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“Success” or “Failure”? It’s All How you Shape Expectations 
As we ramp up into the first quarter of 2012, we’re seeing an interesting paradox. The latest news from the U.S. Department of Commerce is that fourth-quarter growth of 2.8% is the fastest in 18 months. However, despite this good report, some economists are painting a less optimistic picture that our expectations of a rapid recovery may not be met. On a smaller scale, we’re all managing expectations – some more successfully than others. So how do you more realistically shape expectations so that employees, customers, investors, suppliers, alliance partners, and others who have a stake in your organization perceive less “failure” and more “success?” We offer three guidelines.
Gaining And Maintaining Commitment In The Face Of Change
Resistance to change can emerge even when the advantages may seem obvious. The skepticism and resistance can be especially strong when the change is viewed as one being imposed by an external "them," whether "they" are management, regulatory bodies, or even peer groups… Commitment is always more powerful than compliance. The better you foster a broader perspective of the situation and instill trust and belief in the course you’re advocating, the more you can help others prepare in advance for what lies ahead. This will make it more likely that you’ll gain the commitment of all stakeholders and increase the chance of a successful outcome.
Is Your Company Ready for Success?
Regardless of the size of a company, success can provoke its own type of crises. After the initial celebration subsides, it can be an unpleasant surprise to realize that the world really has changed and that long established operations must also change – sometimes dramatically - in order to accommodate growth and new expectations from customers, employees, and other stakeholders. Whether your company’s success happens suddenly or after a prolonged effort, anticipating and helping your organization adapt to the new reality of success can go a long way toward ensuring that the achievement is sustained and meets or exceeds expectations.
Is Your Company’s Strategy Still Relevant?
There are a host of unexpected issues that can emerge in our constantly changing business environment to impact the relevance of the strategy and plans you and your executive team initially set in place. While some events (e.g. emergence of a major competitor) are significant enough to notice immediately and trigger adjustments, there is the additional threat of a series of minor events that can insidiously pile up over time and also have just as large an impact. Periodically uncovering cumulative small changes in your business environment, and determining their impact on your strategy, plans, and goals is just as important as paying attention to the major events.
How to Create New Opportunities in a Changing World:
In an environment where “business as unusual” is the new normal, whole industries are changing in response to a series of unprecedented demands and issues. While we can't always control circumstances and events, there are things we can do to minimize problems and leverage new opportunities for growth and profitability.
Four Steps to Powerful Strategic Alliances:
Numerous studies indicate that less than 50% of all strategic alliances live up to original expectations; however, there are enormous opportunities to improve alliance outcomes. Recognizing and adapting to the unique characteristics of each alliance can dramatically increase the likelihood of powerful benefits for everyone involved.
The Keys to Unlocking Sustainable Innovation
Over 50% of executives feel that innovation programs cost too much, take too long, and have an unpredictable return on investment. We've found that broadening perspective to find and address issues that block innovation can transform erratic, up-and-down outcomes to a more consistent stream of business performance.
How to Overcome Organizational Resistance - and Get More Done
Resistance to change doesn't only happen in politics; it occurs in every organization when executives make substantial changes due to mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, and other purposes. This "Forbes Brain Trust" article discusses ways you can minimize resistance to change and create
Ten Tips For Even Better Business Performance
This issue of The Harper Report is filled with tips to jumpstart progress in your organization to get more of the results you want in any economy.
Three Ways to Boost Business Performance to Olympic Levels
Superstar athletes and teams increase their value by setting long-term performance objectives to achieve multiple wins over a number of events. In business, the focus on achieving sustainable long-term performance likewise increases your company's value. In contrast to short-term "SMART" goals, long-term performance objectives are "BOLD™."
How to Increase Your Organization's Resilience
When faced with hard times, rather than hunker down and wait for better days, the most resilient organizations have leaders who are primed to make the best of reality as it currently exists. They go out of their way to seek multiple perspectives from stakeholders, lead their organizations to find new ways to use the twists and turns to their advantage, manage risk, and promote an environment that is focused on creating lasting value.
Wish Your Way to Better Business Results
While research groups routinely use wishing as a way to unleash creativity and problem solving, wishing is just as powerful for developing business objectives and strategy. Studies show that the more we open our minds to what we really want and commit to a course of action, the more likely it is that we'll do what it takes to make our wishes come true.
How Do You Gain Commitment to New Regulations?
It’s one thing to make changes when you’ve decided to do something different. It’s quite another thing to make changes in order to comply with new rules and regulations. The degree to which you foster a broader perspective of the situation and help others prepare in advance for what lies ahead makes it more likely to gain their commitment in addition to their compliance, and increases the chance of a successful outcome.
