Peter Drucker and Decision Making-part one

How many times have you been in meetings where decisions are made and yet when you look back, you find that absolutely nothing has been done?  I read a quote from the late Peter Drucker who noted several key points about the difference between decision making and action.  He noted that

1. doing the right thing even if not perfectly executed is far superior than to perfectly executing the wrong thing.
2. decisions need commitment to become action, without action no progress is made, and
3. a decision remains inert until resources are allocated for it’s implementation.

So, what sort of actions do you need to take to move forward decisions that you have made?  Take a moment to break down and write down what specific next action needs to be made to move your strategic priorities forward.  They can be at the organizational level or at the personal level ( for example, take 10 minutes each day to stretch and increase my flexibility.)

Chris

A Great Piece of Advice?

It’s that time of year when New Year resolutions get caught up in the everyday clutter of the “tyranny of the now”.  Last month,  I had the opportunity to talk with two gentlemen during my wife’s school’s December get-together. I was a “trailing spouse” and recognized two gentlemen with whom we’ve sat near each other at various school events.

These two gentlemen are very well regarded by their peers and by the senior leadership in their organization. After the usual pleasantries, I asked, “You’re both considered highly successful both personally and professionally. I’m certain people come to you for advice.  What’s a great piece of advice YOU have received that has helped you in your personal and professional lives?”

One answered quickly, “Write your summary of what you accomplished during your current tenure as soon as you start a new job.  You want to start with what you want to accomplish in your current role early on so that you maintain focus when the urgencies threaten to take over your priorities.  I keep mine beside my desk and refer to it weekly.  That discipline of weekly referral helps me as I shape my calendar and my priorities for the upcoming week.  I got this advice long ago from a mid-level manager who was great at developing talent on her team.”

The other answered, “That’s a great piece of advice.  I’m going to have to use that. Thanks.  Here’s a great piece of advice I received when I got my first management job-Don’t embarrass your mother.  It’s a variation on the theme of being comfortable of your actions, words, and behaviors being on the front page of the newspaper, but the idea of not embarrassing your mother makes it more real to me.  In this age of texts, emails, and voice mails being saved for a LONG time, I use this piece of advice as a little voice in the back of my head when dealing with thorny issues.  It’s served me well over the years.”

Two great pieces of advice. Now it’s YOUR turn.  What’s a great piece of advice that you have received?

I’m looking forward to reading your responses and learning from you.

All the best,

Chris