| > | | | | incorrect assumption is made, actions usually become |
| Organizations often have bad thinking habits that | | | | inappropriate for the real situation. This is like following |
| create problems when buffeted by irresistible forces. | | | | a road map that is inaccurately drawn so that you end |
| Identifying those bad habits is the beginning of | | | | up driving to the wrong destination, and only discover |
| overcoming them. Be particularly concerned about | | | | your error when you arrive at the wrong place. |
| being directionless, employing wishful thinking, and | | | | Computer makers for many years believed that the |
| becoming helpless to respond. | | | | profits would always be in selling the hardware. As a |
| Stalled thinking delays exponential growth. Let's look at | | | | result, they would not make their software available to |
| three stalls that you need to avoid. | | | | those who purchased other hardware. They waited |
| "Where Are We Going and How Do We Get There?" | | | | for the world to beat a path to their door, and the |
| -- The Directionless Stall | | | | world went elsewhere. |
| Many organizations have been drifting in the same | | | | Apple Computer is a good example. The company |
| direction they have always been going, and find | | | | had an operating system for its Mac products that |
| themselves lost when an irresistible force suddenly | | | | was years ahead of what Microsoft had available. |
| pushes them at high speed toward a new destination. | | | | Apple chose not to adapt this software to make it |
| By not knowing whether they want to go to that new | | | | available to those with IBM personal computers and |
| destination, they leave themselves open to inaction and | | | | their clones. Based on the recent stock market values |
| indecision. | | | | of Microsoft and Apple, this was a costly error costing |
| Borders' slow commitment to on-line commerce | | | | Apple shareholders hundreds of billions of dollars. |
| shows that problem. The company had been trailing | | | | "What Do We Do Now?" -- The Helplessness Stall |
| Barnes and Noble in large retail book and audio stores, | | | | When the familiar and predictable environment |
| which kept its management very occupied with | | | | becomes hostile and unfamiliar, those responsible for |
| opening new stores and adding financial resources. | | | | an enterprise's progress often feel unable to regain |
| Published reports suggest that Borders' management | | | | control. They become hamstrung as a result of feeling |
| was unsure whether to add on-line commerce as a | | | | overwhelmed by events. |
| business or not. | | | | An auto parts supplier grew mightily during the |
| Borders waited until both Amazon's and Barnes and | | | | automobile boom leading up to the second oil shock, |
| Noble's Web sites were operating before opening its | | | | the one that almost destroyed Chrysler. When gas |
| Internet site. As the third player to the party, it | | | | prices soared and demand for cars plunged, |
| increased the likelihood that the cost of acquiring | | | | colleagues reported that the CEO spent day after day |
| customers would vastly exceed those of its two key | | | | sitting immobile at his desk, unable to make decisions. |
| competitors. | | | | Fortunately, colleagues seized the reins temporarily |
| "But That's Not the Way I Thought It Would Be!" -- The | | | | before it was too late and made the necessary |
| Wishful Thinking Stall | | | | adjustments to survive. In the meantime, millions of |
| Most enterprises act as if they can anticipate the | | | | dollars were lost unnecessarily. |
| future with a great deal of certainty. When an | | | | Copyright 2008 Donald W. |