Author: whatifconcepts

Empowering those that inspire so they can excel at the work that matters.

What Would You Order?

If you were given a chance to make a wish list order on behalf of a cause you support, what would you order?

Now, look at the organization’s strategic plan. Is there an overlap, or do your dream orders and the organization’s strategic priorities travel opposite directions?

This is a memorable icebreaker at the start of a board and staff meeting. It quickly assesses whether the strategic framework is a living document or a list of ungrounded ideas that float like a dirigible, circling the air space above without delivering the cargo.

Nothing

If I post no insights today, are you the reader and I the contributor, like passing aircraft in the sky? Each is headed on our own itinerary but missing the chance to share a ride report on what lies ahead. When do you choose nothing, and when do you choose to share something?

Greenland

Flying over Greenland and the name generates more questions than clarity. Which names make you ponder their genesis?

Projection

What vision do you project? Is the image a mirror of your reality or a dystopian facsimile? Building trust and authenticity often centers around the alignment of words and deeds.

Baggage Claim

When you build infrastructure and offices to deal with misplaced items, there is an understanding that the system has cracks. Commercial airlines staff baggage claim desks where one can report lost or damaged items. It is an assumption that checking a bag with an airline does not guarantee it will arrive at its final destination or drop onto the carousel in the same condition as it started the journey. The aviation industry has prepared us for acceptable loss.

What disruptions and loss have we built into our enterprises? What disappointments are our customers trained to endure?

Idyllic and Purpose

If you were asked to represent your cause’s utopian state and frame the representation, what image comes to mind? For some enterprises, it is an iconic headquarters building; others aspire to a level of impact, another group may highlight the people committed to the cause, and some might capture a signature program. Perhaps ask yourself if you can see yourself in the image. If we see a confluence point, we are doing the work that matters. If we cannot see ourselves in the projection of the future, our attempt to be of service may be misaligned.

We Are Watching

When hosting an event with twelve thousand skiers from multiple countries and endeavoring to enforce the rules, you might need to make the consequences visible; otherwise, some participants might think the regulations are optional. Remember, you protect an asset (scenery and natural setting) that makes the event remarkable.

Your Target

Is your team aligned with your preferred target? Even biathletes occasionally shoot at the wrong target, aiding their competitors and suffering the penalty for their own results.

Your Finish Line Might Differ

Competition provides a framework for scoring and usually consists of a start, middle, and finish. When we compete, we understand the expectations. If we assume an infinite mindset, we may advance a cause for a leg of the journey but ultimately not serve long enough to see the enterprise reach the finish line. In reality, the finish line is often stated in our cause’s vision. Finishing means fulfilling the vision and probably requires substantial course adjustments and/or the realignment of the organization. Staying in the race may be the most formidable work.

Useless Unless Checked

Your best tool left behind, no matter how integral, is valueless. Checklists matter and might change the outcome of your work. Atul Gawande’s Checklist Manifesto provides powerful insights into developing a culture that thrives under an agreed-upon protocol.

What-if-concepts

Empowering those who inspire so they excel at the work that matters.