Don't Doom Your Initiative With This Word!

This Word Dooms Change Initiatives

If I told you, "You should know better," does it mean you do?

If I told you, "You should do it the right way," does that mean you can?

If I told you, "We should eliminate the word "should" from the English language," do you think it will happen? 

How many times have you sat in a meeting and heard someone in a leadership position make a "should" statement because they're not happy with the way things are going and they want to initiate changes? They say things like, "That shouldn't happen! We should change this!" Did you notice a lot of heads nodding in agreement? Probably. 

How many times have you seen changes that "should" happen actually become real?

"Should" Misrepresents Reality About What People "Know"

We all have different experiences which have shaped how we think and how we perceive what is going on around us. What seems like common sense to one person is foreign to another. Thinking or, even worse, saying someone else should know something you think you know implies they are perceiving and thinking exactly the same way you are. The guy on the island in the cartoon, below, will think the guy in the boat is an idiot for being so happy to have found land...and vice versa. The problem: At this moment, neither has any perspective on the other's situation.

Source: http://spiritualartwork.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/its-all-about-perspective-humor/

"Should" Assumes The Right Way Is Your Way

Sometimes you realize success. This often translates later into a perception you have achieved some level of expertise as it pertains to that succcess. The problem is, everything changes and you don't always get the results you want when you try the same things in different situations. Saying someone "should" do things the right way, implies the conditions present during past successes exist in the current situation. 

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. --Albert Einstein

"Should" also implies the criteria for success is the same for everyone. The difference between the behaviors you would have expected to observe after reading the article referenced on the cover page of the issue of People Magazine when it was published some years back and Miley Cyrus' current version of "The Right Way," I suspect, is miles-wide. Is Miley wrong? Was Billy Ray Cyrus wrong? Who is right? Who knows? I'm only a human being and therefore not qualified to judge. The purpose here is only to illustrate that one person's version of "The Right Way," the way one "should" behave is, almost invariably, different from anyone else's. It doesn't matter if it "should" be that way, or not. It is that way.

"The right way" 😆😆 pic.twitter.com/b0T2D2BDX2
— Danielle (@Dee_Dee_89) November 27, 2013

"Should" Makes It Optional

If you want to change conditions in your situation, you must "Do" what it takes to make it happen. Change must be led. You must provide, purpose, direction and the appropriate behavioral drivers to accomplish the change you want. Otherwise:

• No one will understand why they need to contribute to the effort.
• No one will understand what they need to do to contribute, or when to do it.
• No criteria for success is communicated and understood. There is nothing to work toward.
• It is an option. Why? It's not a direction. If you're lucky, one person might do something different. Keep hoping for that and that the "something different" is what you had in mind, sport!

Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use. - Wendell Johnson
— Inspiring Quotes (@ThisInspiresUs) November 27, 2013

How To See The Changes You Want Actually Happen

Do you want things to change? Of course you do.  So Stop, Think, Communicate, Plan, Execute, Monitor, Adapt.

• STOP- Don't react and make a "should" statement. It will be meaningless and impotent. Stop. Don't speak yet.
• THINK- Why do you want it? What value will the effort create if it is successful? What do you want? Define your vision. Set clear standards for the results you seek. Take the time to understand what it will really take to cure your pain. Who needs to be involved? What resources are required? Think! Think about whether you are willing to do what it takes to lead the change you seek. If not, don't say another word about it to anyone until you are. You will have more opportunities to think about it, I promise. Why? Because until you commit to leading the change, it won't...even if it "should".
   
• COMMUNICATE- If you believe you are willing, clearly communicate your vision and purpose to the people who can help you plan and execute. Be ready to listen. Be open to changing your vision to something you hear that might make it better.
• PLAN- Identify the things people will (notice the absence of the word "should" there?) do to make it happen. Focus on whether the actions will contribute to your vision. If they do, add them to the plan. If they won't, don't. Task organize (who, what when, where & how).
  
  Communicate, Listen, Listen, Listen. Adjust the plan based on feedback that will improve it's probability of success.
• EXECUTE- You've set the criteria and the conditions for success. Make it happen. Did you notice it yet? You're leading.
• MONITOR- Your people are making it happen with zero "shoulds" and a whole bunch of "will". Pay attention to what's happening. Compare reality to the plan. Are you getting what you want (time, effort, results)? If so, make sure you're handing out high-fives and belly bumps like they're hard candy at an Independence Day parade! They deserve the recognition.
• ADAPT- If you're not getting what you want, Stop & Think! Yes, that's right, you have to go back and change the plan. It's not good enough...even if it "should" be. Then you need to lead the change...again...again...again. 

Julie SHOULD run a brush through

her hair when she gets out of the

wind or it will be tangled. She might.

The word "should" will probably not be removed from the English language. You, however, can lead yourself to change how you misuse it. STOP. THINK of the value such a change could create if you were successful!  

