What do you desire?

If you don't start asking yourself this question today, will you ever?

Fixing "That Thing"

One of the largest problems in business is largely avoidable. 

It's caused by the friction of competing priorities and employees managing the risk of their businesses and the risk of their own careers. Opting to take the safe path limits their business to mediocrity, and they think ensures safety for their own careers (while generating mediocrity there as well).

At the end of the day you end up with a very mediocre business, filled with very mediocre people that feel secure.

Everyone can agree there's a better way to do things.

That process that's broken. That product that doesn't live up to anyone's expectations. That problem around employee retention. That other thing that everyone knows could be better.

It's easy to point to something and understand that things could be better.  It's much harder to actually make something better.

No one wants to give anything up.

It's so hard to actually make things work better because no one wants to give anything up. Those broken processes, which we all know are broken, are still processes and creating new ones is hard.

"What if the new and improved 'thing' isn't better after all? Someone will be upset, and they'll point the finger at me." 

So, often what we end up with is something that is less risky in the meantime, doesn't advance the business' goals, and keeps people 'tucked into the corners' in companies longer than is beneficial.

How to make a positive change.

1. Get data on things that don't work properly. How much time is spent? How much money is lost? What is the opportunity cost to continuing on the current path?

2. Propose new solutions. Consult with peers that also understand the risk of under-performance, subject matter experts, managers, and front-line employees.

3. Get/project data on new solutions. Having some forecasts/metrics up front about new solutions that you're proposing make people feel better about a change.

4. Get used to being measured and held accountable. It's likely that things are broken, because no one was actually held accountable in a meaningful way. Volunteering to be responsible will only put you in a positive light.

5. Evangelize success or progress. Offering updates on the new 'thing' will show that you're invested and have fully taken responsibility for effecting change.

What do you mean, you "didn't notice" until now?

Social media can turn your latest product short coming or service failure into a meme, parody Twitter account, or blog.

http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com

Charlene Li said in a HBR article in 2011 that: "In a world filled with real-time, tell-all social media, your ability to hide from your failures is, well, non-existent."

Even previously 'untouchable' brands aren't immune. Obviously by now everyone is aware how inaccurate the new maps function is on iOS6 - prompting a wave of new demand for 3rd party map apps.  It has also spawned a Tumblr site for hilarious (or frustrating) screen captures of off-the-mark locations.

So - the question is, when the locals "take up arms" how will you react? With so much connectivity (users to companies & users to users) there is no appetite for sweeping things under the rug. The act of trying to cover something up is worse than the original error.

Gary Vaynerchuk has said many times that the "consumer's bullsh!t radar" has never been better.  People know when you're not being upfront, honest, and when you don't care.

Perhaps that what makes the Domino's Pizza campaign from a few years ago so refreshing. A company coming out and saying "this thing we made sucks, and we're going to do better because you told us how bad it really was."

Even Apple's horrendous new maps app (and user's reaction to it) on iOS6 has generated an open letter of apology from Tim Cook.

But, I have to ask...

Do you mean to tell me that no one at Domino's knew they we're making terrible pizza? And, for so many years?! And, that some focus group really made people realize, "hey, this isn't as good as we keep saying?" 

And, Apple, one of - if not - the most innovative and smartest companies in the world didn't know that the 'new maps' was worse than the old maps? There wasn't one engineer, designer, marketer, or executive that said - "this just doesn't work right!"  I bet Steve Job's wouldn't have needed to write that same letter Tim Cook did.

Product and service quality should be everyone's responsibility - and everyone should be empowered (or required) to speak up when things don't look, feel, or work just-right. 

There are thousands of case-studies written on companies that stopped caring and doing things the right way, let someone else be the next one.

Apple Store Unavailable while iPhone 5 is Announced

First images released - live blog of event located here.

The World According to Amazon: Things Change

@Alexia covers Amazon and the evolution of reading.

Porsche Dealer Creates Instant (and Personalized) Direct Mail

Cheap? Probably not. Awesome? Hell yeah.

Pfaff Porsche, in Toronto, took a car, parked in front of prospective customer's homes and took a picture. Then they created a one-off direct mail piece and slipped it into recipients mailboxes.

And...even better - this campaign has metrics! 32% visited a website to book a test drive.

Avoiding risk and the danger of CYA

Seth Godin recently wrote a blog post entitled "A hierarchy of business to business needs" - it struck me immediately as completely true and I printed it out and stuck it to my cork board. If you'll notice, the list is in order of primary needs on down. 'Avoiding Risk' - is number one, 'Making a profit' is last. Frightening stuff.

Lets say, that this is true for only 50% of businesses (but, I think you'll agree that number is probably larger) this means that half of all people going to work everyday are first and foremost looking to minimize their risk - both of their organization and personal. Not make a better product. Not listen to customers. Not make a better work environment for their employees. But instead, minimizing risk.

This is just dripping with CYA. And, when you're busy covering your ass, and avoiding risk, you're missing opportunities.

Instead of finding something, you're avoiding something.