Doing Right Things

Did you ever go to work and wonder why your company does something a certain way? Is it because that way was decided on long before you took over? Or is it human nature to simply want to please and not rock the boat? Are we doing the right things wrong? Imagine an office environment that encourages the challenging of the status quo. Find a better way! Did you determine that no one ever looks at that report that takes all day to do and you stopped the waste – fantastic! Did you ask why? Even better. We should do the right things right and create a culture that stomps out anything that does not create value. Doing right things means focus. Focus on everything – energy, resources, time, and money on doing activities that create results and lead to productivity. With all the time, energy, money spent on getting companies to make profit, why not look within first? What can you and your team do, simply by looking at the work you do and giving yourself and your team permission to decide what adds value to your customer. Stop doing everything else.

I propose that all of us, given permission (and time) would come to work tomorrow with a different perspective. Imagine if you could come to work with fresh eyes and look at every work project, every process, every thing you do and evaluate if it the right thing to be doing. Stop doing the wrong things perfectly. Embrace the cultural freedoms you have and take the risk and do it. If your leaders let you down and protect old ways, challenge them again. If that does not work go to your President. I guarantee if you share that you are concerned about helping the organization improve, speed up, be more productive or more profitable, that someone will appreciate the thinking.

Here are my top five ways to Do Right Things today where you work:

1. If you lead people ask them there opinion. What do we do around here that we should stop doing?
2. Set a meeting whose agenda is to identify “Things we do perfect that do not add customer value”. The next steps are obvious.
3. Recognize your team for making these suggestions.
4. Reward your team for making changes when you DO the RIGHT Things Right.
5. Go do the Right things right. Stop doing perfect work that does not matter or add value.