affair about outing an agent? No outrage this time, since it is the current administration that did the outing – on TV. But I digress – an issue for another time.

And while this debate goes on an abortion doctor from Kansas, who donated to the campaign coffers of our new Secretary of Health and Human Services – continues to perform late term abortions for $5000 a life. Our President, by his silence, his legislative history and his selection for Secretary for HHS, condones this infanticide. Where is the concern for the coarsening of our moral values caused by the obscene use of late term abortion?

So let me get this straight. We should all be outraged over the aggressive interrogation techniques used to extract valuable intelligence and information from three enemies of our country – men who had a track record of doing harm to us. Interrogation techniques that were attended to by doctors and lawyers to see that the guidelines set after 9/11 were followed and the lives of the three were not threatened. Techniques that left the the three with no scars, impairments or long term effects.

But at the same time that we should be outraged and swear never to use these non fatal practices ever again, we should stand by and know that, for $5000, a viable fetus – a living child – can be destroyed by an abortion clinic doctor and his staff. And if the baby survives the barbarous methods of late term abortion used to extract it from its host – I can't bring myself to call the person who is having this procedure a mother - that sturdy little life is left to die. No lawyers or doctors or thoroughly vetted procedures attend to this little piece of life. And we shouldn't be affected by this practice – a practice being performed – not in some backward part of the world – but throughout this nation – this nation of laws and of deep concern for its moral values and the potential coarsening of those values?

Mr President – you've got your stands on these two issues backwards.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph & Fax: 602-795-4100; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved

Two Key Elements In Achieving Success

Peter Drucker and Jack Welch, two experts in anyone's list of experts, have identified many key elements leading to personal success. The following two are so fundamental and critical, but often get pushed aside in favor of the “silver bullet of the month” element. They bear repeating.

Drucker said there is nothing as worthless as doing well something that doesn't need to be done at all.

Jack and Suzy Welch, in their weekly “The Welchway” column in Business Week, advised a questioner seeking career advice – a self described introvert - to find and release his inner extrovert if he wanted greater success in a large organization. Relationships count, and being known and having your value known is a personal responsibility – so adapt.

What do the Peter Drucker statement and the Jack and Suzy Welch advice have in common? They deal with two key elements required to achieve success

Key Element One – You've got to be doing work that others see as valuable and it's up to you to advertise it's value.

And the valuing of the work starts with the person doing it. If they don't see its value, you can be sure others won't either. It's the difference between being “just the receptionist” and being “ the first person people meet when they come to my company.” It's the difference between being a “retail clerk” and an “expert on men's fashions.”

The burden of establishing the value of the work belongs to the person doing the work - they're the person most affected by the perception of the value of what they do. It's in their best interest to advertise and promote what they're doing as worthy and valuable to the enterprise. In many organizations, expecting that your work will speak for itself results in disappointment and frustration. When there are so many others speaking out for their work you gotta stand up for what you do.

Ask yourself - Can you, in thirty seconds, explain what you do and its value to your organization? Not being able to do that effectively creates the perception of low value. The story of the three bricklayers illustrates that point. The first, when asked what he does, said “ I lay brick.” The second said “I'm helping build a school.” The third said “I'm contributing to the building of a place where children in our community will learn – a special place.” Same job, same outcome, same pay - three very different pictures of value added. Which of the three would you rather have working for and with you?

A story about how to keep value and accomplishment a secret:

A good friend was in a new position promoting a new enterprise that was going to open its doors in about a year. Her job was to promote and develop interest and commitment in this new enterprise in its target market. She started from scratch, with very little to work with other than her knowledge and presentation and relationship skills. The results of her efforts would not really be apparent until the enterprise opened. She did an excellent job of promotion – outside her organization. Inside her organization – not so much. She was working independent of any direct supervision. She was advised to develop a regularly published report – weekly preferred, at the least monthly - to communicate her activities and accomplishments. She thought that was too much like self promotion, and, besides, she didn't like doing that kind of work. So her bosses really had only anecdotal information on which to judge her effectiveness. Had she put together a routine of reporting and creating a vision of what she was doing, she would have been seen as the highly effective, valuable and successful person she was. But no one was in a position to see her success. She was lucky she had a patient boss – and an excellent track record - many others aren't so lucky.

Key Element Two– Know who you are - your unique blend of skills, motivators and behaviors. Not just who you think you are, but how you are perceived by others. Then get to know your organization's expectations and culture. Then adapt to meet the needs of your organization - you must accept the responsibility of matching up with the requirements of the work and of the culture.

Sounds like a nobrainer. But many a can't - miss prospect, a big success in one situation, ends up not succeeding in what looks like a similar situation. The cause?

It starts with making the assumption that what worked at one place will work at another - that the motivators, values, behaviors and personal skills brought to the job match the requirements of the new enterprise. It's amazing how often they don't. It's also amazing how out of touch people can be with the reality of their personal skills, motivators and behaviors.

An example:
A manager whose experiences and values have resulted in her being very successful as a planner and preparer. She now works in a mid size company where speed to market is an absolute value. She insists that everything be planned and prepared so that chances of 100% success at implementation are as high as possible. No ready, fire aim for her. She's convinced of the rightness of her ways. Chances of success in that environment unless she adapts her values and behaviors – very low.

To put these two key success elements to work for you, take Drucker's observation to heart and make sure you do work valued by both you and your organization. And, of course, do it well. And take Jack and Suzy Welch's advice to heart and get to know the culture of the organization and how you fit in it and adapt to make sure your work is valued by others – self promotion is a valuable personal skill. It's an outcome of being convinced of the value of what you do, and, as the expert on what you do, you have the unique capability to share and create that value with others.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph: 602-795-4100; Fax: 602-795-4100; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved