I have a problem.
Most evenings it is my job to load and sort out the dishwasher. I don’t mind doing this: unlike my wife I don’t really enjoy cooking, and so she generally makes the meal and I tidy away.
I carefully load the dishwasher with the pots, pans and cutlery, making sure that everything has a good chance of being cleaned properly. I then add the tablet and close the door.
There is only one thing I forget – to turn the dishwasher on.
I have been doing this consistently for over a year (despite my wife’s continuous reminders!), but I just seem physically and mentally unable to remember to press the ‘on’ button.
I see a similar problem in many companies.
Executives and managers invest time and resource in creating plans and schemes for new initiatives, but they just don’t press the ‘on’ button. The projects are not properly launched and either take far too long to achieve anything, or do not achieve anything worthwhile at all.
The time you spend thinking about, planning and preparing new initiatives is completely wasted if you’re unable or unwilling to launch them properly.
You must turn the dishwasher on.
© Stuart Cross 2010. All rights reserved.