November 27, 2000
Organizations can change! |
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In a client meeting I attended a couple of days
ago, one of the people made a couple of very telling comments about
the leadership progress his company is making. First, he mentioned
this was the first time in his career he had participated in such
a rich and meaningful review with his boss, where both performance
and development was covered. Then he mentioned one of the discussion
points more specifically. Seems his boss said something to the effect
that they needed to initiate and implement more "blockbuster" ideas.
Now, "blockbuster ideas" has never been a common
term around this company, especially related to performance reviews.
The same likely holds true for many companies. But this example
sent a powerful message about leadership, to me and to the individual
sharing the experience. It was not just a catchy phrase, but a matter
of real importance to the boss and the company going forward.
Blockbuster idea conjures up a much different
image than the more typical expressions like significant change,
or thinking outside the box. It means something memorable, that
really makes a difference, that perhaps changes the competitive
landscape, or produces a dramatic boost in profit, share, or whatever.
It is clearly not "status quo with a new feature."
So, think about this. Are you working on a blockbuster
idea - or two - or three? Can you list them and the impact they
would have if successful? Are you creating an environment that is
even capable of conceiving and delivering blockbusters? Are you
strengthening your people's skills and confidence to do this?
Have a serious conversation with your team about
creating and implementing blockbuster ideas. It will certainly be
a worthwhile conversation and you never know what might result! |