Success involves defining what you want to accomplish, justifying what you intend to accomplish, and getting from where you are to the destination. To understand and internalize what you are about to do (or not to do), here is an assessment instrument6 is provided in Table 1.1. This assessment will let you identify What Is and compare that to What Should Be to define and commit to Mega Thinking and Planning (as distinguished from conventional approaches).
Filling this out, either by yourself or with your planning partners, will also give you a “preview of coming attractions” in terms of concepts and words that this book provides. If there are terms that are not clear, skip those items (or look them up in the Glossary) for now, knowing you will be clear about them and their value by the end of this book.
Table 1.1 Defining What Is and What Should Be for gaining commitment to Mega Thinking and Planning.
Do you notice any gaps that you might want to close in order to be successful? At the end of the book, this exercise will be repeated so that you can calibrate your change.
Action Steps
1. Consider that whatever you do, you are dealing with change, choices, and consequences. Put that to work for you.
2. Always ask and answer “if my organization is the solution, what’s the problem?”
3. Master and constantly apply the three guides for delivering success:
• the Organizational Elements Model
• the Ideal Vision
• the Six Critical Success Factors
4. Use the assessment instrument in Table 1.1 to identify the gaps between What Is in your organization and What Should Be for Mega Thinking and Planning. This can be done with others in your organization to obtain common understanding and commitment to useful strategic thinking and planning.
Endnotes
1. Moore, S. (2010). Ethics by design: Strategic thinking and planning for exemplary performance, responsible results, and societal accountability. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, Inc.
2. Mega Planning is a form of strategic planning. Strategic thinking is how one goes about creating a Mega plan based on adding measurable value to both the organization and society. Strategic planning is formulating a blueprint of where an organization should head based on adding measurable value within and external to one’s own organization. From this point on, when we say Mega Planning, it should be noted that it includes strategic thinking and planning.
3. Increasing attention is being paid by “mainstream” organizations to societal value added that goes beyond building playgrounds or collecting money for charities:
Bernardez, M. (2005). Achieving business success by developing clients and community: Lessons from leading companies, emerging economies, and a nine-year case study. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 18(3), pp. 37–55.
Bernardez, M. (2008). Capital intellectual. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.
Bernardez, M. (May–June, 2009). Sailing the winds of “creative destruction”: Educational technology during economic down-turns. Educational Technology, 22(2), pp. 17–72.
Bernardez, M. (2009). Minding the business of business: Tools and models to design and measure wealth creation. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 22(2), pp. 17–72.
Davis, I. (May 26, 2005). The biggest contract. The Economist. London, Vol. 375, Iss. 8428, p. 87.
Drucker, P. F. (Sept.–Oct., 1992). The new society of organizations. Harvard Business Review, 70(5), pp. 95–104.
Garratt, B. (2005). Can boards of directors think strategically? Some issues in developing direction-givers’ thinking to a Mega level. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 18(3), pp. 26–36.
Guerra-Lopez, I. (2007). Evaluating impact: Evaluation and continual improvement for performance improvement practitioners. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, Inc.
Kaufman, R. (Jan 28, 2010). Should we have to wait for a crisis in order to transform public sector organizations? Leader to Leader: Peter F. Drucker Foundation Newsletter.
Kaufman, R., & Guerra-Lopez, I. (2008). The assessment book: Applied strategic thinking and performance improvement through self-assessments. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, Inc.
Kaufman, R., Oakley-Browne, H., Watkins, R., & Leigh, D. (2003). Practical strategic planning: Aligning people, performance, and payoffs. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.
4. Carleton, R. (2010). Implementation and management of performance improvement plans: Emphasizing group & organizational interventions. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, Inc. Especially Chapter 3.
5. This book has a primary focus on organizations, both public and private. The concepts and tools provided here can also be applied to personal and family life:
Kaufman, R. (2006). 30 Seconds that can change your life: A decision-making guide for those who refuse to be mediocre. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, Inc.
6. From Kaufman, R., & Guerra-Lopez, I. (2008). The assessment book: Applied strategic thinking and performance improvement through self-assessments. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, Inc.