Understanding Your Desired Outcome

I often talk about envisioning the desired outcome and working backwards from there. What steps do you need to take at each level in order to achieve the desired result? When we are building a sales strategy for a major account, we always try to work back from the green light decision in order to ensure we are prepared at every step of the way. When we are reviewing internal staffing strategies our clear goal is to create an environment and culture where people want to work, where they are motivated to succeed and where they feel aligned with the firm.

So, when I read Lisa Petrilli’s excellent Visionary Leadership blog this week entitled “A CEO’s Unintended Consequence of Joining LinkedIn,” I couldn’t help but smile. The blog post speaks to the effect on a CEO’s staff of his apparently sudden interest in LinkedIn. The real purpose of joining was to allow the CEO to network privately with a few of his peers. The employees all thought he was looking for another job and were therefore fearful for the health of the company and their own jobs.

We have all made similar mistakes. It is often the small actions that have unforeseen consequences. Earlier I spoke of the care we take to envision the desired outcome in a number of situations. Interestingly, my examples were of large decision points. I honestly cannot think of a small action where I have applied such rigor.

Thanks Lisa for causing me to stop and think!