Re: Non-Profits Stretched Thin LO536

Keith Cowan (cowan@pci.on.ca)
Sat, 25 Mar 1995 15:12:47 -0500 (EST)

Replying to Non-Profits Stretched Thin LO464 --

> Reply to LO 456 - Non-Profits Stretched Think
> From: toner%smtpgate@fourhcouncil.edu --
> Everyone is stretched so thin that resourcing the future vision seems to
> get lost..
> --
> Bryan Smith, one of my collaborators on The Fifth Disicpline Fieldbook,
> generally responds to this by suggesting a rethinking of the budgeting
> and planning process. You have to do all that ANYWAY, so why not
> begin that process with a different type of conversation -- based on
> what the participnts really want the organization to do?
> From: Art Kleiner <art@well.sf.ca.us>
> -----

I would hasten to add that there is always flex in the system. You need to
understand the critical elements and stop doing others for a while to free
up resource to invest in root cause analysis and repair. Then you have
built your own flex into your system and can reinvest that to get even
more leverage over time. I know this sounds like an easy cookbook answer
but I have applied this approach in 20 different environments and it
worked in every case. The key element is a "bloody-minded" determination
to make things better, followed by excellence in execution...

-- 
Keith Cowan       Phone: (416)565-6253           FAX: (905)858-7131
Toronto        Internet: cowan@pci.on.ca  Compuserve: 72212,51