Short Term Gains Versus Long-Term Progress
"Good things take time. Impossible things take a little longer."
- Percy Cerutty
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool."
- Richard Feynman
Upon my return to my old/new job, I sat down and crafted a two-year plan for professional development. After it was done, I went over the plan with our VP of Finance and went over the plan. He broke out a red pen, wrote all over it, and then had me re-draft the initial plan. After the quarter is over, I'll go back to his office, take stock of the progress that has been made and see if we need to make any corrections or adjustments.
During that session, he gave me a book to read called "Hidden Value." The book looks at companies like Southwest Airline, Cisco Systems, and the Men's Warehouse, and outlines their key actions and core beliefs that have made them successful. I'm guessing that there are a lot of managers or people out there that are looking to these management books for a "magic bullet," but this book basically says that there is no such thing as a magic bullet. One of the major premises is that these companies aren't doing anything magical, but they have the stomach to take a long-term approach to success. Instead of the "war for talent," it seems that these companies are battling each and every day for compounded competence.
One of the things that this book talks about is that most managers are measuring success on a quarterly basis. If you are just measuring success on a quarterly basis, I would imagine that it would almost be a disincentive to take a previously existing process or system, and make it better. So instead of focusing on the nuts and bolts of making things better, people will go and look for something that can fix everything in 12 weeks.
These ideas remind me of what Gordon Byrn has said earlier about training for the IronMan. Basically, you can get in shape in 12 weeks, but you aren't going to be able to make fundamental, bone deep physiological changes--in this case organizational changes--in 12 weeks. Making bone deep changes takes a much longer time horizon.
One of the other things this book talks about is finding people who are willing to admit their mistakes, and then in turn, learn from these mistakes. Basically, a culture of accountability is promoted. Great. Easy to say. But encouraging someone to say, "Yeah, I really hosed that Penske deal," is a dicey proposition. You have to have enough trust in the people that you work with to take responsibility for your actions, and know that you won't be fired, or scolded for doing your best. Instead of passing the blame, owning up to it mistakes gets you the pat on the back.
So these fundamental principles of accountability, planning, competence over talent, and trust are some of the underpinnings of long-term sustainable success. The thing is this: there is nothing "sexy" or "fantastical" about these things. You basically need a good group of people who are willing to take on challenging work each day, and commit themselves to a process without any clear indication that this will lead to ultimate success, or even immediate financial reward.
A few days ago, I received an email from Norway's favorite son, Axel Elvik. He shared with me how his work life was starting to open up and change in a semi-miraculous way as he was no longer "looking for signs of ultimate future success." Great words. Instead of looking for guidance from his managers that he was a big deal, he just showed up and tried to do the best job he could. In essence, Axel found Faith in himself as a part of the company.
So where am I going with this? Well, I wasn't exactly sure when I started writing this, but I think it's becoming clearer. From what I have been able to see from this business writing and personal experiences is that Ultimate Success is not a single victory, but rather a Path that a person follows for an indefinite period of time. You walk the Path because it's engaging and you enjoy it; this in and of itself is more enjoyable than quaterly bonuses or individual promotions.
For companies to create such success that is widespread within the organization, they have to get a core group of people who are all walking the Path, and then find like minded people that work within this framework as well as a business plan.
So there you have it. That's the Answer--yes capital "A." The only hitch here is that you have to be patient, you have to have the stomach to deal with change, and the Faith to keep pushing forward even when it feels like you are being punished for things that you haven't done--this is a common feeling in the world of accounting.
Namaste
- Percy Cerutty
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool."
- Richard Feynman
Upon my return to my old/new job, I sat down and crafted a two-year plan for professional development. After it was done, I went over the plan with our VP of Finance and went over the plan. He broke out a red pen, wrote all over it, and then had me re-draft the initial plan. After the quarter is over, I'll go back to his office, take stock of the progress that has been made and see if we need to make any corrections or adjustments.
During that session, he gave me a book to read called "Hidden Value." The book looks at companies like Southwest Airline, Cisco Systems, and the Men's Warehouse, and outlines their key actions and core beliefs that have made them successful. I'm guessing that there are a lot of managers or people out there that are looking to these management books for a "magic bullet," but this book basically says that there is no such thing as a magic bullet. One of the major premises is that these companies aren't doing anything magical, but they have the stomach to take a long-term approach to success. Instead of the "war for talent," it seems that these companies are battling each and every day for compounded competence.
One of the things that this book talks about is that most managers are measuring success on a quarterly basis. If you are just measuring success on a quarterly basis, I would imagine that it would almost be a disincentive to take a previously existing process or system, and make it better. So instead of focusing on the nuts and bolts of making things better, people will go and look for something that can fix everything in 12 weeks.
These ideas remind me of what Gordon Byrn has said earlier about training for the IronMan. Basically, you can get in shape in 12 weeks, but you aren't going to be able to make fundamental, bone deep physiological changes--in this case organizational changes--in 12 weeks. Making bone deep changes takes a much longer time horizon.
One of the other things this book talks about is finding people who are willing to admit their mistakes, and then in turn, learn from these mistakes. Basically, a culture of accountability is promoted. Great. Easy to say. But encouraging someone to say, "Yeah, I really hosed that Penske deal," is a dicey proposition. You have to have enough trust in the people that you work with to take responsibility for your actions, and know that you won't be fired, or scolded for doing your best. Instead of passing the blame, owning up to it mistakes gets you the pat on the back.
So these fundamental principles of accountability, planning, competence over talent, and trust are some of the underpinnings of long-term sustainable success. The thing is this: there is nothing "sexy" or "fantastical" about these things. You basically need a good group of people who are willing to take on challenging work each day, and commit themselves to a process without any clear indication that this will lead to ultimate success, or even immediate financial reward.
A few days ago, I received an email from Norway's favorite son, Axel Elvik. He shared with me how his work life was starting to open up and change in a semi-miraculous way as he was no longer "looking for signs of ultimate future success." Great words. Instead of looking for guidance from his managers that he was a big deal, he just showed up and tried to do the best job he could. In essence, Axel found Faith in himself as a part of the company.
So where am I going with this? Well, I wasn't exactly sure when I started writing this, but I think it's becoming clearer. From what I have been able to see from this business writing and personal experiences is that Ultimate Success is not a single victory, but rather a Path that a person follows for an indefinite period of time. You walk the Path because it's engaging and you enjoy it; this in and of itself is more enjoyable than quaterly bonuses or individual promotions.
For companies to create such success that is widespread within the organization, they have to get a core group of people who are all walking the Path, and then find like minded people that work within this framework as well as a business plan.
So there you have it. That's the Answer--yes capital "A." The only hitch here is that you have to be patient, you have to have the stomach to deal with change, and the Faith to keep pushing forward even when it feels like you are being punished for things that you haven't done--this is a common feeling in the world of accounting.
Namaste
posted by Zen_Accountant at 1:42 PM
2 Comments:
I think your path would work for
any plan, business or otherwise.
I still love the quote about over
estimating in the short term and under estimating in the long term
I think that is how it went.
Thanks for the motivation. I will return to the office with renewed
vigor. And my diet.
So true.
I have always tried to have that kind of view. I'm not only interested in home runs, I'm interested in the day to day tiny gains that come with doing my best every day.
MAD
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