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<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nAspiration vs. measurability<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\nThis shows up in a number of ways.\u00a0 Some clients tell us they want to make sure their strategic plan is measurable.\u00a0 There is a whole school of thought that \u201cwhat gets measured gets managed\u201d \u2013 we get it.\u00a0 \u00a0What we often tell strategic planning clients who ask that their strategy be measurable is that if you aspire to do something big and bold (like systems change), there are going to be aspects of that change that you don\u2019t control, or that may shift around you.\u00a0\u00a0 If you really want something to be measurable, it has to be something you alone control (which by nature limits the level of aspiration) and that is predictable.\u00a0 The dictionary definition of aspiration is \u201ca strong desire to achieve something high or great\u201d and it gives the example \u201can aspiration<\/em> to become famous.\u201d\u00a0 Aspiration, by its nature is not certain and it is not entirely within our control.\u00a0 So the level of aspiration in your plan will naturally be constrained<\/em> if you seek measurability.\u00a0 Discerning where you fall on this continuum is an important discussion to have at the outset of a strategic planning process.<\/p>\nTolerating messiness<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\nClients want their consultants to project confidence, clarity and certainty.\u00a0 At the same time, they don\u2019t want \u201ccookie cutter\u201d processes where they feel they are being put into someone else\u2019s model.\u00a0 In aiming for transformational vs. transactional work, we are not doing our job if we don\u2019t surface some provocative questions that don\u2019t have easy answers, or discover insights that may hold tremendous promise for our clients.\u00a0 That can mean slowing down to delve a bit more into those provocative ideas to see if they can be applied to the client\u2019s unique situation.\u00a0 Often, this feels \u201cmessy\u201d to clients, like we\u2019re going off schedule, or not sticking to the plan.\u00a0 For us, the unpredictable is where we feel we can add the most value in transformational work.\u00a0 If you just want a transaction, you can get a cookie cutter solution.\u00a0 It is important to realize that a consultant who proposes a plan will either follow that plan religiously and deliver a predictable result or will follow interesting leads that get surfaced and possibly deliver a transformative result \u2013 which would you want?<\/p>\n
This shows up in a number of ways.\u00a0 Some clients tell us they want to make sure their strategic plan is measurable.\u00a0 There is a whole school of thought that \u201cwhat gets measured gets managed\u201d \u2013 we get it.\u00a0 \u00a0What we often tell strategic planning clients who ask that their strategy be measurable is that if you aspire to do something big and bold (like systems change), there are going to be aspects of that change that you don\u2019t control, or that may shift around you.\u00a0\u00a0 If you really want something to be measurable, it has to be something you alone control (which by nature limits the level of aspiration) and that is predictable.\u00a0 The dictionary definition of aspiration is \u201ca strong desire to achieve something high or great\u201d and it gives the example \u201can aspiration<\/em> to become famous.\u201d\u00a0 Aspiration, by its nature is not certain and it is not entirely within our control.\u00a0 So the level of aspiration in your plan will naturally be constrained<\/em> if you seek measurability.\u00a0 Discerning where you fall on this continuum is an important discussion to have at the outset of a strategic planning process.<\/p>\n Clients want their consultants to project confidence, clarity and certainty.\u00a0 At the same time, they don\u2019t want \u201ccookie cutter\u201d processes where they feel they are being put into someone else\u2019s model.\u00a0 In aiming for transformational vs. transactional work, we are not doing our job if we don\u2019t surface some provocative questions that don\u2019t have easy answers, or discover insights that may hold tremendous promise for our clients.\u00a0 That can mean slowing down to delve a bit more into those provocative ideas to see if they can be applied to the client\u2019s unique situation.\u00a0 Often, this feels \u201cmessy\u201d to clients, like we\u2019re going off schedule, or not sticking to the plan.\u00a0 For us, the unpredictable is where we feel we can add the most value in transformational work.\u00a0 If you just want a transaction, you can get a cookie cutter solution.\u00a0 It is important to realize that a consultant who proposes a plan will either follow that plan religiously and deliver a predictable result or will follow interesting leads that get surfaced and possibly deliver a transformative result \u2013 which would you want?<\/p>\nTolerating messiness<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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