Food for thought: Here is a test to illustrate why "should" is a word to avoid whenever possible: 

Go to http://www.visualthesaurus.com/ and look up "Should". What do you get? Is it what you "Should" get? Interesting, isn't it?  

The Visual Thesaurus is a great tool! I use it all the time to help me understand the relationship between words...especially words that represent values. The words we use are important, they shape the way we think, the way we listen, the way we respond and react to what we hear. What do you hear when the word "should" is used? What did you get when you ran the test on "should" with the Visual Thesaurus? The way I would answer both questions is, "Something else". You don't get what you think you "should," you get "something else".

Disclaimer: I am a human being. I have used "should" inappropriately many times. If you look, I'm sure you will find evidence. It's not important. This is important: I am constantly trying to change and improve. I not only should but will keep trying.

Are you a human being too?

"Should" is for Talkers! pic.twitter.com/rJW4lmjwjb
— Tom Eakin (@goBoomLife) January 24, 2014

Do you want to see changes in your organization? What do you WANT? Do you KNOW what to DO to get it? Will you BE a Leader?

THE GPS THEORY MODEL

BoomLife provides personal, professional, and organizational success engineering services. Our Values-Based, practical, GPS Theory processes will help you:

• Recruit & Select Inspired Employees
• Evaluate Performance- Inspired, Motivated or Coerced?
• Measure Engagement & Create Improvement Strategies
• Develop people who are inspired to be GREAT at their jobs!
• Develop the Organizational Structure to Ensure Core Values Translate Throughout Your Business Processes.

Sign-Up for BoomLife's Newsletter to stay informed of updates, events and news about GPS Theory!

Try our GPS Theory App- www.goboomlife.com

Need an Inspirational Speaker for Your Next Event? 
Tom Eakin's presentation of "What Do You Want?" is designed to challenge the way you define success and inspire you to engineer your own personal, professional or organizational path to success. tom@goboomlife.com

GET WHAT YOU WANT! 

Getting what you want and being the person you want to be can seem complicated and confusing! Together, we'll define what you want, what it takes to get it and help you realize the kind of success you never been able to achieve before! Sign up for personal one-on-one coaching. You can sign up for a program or a single-session. It's up to you!:

• 90-Day Success Engineering Program
• Personal Success Engineering Session

How to Ruin an Organization While You Keep Making Money

How to Ruin an Organization While You Keep Making Money

The Situation- Doing Things Versus Doing Enough

I once worked with a CEO who tried to convince everyone he cared about creating a great culture. I believe he even thought he was doing what it takes. The problem came from what really drove his decisions and his behaviors.

The company was full of great people. The business had grown over the years to the point where relying on people to figure out what to do was no longer efficient. Departmental barriers started to form based on what key individuals wanted to do instead of the business processes that created the products and services. Gaping holes were left open and waste was created in the form of re-work and "extra" inventory which kept piling up. The great people started pointing fingers at each other.

It was an opportunity to put systems in place that would ensure safety, quality and efficiency were maintained as the company scaled. The CEO stuck to what he knew, the numbers. He made decisions primarily based on revenue and profitability. The conflicts got worse as frustration levels increased with each recurrence of waste-creating incidents. Meanwhile, the CEO kept his head down, crunched the numbers, made decisions based on what the financial statements were telling him and celebrated the company's success at being profitable. A few times a year, he held company events: golf outings, holiday dinners, barbeques. He was going through the motions. He believed he was "Doing" the right things. Meanwhile, people who'd worked closely together for years, people who'd once been the best of friends inside and outside of work, stopped talking to each other altogether. Hourly employees were consistently expected to work 60-hours a week. Everyone was getting burned out. The things the CEO was doing to create the culture he said he wanted weren't wrong, they were just not enough. 

The Company was Making Money. Isn't That Success?

People join organizations as employees or volunteers for one reason: The believe they will realize a net-positive value from the relationship. The form, or combination of forms, the net-positive value is made-up of is different for everyone. From the CEO's point of view, the view from the financial statements, the company was making profits, employees were getting paid a lot of overtime money. He perceived the net-positive value was being satisfied for the employees because of the financial results. Leading an organization with the financial statements as the highest priority for making decision-making is like using the speedometer as the only means to control a car. 

A car can only travel so far with the needle pegged before it runs out of gas or the driver loses control. 

What happens to the car happens to the passengers. What happens to the organization happens to the people.

Sooner, or later, resources reach their limit and things just stop working. Or, the situation changes in such a way that damage is done. The severity of the damage depends on the conditions present in the situation. It's easier for employees to exit the organization than a speeding car, so when some of them realized they were not realizing a net-positive value, some great people left.  As new employees came and went, safety incidents increased, more quality defects created more rework, profits tapered off. 

The company needed a leader more than anything, someone who knew where they wanted to go and were willing to control the speed based on what was going on all around them. The company had a person who was willing let the speedometer control their behavior. 

