Joe's Jottings
Jottings Number 58, Reply A, by Hudi Cantrell
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 96 15:52:33 -0700
I heartily agree with the lessons you take from the article. The
authors' conclusions and yours are entirely consistent with my
experience. The gap between the nature of the plan and the reality of
implementation seems to me to be inherent in the process, and not the
result of poor management or ill will on the part of implementors.
What I would add to your lessons is that given that we expect this
gap, we should communicate it in advance so that people will not be
disheartened by the necessarily incremental implementation process. I
think that people want the grand vision of the re-engineered outcome,
but the mission and supporting objectives and tactics need to announce
the real expectations for implementation.
Not only would this avoid entirely predictable disappointment, it
would also foster honest discussion of problems early in
implementation, and it would help people manage their anxiety about
how they were going to be able to find their ways in the radically
different future state. If the emperor announces that he's naked,
there's going to be a lot less reluctance to suggest that it might be
a good idea to use some sun screen.
Hudi