Change Your Perspective
by Steve Vaught

"I'm telling you, he was relentless. He just wouldn't shut up!" My friend wasn't talking about a coworker, but his dog, Henry.

"He was sitting in the yard, barking at the tree. I went out, looked up in the tree and didn't see anything that would cause Henry to be 'barking his head off.' I chalked it up to a dog's imagination, told him to knock it off and went back inside. Henry never left his post and less than five minutes later he was at it again - barking loud enough to wake the dead."

"I headed outside again thinking how uncharacteristic this was for Henry - his gaze still fixed on the same part of the tree. This time, I got down on...
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Leadership Challenge:
How do you evaluate good ideas?
Any idea is a good one if you're not clear where you are going. Many of those good ideas can quickly become distractions which keep you from advancing your business. Being clear on what makes a good idea leads to better decision making and more focused idea generation.

Next time someone comes to you with an idea, try asking these questions to test how "good" the idea truly is:

• Who benefits from the idea? Don't get stuck implementing an idea that is good for employees but not your customers.
• How will this idea affect the customer experience? There can be unintended consequences if you don't carefully think through any idea from the customer's point of view.
• Is it viable? Some ideas can win a sale or please a customer, but if it is not financially viable, the company will lose in the end.

Encourage your organization to advance the business by coming up with good ideas that pass the 3-question test.

Ask the Rabbit
Q: I love your Installing the Vision principles, but we're working so hard just keeping the company viable, we can't handle any big changes right now. Any suggestions?

A: You're not alone in your thinking. Many are waiting for the "right time" to take on a new initiative. However, as with many of life's choices, that perfect time never seems to come around. Necessity often brings the most meaningful changes - not convenience.

Installing the Vision through becoming customer-centered does not have to be a total shock to your company's system. It's as much a mental shift as a physical one. Start incrementally to make sure your organization is ready for change. Introduce the customer-centered concept at your next leadership meeting. You may be surprised at your company's readiness to embrace a new way of looking at the business that differentiates you from competition and gets everyone on "the same page of the playbook".

This email was sent by White Rabbit Group, 3650 68th Street, Suite C, Des Moines, IA 50322.