Try different

My article for the American Management Association Playbook highlights the need for leaders to balance the tension between operations (doing the day-to-day work that pays the rent) and upgrades (getting better at doing that work).

Here is more on the topic of doing the work better.

We’ve all heard that definition of insanity (“doing the same things over and expecting a different result”). And we all ignore it. Problem-solving is the act of taking a process or practice that has ceased to work and finding a way to restore it’s performance—to the original level. Doing the same thing again …

When I hear talk of solving problems with a new initiative, I raise the bar by asking how we can raise performance to unprecedented levels. To do the work more effectively than it’s ever been done before. To seek opportunities to boldy go …

That’s the difference between incremental fixes and multi-factor improvements; between +1 thinking and 10x thinking.

Sure, there are times when +1 thinking is appropriate, when a simple fix is all it takes to reach the next level.

But let’s not default to that as the only way.

+1 or 10x?

List five things that you would like to improve in your business 

Now mark each one with a 10x if you’ve seen evidence of someone somewhere doing it much better.

How does this impact the decisions you will make for the 10xers? And for the +1ers?

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