Mission & Vision…

The Board of Directors of a non-profit organization I serve on is updating our “Mission & Vision Statements”.  This is the first time I’ve served on a Board.  So far, it’s been quite the process.  Truthfully, I’m uncomfortable and a bit amused.  Is that common when developing a Mission Statement?  Here are thoughts from Dave Carpenter:

I’m somewhat handicapped with this initiative.  Our effort to reach a consensus let alone a conclusion pushes several of my buttons and I’m trying to be mindful of those buttons. 

Thankfully, our Board has several experienced business professionals.  We have plenty of knowledge, opinions, and time to discuss (and debate) what our go-forward Mission & Vision Statements should be.  I know this is important to making progress.  I’m a willing follower; but there are those buttons. 

Like other organizations, our Board would be considered a “committee”.  You see, I’ve never done well with committees.  I’ve always had more of a charge ahead, “let’s get ‘er done” mindset.  However, part of being an appropriate Board member is to participate in our committee decision making approach. 

It didn’t take much of a self-diagnosis.  I understand the source of my discomfort.  To some, a committee decision-making process can sometimes feel like a decision-avoidance process.  And that’s a button many others have felt: 

A committee is twelve men doing the work of one. 

John F. Kennedy 

I know I have those darn buttons.  Throughout my sales career I’ve always been amazed (and oftentimes frustrated) by committee decision making.  It’s going to be all good though.  Each of us is well-meaning and we are volunteering our time and talents for the benefit of the greater organization.  I suppose I have buttons for Mission & Vision Statement development.  I’m not alone with this, particularly in today’s business environment: 

At the top is the mission statement. 

  And it begat the strategy. 

    And the strategy begat the tactics. 

      And the tactics begat the objectives

        that begat the tasks

          that begat the people in cubicles

who no longer beget children because they're working all weekend trying to finish the !@#$-ing assignments they've been given to serve the all-powerful mission statement.                            

Rick Levine 

Reminds me of this “vision” from Elon Musk to “help” his employees work towards the X Mission? 

Much has been said and much has been written about the importance of understanding the Mission & Vision of the company, community, or committee we’re investing our time in these days.  I’m OK with being exposed to this process and learning new skills.  I’m participating to the best of my (limited) ability.  I’m following the lead of my more capable Board members. 

Once we’re through the mission, vision, strategy process, I’ll rev things back up.  I’ll get enthusiastic about the tactical implementation of whatever our outcome is. 

And that includes the “strategy” piece.  Extended discussions about strategy is another one of those darn buttons.  I’m all about execution.   My personal mission, vision, and strategy statements is, “Let’s go sell somebody something - today!”  

A friend and client of mine offered this on LinkedIn: 

1. Comfort is the enemy of progress and achievement.

2. Vision without execution is hallucination. 

3. Prescription without proper diagnosis is malpractice. 

              Michael Meehan 

The good news is I’m out of my comfort zone so maybe I’m making progress.  As to the rest of my committee’s mission, vision, strategy, debate and discussion… Well Dave Carpenter, I’m just trying to make it to the weekend. 

                                                            GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective. 

Project Management…

I am gaining more and more appreciation for project managers and their skills every day.  Here’s why… 

As a career salesman, project management is something I was not very skilled at.  Yes, I’ve managed my pipeline and my forecast… and closing a deal has many parallels to a project perhaps.  But selling is certainly different than project management.  

The problem is; my company was in a rush a while back and wanted me to be a project manager for my department - bad.  At least until we could add head-count to take on that responsibility. 

Try as I might, things have not gone that well.  I’m good at understanding all of the tasks and the sequencing that go into our projects.  I’m also pretty good at documenting procedures so those that follow me will be able to see what was set up before they change it LOL!  But when I’m required to facilitate cross-departmental efforts?  I should go back to selling. 

Maybe my shortcomings are because of project management communication preferences?  You see, when working on a project I prefer that all of the participants get together at the same time in the same place (or Zoom) to discuss the status of the project; provide updates on individual assignments; address questions; identify issues; and agree on next steps.  Evidently, this is a very 1990’s approach. 

My colleagues seem to prefer project management by email.  Although I attempt to follow their preferences and provide explicitly written input on project tasks invariably there’s a misunderstanding.  Makes me think of Boyle: 

Boyle's Laws

·         The success of any venture will be helped by prayer, even in the wrong denomination.

·         The deficiency will never show itself during the dry runs.

·         If not controlled, work will flow to the competent man until he submerges.

·         Clearly stated instructions will consistently produce multiple interpretations.

 

Unknown Sage 

Thankfully, the projects I’m assigned to are not “mission critical” to my department or my company.  Our projects contribute to the success of our resellers but our resellers are already experienced, capable, salespeople and business owners so they can get by with our without our contributions. 

Nevertheless, I want to be an asset in their efforts and not a liability.  So I am trying to improve my project management skills.  Oh, and I’ve recognized a key soft-skill that I have also tried diligently to improve – patience.  

If you have read any of my little ditties before you know that I do not have much patience for company B.S. and bureaucracy.  As I stated earlier, my company was in a rush and wanted me to be a temporary project manager, bad.  Makes me think of Meskimen: 

Meskimen's Laws

When they want it bad (in a rush), they get it bad.

There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over. 

Unknown Sage 

Over the past years I suppose I replaced patience with a heightened sense of urgency, driven by sales quotas and sales period deadlines that directly impacted my personal income.  In the past when project managers wanted to dot some i or cross some t, I suppose I interpreted that as slowing things down when I was trying to speed things up. 

Well today, I’m getting a whole new view of how things work; a whole new respect for project managers.  And I know my manager agrees with me when I say… we need to hire a better project manager - bad!   

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.