Roger Hitchcock's Blog
Thinking (and writing) and doing…Archive for September 4, 2009
Wheels within wheels: Why What and How
Wheels within Wheels
Designing a Business (or Life) that works!
Every business works according to it’s own unique set of cycles. Like a well designed and efficient machine with numerous cogs, chains and wheels that twist and turn at their own rates, so a business has cycles that turn on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis.
Every design has a purpose, a why that drives the design process. The first question for a designer to answer is “Why do I need to do what I want to do?” Purpose drives everything else. A significant reason must be found. A significant reason is one that can mobilise the energy, focus and motivation necessary to complete the task.
- Secondly, any machine is designed around a given or set outcome that needs to be achieved. “What do I want my machine to do to accomplish the purpose identified above?” The designer sets out with this outcome in mind. No-one, in their right mind, simply goes about putting together various bits of machinery in the hope that whatever is created will do whatever it is hoped it will do. The outcome determines the design process.
- The technical specifications of the machine are identified by answering the question, “How will I do this?” This narrows down the number of necessary pieces of machinery, the cogs, chains and wheels that are put in place.
In the same way the place to start when designing a business is with a significant purpose or reason. Significant in it’s ability to unlock the energy, focus and motivation necessary to drive the design and ongoing running of the business. Every business must have a “WHY” to drive the WHAT and the HOW.
- The identifying of a reason will relate to some “ultimate things”. These cut to the core of our being – values, attitudes and beliefs. As has been said, “no-one, on their death bed, wishes they had spent more time at work!”
- These ultimate things will drive the outcome that a business must achieve. It is back from this outcome that we need to work in designing the business cycles of our business.
- The daily, weekly, monthly and annual business cycles, the responsibilities of ourselves and our support team and the sustainability of our business will be built around and towards this outcome.
Start to think about these 3 things:
- Purpose (why you are doing what you are doing – ultimate things)
- Outcomes (what you want to achieve through what you are doing)
- Cycles (how you accomplish these things on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis)
Keep these things in the back of your mind. Write down any insights as they come to you. Begin to review these on a regular basis.
Strategy is key to everything we do – we caannot look at the NOW without also dreaming abourt the NOT YET… we DO STRATEGY at www.corporateinitiatives.co.za
Starting backwards…sdrawkcab gnitratS
Where are you going??
Designing a Business (or Life) that WORKS!
All of us have drawn maps at one time or another. Most of us have also run out of space when doing this. We start from where we are draw in a few of the closer streets with the appropriate arrows and directions – gradually we work ourselves into a corner and end up completing the last 75% of the map on 10% of the paper available.
What is the problem?
We are starting from where we are not from where we want to be.
Next time try drawing a map backwards – start where you want to end up and work your way to where you are.
Let’s look at life. How tragic to work our way through life and find ourselves “running out of available paper”! We could end up trying to live 75% of what we want to achieve in the last 10% of our lives!
What is the answer?
Start backwards!
A cartographer (map-maker) uses a number of different instruments to observe the area to be mapped, measure it accurately and ensure that the final representation is true. Much time, effort, energy, blood, sweat and tears are spent during this process. Imagine the dedication of the early cartographers, hacking their way through uncharted territory, recording everything and finally producing a map – that others have faithfully used to follow.
Even today when we travel on well signposted roads we take along a map or we use a GPS. This map or GPS is our security – we continually check our progress according to it. It makes us feel safe. We are much more willing to explore new places and see the sights along the way if we have a map, something to go back to, to see where we’ve got to and to get back on track. A map liberates us to enjoy our travels because we do not have to continually worry about where we are.
What about your life? Do you have a map? Are you starting from where you are and running the risk of “running out of paper”? Do you continually worry about how far you’ve got? Do you have something to measure yourself against? Have you started your map backwards – from where you want to ultimately be?
Think about these things:
- Destination (where do you want to be)
- Journey (what milestones do you need to see to assess your progress)
- Exploration (what new things do you want to experience en-route)
Part of what I do is STRATEGIC PLANNING (Personal and Corporate) – take a look at www.corporateinitiatives.co.za for more information on the interventions we can offer Groups of Decsion Makers and Strategic Planners…
Hello world!
Welcome and thank yopu for visiting (I am humbled).
Eventually, I got to doing this blog thing…
Its new to me – I think I can figure out my way around… to use it effectively and express myself as fully as possible – that is my aim and objective…
I have put a fair amount “of myself” into the “What am I on about…” section… I aim to unpack some of these principles more practically as I blog…
Please comment and suggest…
