I was behind a car recently that had numerous logo decals and bumper stickers, all associated with backpacking and hiking. One of the bumper stickers provided my chuckle for the day:
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Not only did it bring a smile to my face, it conjured up several memories and a familiar tune. The bumper sticker also led me to think about the Leadership Teams with whom I work and the banjo music they hear:
- elephants in the corner of the office
- a sense they are ready to grow but they aren’t sure how to get there
- vendors who over promise and under deliver
- employees who don’t seem to “get it”
- customers who aren’t a good fit
- less profit than they imagined
- not enough time to get everything done
- varying business strategies
The situations vary company to company, industry to industry. Yet the root causes are consistent. And the efforts to quiet the banjo music are usually the same — hike faster, which adds to the frustration and doesn’t resolve anything.
The root causes are people, process, and profit. There are a variety of resources available to quiet the banjo music. If personal growth for individuals or teams creates the necessary focus for your company, consider having individuals work with a business coach. Teams can strengthen team health by focusing on improving communication, and developing empathy and trust.
If a focus on entrepreneurship will add value to individuals, consider having key leaders join a peer-to-peer group for business best practices and business advisory discussions. And teams can create a shared vision and greater accountability by implementing an operating system. My favorite is EOS®. It is a journey to implement EOS®throughout an entire company, and quiet the banjo music top to bottom.
In EOS®, we refer to the possible causes of the banjo music as “Issues.” And your ability to succeed is in direct proportion to your ability to solve your issues. EOS®identifies Issues as one of the Six Key Components™ of any organization. We encourage our Leadership Teams to develop an Issues List, master the Issues Solving Track and solve issues in an open and honest culture.
If you’d like to learn more about EOS®and the steps we take to address issues, please fill out the consult form below to request a 15-minute phone consultation with me. I look forward to helping you understand your company’s issues, and replace that banjo music with focus, vision and clarity.