Organizational Values- More Than Just Financial Transactions

When people join an organization expecting a net-positive value it's not just because of the money. Let's think about this: if everyone viewed money as the only measure of achieving a net-positive value, we'd never see any organizations form. Everyone involved couldn't realize a net-positive value because one party would always give up something. The very best-case scenario would be a net-neutral result where everyone comes out even. There would be no incentive to join, or remain in, such a situation. 

As a Success Engineer, it's frustrating to be in a situation where the person who ultimately leads the organization is unwilling to do what it takes to create the culture they say they want. It makes me sad to think about those great people and how their situation changed for the want of a leader. I wish I could tell you a story about how I was able to help them do great things. I'd prefer to tell you the truth. Yes, I was there. Yes, I got out of the car. I chose to end the

Image Source:
http://www.alfredrocks.com

business relationship. I want to help people achieve Life-Long Success, I couldn't accomplish what I wanted so there was no incentive to remain. The net result was neutral, at best. We can't always get what we want and be the person we want to be. We have to choose sometimes. I chose the latter. I'm certain the business will remain financially salient for some time...their CEO is a smart and capable man. The culture has been severely compromised and until something changes it will continue to degrade. Only one person can lead that change.  

Set the Conditions for Organizational Success

The key to creating an organization that can provide a net-positive value for all stakeholders is creating a value proposition that represents a mutually beneficial relationship for the type of people who can reciprocate based on something they have to offer (leadership, skills, expertise, etc.).  

Organizational Success happens when:

• The Organization Knows What it Values
• Leaders promote Organizational Values
• Employees (including Leaders) align with Organizational Values
• Organizational Values are translated through the business processes that create value for Customers.
• The Organization Does What it Values
• Leaders exemplify Organizational Values
• Employees (including Leaders) live Organizational Values
• People, Processes, & Resources combine to create Products & Services that:
• Reflect Organizational Values 
• Create value for Customers

Only when the organization Knows What it Values & Does What it Values can it Be What it Values.

Are you a leader in an organization? What do you WANT? Do you KNOW what to DO to get it?

THE GPS THEORY MODEL

BoomLife provides personal, professional, and organizational success engineering services. Our Values-Based, practical, GPS Theory processes will help you:

• Recruit & Select Inspired Employees
• Evaluate Performance- Inspired, Motivated or Coerced?
• Measure Engagement & Create Improvement Strategies
• Develop people who are inspired to be GREAT at their jobs!
• Develop the Organizational Structure to Ensure Core Values Translate Throughout Your Business Processes.

Sign-Up for BoomLife's Newsletter to stay informed of updates, events and news about GPS Theory!

Try our GPS Theory App- www.goboomlife.com

Need an Inspirational Speaker for Your Next Event? 
Tom Eakin's presentation of "What Do You Want?" is designed to challenge the way you define success and inspire you to engineer your own personal, professional or organizational path to success. tom@goboomlife.com

GET WHAT YOU WANT! 

Getting what you want and being the person you want to be can seem complicated and confusing! Together, we'll define what you want, what it takes to get it and help you realize the kind of success you never been able to achieve before! Sign up for personal one-on-one coaching. You can sign up for a program or a single-session. It's up to you!:

• 90-Day Success Engineering Program
• Personal Success Engineering Session

Don't Hire People Who Can. Hire People Who Can and Will (Link to Article)

Don't Hire People Who Can. Hire People Who Can and Will

I wrote this article for www.speakoutsmallbusiness.com. It provides the secrets to finding people who will be the best fit for the position you're trying to fill and your organization. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE.

You may also be interested in reading this article  "How to Use GPS Theory to Hire Inspired Employees," right here on the BoomBlog!


ABOUT BOOMLIFE:

BoomLife provides personal, professional, and organizational success engineering services. Our Values-Based, practical processes will help you:

• Recruit Inspired Employees
• Evaluate Performance- Inspired, Motivated or Coerced?
• Measure Engagement & Create Improvement Strategies
• Develop the Organizational Structure to Ensure Core Values Translate Throughout Business Processes

Sign-Up for BoomLife's Newsletter to stay informed of updates, events and news about GPS Theory!

GET WHAT YOU WANT! 

Getting what you want and being the person you want to be can seem complicated and confusing! Together, we'll define what you want, what it takes to get it and help you realize the kind of success you never been able to achieve before! Sign up for personal one-on-one coaching. You can sign up for a program or a single-session. It's up to you!:

• 90-Day Success Engineering Program
• Personal Success Engineering Session

Try our GPS Theory App- www.goboomlife.com

Need an Inspirational Speaker for Your Next Event? 
Tom Eakin's presentation of "What Do You Want?" is designed to challenge the way you define success and inspire you to engineer your own personal, professional or organizational path to success. tom@goboomlife.com

GPS Theory for Business- Our Services and the Culture They Can Help You Create