Strategic Questions

Being Empowered


Decoding and familiarizing yourself with a new place opens unseen paradigms. Our recent visit to Washington, DC reminded me of the importance of connecting with people and sharing your perspective. In meeting our local congressional staff and taking an amazing tour of the Capitol I regained an appreciation for the importance elected representation. It was a reminder that I have too have served as a guardian for the public’s trust on numerous occasions. I like to believe I have taken the assignments seriously and been effective in sharing my talents. What was enlightening to me was the fact that I rarely received input from the ‘public’ whose trust I was representing. Occasionally, the organization I was serving would stir-up some controversy and constituents would demand action. But mostly it took a focus group, specific invitation, or directed question to encourage feedback.

In the book Tribes Seth Godin reminds us of the importance of connecting with people, keeping it simple, encouraging members of the tribe to connect with each other. So I emailed my Senator with feedback on a piece of pending legislation becoming a more active member of the tribe.

How are your encouraging feedback from your donors, members, volunteers, clients, community?

Headlines & Outliers

I really enjoyed reading Malcom Gladwell’s book Outliers and have commented on it previously. One of Malcom’s thesis relates to our birth date, talents, and the confluence of events that take place during our lifetime.

With so much taking place in the world right now, I wonder who is positioned to influence our direction? Which economist, lawmaker, financial mind, business leader, activist is prepared to lead during such a dramatic recession? What ‘wise captain of industry’ is making a fortune? What product is being revolutionized?

Who will influence Iran during what appears to be a potential tipping point?

How will the United States react if missiles are fired at Hawaii by an apparently hostile North Korea? Who will rise to the top with an initiative to shape a nation’s reaction? Will it be hostile or peaceful?

So many questions from the front page of the news. Think of the million of other initiatives and influences taking place today.

What opportunities are presenting themselves to you during this moment in time?

To Plan?

Many businesses and nonprofit organizations that I communicate with have decided to put any long-range or strategic planning on hold. Most often the economics of hiring a consultant are given as the main reason. Some clients are moving in-house by using a self-facilitated process where a board member or volunteer leads the effort. I applaud those who are still thinking about the future and wonder about the organizations that exist only in the day-to-day mode.

All of this came full circle last week when both planes that I was scheduled to fly on encountered mechanical issues while in the pre-flight stage. Neither was especially alarming but it re-enforce the status of the airline industry. New orders for planes are being deferred and new aerospace technologies are being considered but few are being implemented at the moment. What is going to happen when everyone feels the need to expand or ramp back-up? The deferred maintenance and investment in new aircraft is going to create a backlog that will arguably take a decade to clear.

What are the opportunities that your enterprise is missing because you are no longer holding planning sessions or scheduling retreats? How much is the day-to-day oversight of the balance sheet taking bandwidth from the organization’s ability to think strategically? It is as if everyone abandoned the wheel house to run down to the engine room to keep the power up but nobody is watching the seas. Who is in you Crow’s Nest scanning the horizon? If they exist, have you spoken with them recently?

What happens when the people you are supporting say ‘please stop’?

Reading the New York Times Magazine this weekend I was caught in reflection after completing the Questions For page. It reminded me of a couple points:

  • We get so worried about the message and messenger that we are missing a key ingredient- a expert who can speak about the real issues.
  • Celebrity draws attention. Now what?
  • Despite our best intentions, we need to remember that although the outcome may remain the same, change is going to happen and we need to be able to adjust the ‘how’.
  • Never forget to ask for another opinion.

Checkout the link the complete article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/magazine/22wwln-q4-t.html

The Real Question


I have found myself watching a series of House MD repeats on TV this holiday season. Although I cannot consider myself a regular follower I am intrigued by one aspect of the show. The plot balances on a series of questions posed by House and his colleagues. Lots of hows, whys, wheres, whens. Question that lead to a next series of questions and then the eureka moment.

I believe the quality of the question we ask leads to a better answer and ultimately a more accurate solution.