Originally Published MX November/December 2002
BUSINESS PLANNING & TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
Bad Ideas That Sound Good|
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Unsuccessful efforts by company leaders to expedite development projects often grow out of four misguided certainties that have a false appeal.
1. Keeping everyone busy all the time is good. The appeal: They're working! The reality: They're tired; they're resentful; they're inefficient. Executives must switch from focusing on activity to focusing on throughput.
2. Having more resources than absolutely necessary is wasteful. The appeal: No money is spent on "idle" capacity. The reality: Living without insurance can be penny wise and pound foolish. Executives should concentrate on exposing available capacity, rather than on eliminating apparent waste.
3. Multitasking employees are productive resources. The appeal: One person does the work of three. The reality: One person working on three tasks at once is still one person, and is less able to concentrate on whichever job is at hand. Executives must create conditions for employees to work coherently rather than chaotically.
4. Any department's improvement is an improvement in the organization. The appeal: Strivers want the project to go well. The reality: Strivers want their contribution to look good. Executives need to keep all project participants focused on the success of the project as a whole.
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