Category Archives: Management

#249 Will the real bottleneck please step forward?

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Here is a hypothesis that I want you to test. In your workplace (as in every workplace), you have goals to meet, and some goals are met and others are not met. Some processes work well and others don’t. Some systems work flawlessly, others break down at unexpected and inconvenient moments.

Your real bottleneck is not your processes, systems, shortage of money, or shortage of resources. It is more than likely an individual.

I define a bottleneck as someone who is content with the status quo, finds it hard to change, has no creativity, no interest in developing themselves, cannot take a broader perspective, has no depth, does not stay current with best practices, creates more obstacles than he or she removes, and generally is more negative than positive in their outlook.

Before you look around for bottlenecks, look in the mirror to double check if you are a bottleneck. Better stop being a bottleneck before you point out other bottlenecks in your workplace.

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#248 Ready for change

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When you walk into a situation at work, you can often see what is broken, the bad behaviors, the missing processes. Since you have been hired to fix the problem, you roll up your sleeves and are eager to get started.

Your training has taught you to identify the root causes with razor sharp precision. You can describe the as-is and to-be, design the business architecture, and show how the dots connect.

There remains one small problem: while everyone will agree with your analysis, no one seems to care. When you propose an action or a project, that sound you hear is either everyone taking a step backwards or the door slamming as your stakeholder leaves the room in a huff.

If you want to execute on your plan, you need to start with trust and credibility. Ask the question, “Where does it itch and how can I scratch it?” Not literally, but if you know what their pain points are, you can pick an easy or early win and deliver results. After you put a few points on the board, you will get permission to work on the bigger issues.

Getting that permission, and getting commitment are your key milestones when driving change.

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