"Let me tell you a story." - a good beginning
Recently I had a conversation with a friend who worked as a business consultant. Our conversation eventually let to a story of a small company he had worked with through a change and quality improvement efforts.
The company was run by a father who wanted it done his way. The owner had a son who was interested in the effort but his passion was sales. He could sell anything.
The company had some quality issues with which my friend could give them a strategy to solve. It was straight out of a textbook.
However, the effort to change never succeeded. The owner could only see his way as the way to run the company. In other words his approach was purely intellectual. The son was emotional about the sales but not about running the business. There was no clear path on which to place various success milestones along to guide them.
This story confirmed for me the wisdom of the Heath brothers book Switch. In the book the rider ( intellectual ), the elephant ( emotion), and the path (mission) have to align. You must provide incentives on three path that aligns with your thinking and emotions.
My friend tried to connect those pieces for this business. It is my belief that, without knowing the company, ultimately the company will fail. It was not flexible to adapt to new ways.
Today's question is:
" In your change efforts do you align the path, the rider, and elephant?"
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