| "He who is not prepared today, will be less so | | | | Tailoring Our Improvement Process |
| tomorrow." -- Ovid, Roman poet | | | | "They know enough who know how to learn." -- |
| Effective learning and capability development doesn't | | | | Henry Brooks Adams, 19th century American |
| happen just because we want it to. For example, | | | | historian |
| empowering without enabling isn't just foolish it's | | | | A dim-witted man went to a lazy tailor for a new |
| unethical. It's like putting a complete novice at the | | | | suit. The first day he wore it, a friend pointed out |
| controls of a clunky old airplane and "empowering" | | | | that right sleeve was far too short. So he went back |
| him or her to land in the middle of a ferocious | | | | to the lazy tailor. The tailor said, "Oh, it doesn't need |
| thunderstorm. If our organization's systems don't | | | | alteration. Just raise your right shoulder, and then pull |
| work well, if our skill levels aren't strong, if processes | | | | and hold the sleeve with that hand." The dim-witted |
| are out of control, if measurements are giving | | | | man did as he was instructed although it caused him |
| incomplete or false feedback, if communication | | | | to hunch over and walk with a lurch. As he left the |
| channels are crossed, or if reward and recognition | | | | tailor shop, he met another friend. |
| practices are unaligned, the clearest focus, strongest | | | | "How do you like my new suit?" he asked. "Very |
| context, and best of intentions will be wasted. | | | | nice," the friend replied. "But, you know, I think you're |
| What's needed is disciplined, rigorous improvement | | | | left pant leg is awfully short." So the dim-witted man |
| planning. Few things are more strategic than | | | | headed back to the tailor shop. "Oh, that's because |
| organizational capabilities. Competitors can match or | | | | when you lean over to hold up your right sleeve, you |
| trump capital investments, marketing campaigns, or | | | | pull up your left pant leg. What you need to do is |
| new products and services. But few competitors | | | | bend your left leg just enough for your pant cuff to |
| have the foresight, discipline, and skill to build a strong | | | | reach the top of your shoe." As the man hobbled |
| and constantly improving organization. By building a | | | | down the street toward his office he passed in front |
| highly capable organization -- one that's continually | | | | of two diners at a sidewalk cafe. "Look at that poor |
| learning, growing, and developing -- we develop an | | | | man," one diner said to her companion. "I wonder |
| unmatched competitive advantage. We will be able to | | | | what happened to him?" "I don't know," was the |
| move quickly to minimize the threats and capitalize on | | | | reply. "But isn't it amazing how well his suit fits." |
| the opportunities change throws at us. We'll be in a | | | | We need to beware of pat formulas or off-the-shelf |
| position to start creating that change. | | | | improvement packages. Improvement tools, |
| Continually improving our capabilities calls for | | | | techniques, and approaches must be customized to |
| coordination and planning. Of course, the goal of | | | | fit our unique personal, team, and organizational |
| planning isn't plans, but action. However, before | | | | circumstances. That's why trendy programs like |
| acting, we need to ensure we're acting on the right | | | | quality circles, excellence, customer service, quality |
| things. We need to find the leverage points that will | | | | improvement, teams, empowerment, reengineering |
| give us the biggest payoffs. We must coordinate | | | | and the like have failed or fallen short in so many |
| improvement activities so everyone's not heading off | | | | organizations. They're often sold as a one-size fits all, |
| in all directions at once. We need to ensure | | | | step-by-step process that we can drop right into our |
| everybody sees and acts according to the bigger | | | | organization. When that doesn't work, some |
| organizational picture. In other words, we need an | | | | managers or consultants try to alter the organization |
| improvement plan. | | | | to fit the program rather than the other way around. |