Firefighting In Business!

Firefighting in business is becoming the norm. Managers and executives are constantly fighting fires lit by shortfalls in services, employee issues, the sales pipeline, systems and change management issues, and much more.

It is a vicious circle as well. When capable people within organisations deal with chaos, new issues often pile up. The executive team feel exhausted and assumes a part of the job.

However, why are fires within the business in the first place?

The most common reasons are:

When we get greedy and overstretch ourselves and our staff to do more.
When we put inexperienced staff in the deep end with little or no oversight.
When we are running blind due to manual processes and lagging indicators.
When we compromise our integrity by selling something we cannot deliver,

Perhaps firefighting is not the norm, but our greed and squeezing more are making it the norm. Maybe we have a choice about our direction and fate.

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One of the most common requests I hear is the desire to have everything in one system. While this aspiration is understandable, the ideal approach is to create a seamless working environment that integrates existing business systems. This practical solution allows...

We often test the patience of our most patient teammates. Hardworking employees often get more work. We often get lazy while reviewing the work of perfectionists. The above examples have one thing in common: we are lazy by default. It's important to recognise when our...

Exhaustion is a real thing. It not only affects our thinking, patience, and decision-making, but if it lasts too long, it can raise our stress levels and cause burnout. This should be a concern for all leaders. Technology projects are a battle against the status quo....

If you have an important meeting at a new place, you research the route and prepare for the journey. Similarly, when it comes to selecting and implementing enterprise software (ERP/CRM), learning from others who have been there before can be invaluable. However, we...

In business, the BAU (Business-As-Usual) work keeps the lights on, while the project work is the key to making the lights shine brighter and pocket more. It's crucial to strike a balance between these two. Businesses often struggle to keep the lights on because all...

Before making hiring decisions, we follow a set process to ensure that the new employee is capable and fit for the job. Similarly, with defined criteria for business projects, we can significantly increase our chances of success. However, we do not appear to have any...

Our decisions, seemingly insignificant in the present, have the potential to shape the lives of those who will come after us. We are not just making decisions for ourselves, but for the generations that will inherit our choices. Inheritance of material and wealth is...

It's easy for me to make choices based on my past experiences. I've developed a preference for certain dishes and coffee, and I've found comfort in the same restaurants over the years. I stick to clothes of known brands, sizes, and styles, all based on my past...

Effective communication is akin to crossing a bridge to the other side and connecting deeply. Often, we remain on our own imaginary islands, leading to communication gaps. To mitigate this issue, we must cross the bridge and understand others before seeking to be...

When I think of others as superior, then my energy is likely to be spent on impressing the other person. When I think of another person as inferior, my energy is likely to be wasted on boosting my pride and ego. When I am at a stage where I see all as one, my energy...

I have no control over my birth or death. Much of what I do aligns with what others in my age group do, suggesting that the aging process influences the broad direction of my evolution. My environment, genetics, and experiences shape my thinking. Overall, I may have...

Working with great leaders is like riding a powerful tide; their presence propels us forward seamlessly. They alleviate our burdens, like painkillers, helping us forget our struggles and reach our full potential. These leaders leave an indelible impact on us,...

Our common perception of an organisation or team is a top-down hierarchical structure. The executive and management sit at the top and actual workers are at the bottom of the hierarchy. While it is a typical representation, it is often too wrong. Maybe we need to...

After working hard to attain reasonable positions of power, status, wealth, and luxury, I realised that they are reasonable goals to aim for. These goals are good because, when I attain them, I realise that they are not the end. They are rather a manifestation of my...

My Karate Sensei teaches us to always be in a stance. As we move around, kick, and punch, we transition from one stance to another. A stance represents power and stability. When we maintain our stance, we have a better chance to protect ourselves, attack, and win....

Business capability development requires our capacity. In other words, we must have the capacity to work on the business to improve its capability. However, if the entire staff is fully utilised in operations, we will continue to stay where we are today. So, if we...

While playing it safe, taking little risks, saving cents but losing dollars, sweating the small stuff, keeping things secret, and trying to get more from others than we give, we are likely to make little progress. Big leaps of progress require a clear goal and the...

You may have come across many labels, like: ‘99% fat-free’ on a juice bottle. ‘Dermatologist tested’ on skin care products. ‘Low carb’ on cheese products. These marketing labels are always true and misleading at the same time. Similarly, the software industry has a...

Good leaders care about two things: the set goal their troops The troops have the potential to attain the set goal. So, the leader servers the troops to be at their best to reach the destination with minimum possible effort and damage. Perhaps, this gives a clear...

What is the cost of my rigidity? The cost of advice that I ignored because I thought I knew more. The cost of not paying enough attention to listening while I was preparing my response. The cost of pretending to be busy and not giving my full attention. The cost of...

Small, consistent positive actions have the potential to manifest big, transformative changes over time. These changes often appear sudden, like when a kid suddenly seems to behave like a grown-up, a player gains instant fame, or a performer becomes famous overnight....

As professional problem solvers, our first task is to define the problem, even when faced with preconceived solutions or impatient stakeholders. This task is very tricky because when we are busy formulating problem statements, other stakeholders are ready to implement...

'Creativity' sounds too positive. For example: The Project lead is creative in managing the expectations of stakeholders. We have to work under the given constraints and get creative in developing a solution. We cannot do what we have always done, it is time to get...

Creativity is in scarce supply. We often talk about it, hear and lecture about it, but seldom experience it in our day-to-day lives. Why? Maybe because our society likes us to fit in with what we have. Maybe because our education system is busy teaching the rules of...

Things, either good or bad; happen to us because of our luck. We have little or no control over our luck, so we may have to accept our fate. Things also happen to us because of our decisions (either a decision or a stack of decisions over time). This is where we have...

When things go south, we are well equipped with the reasons. The reasons tend to be everything else, but not us. For instance: Projects took a long time because of vendors, consultants, and technology, but never due to our lack of project management skills. Similarly,...

Life is constantly pushed and pulled in two directions: day and night. One side urges me forward to do the right thing, make the best use of my time, and achieve steady progression. The other side tempts me towards the dark abyss of boredom, lethargy, and...

Influential individuals who lack the necessary depth of expertise can pose significant risks. While their ability to tell persuasive stories might initially impress us, they can ultimately lead the organisation/project astray, sometimes without notice. They are not...

The best wins are the ones where we achieve our objectives without a fight. So, elimination should be our keyword. Before planning to improve a process, we may want to assess if the process can be eliminated. Before hiring a new resource, we may want to assess if we...

When I make others wait for me in meetings, when I constantly change my mind on decisions, when I keep altering the rules of the game, when I force others to act on my directions, when I speak more than I listen... I may be fooling myself by thinking I hold a position...

We are here to play the game of life. There are wins and losses along the way, but what matters is progression, not winning. We may desire to be at the centre stage of the game, but our position will change over time. What matters is the spirit with which we play, not...

If I am decisive, focused, and hardworking, then I have much to be grateful for. These virtues are blessings, not earned, so there is no reason for pride. Comparing myself to others can lead to a roller coaster of emotions such as pride, jealousy, or envy. This is a...

When I am in a position of power, I clearly see what’s not right. So, I put controls in place to make sure others do the right thing, or can’t attempt to do the wrong thing. However, I keep assuming that I am fine and don’t need checks in place for myself. Who knows,...

Often, in my pursuit of executing and perfecting tasks, I overlook the importance of asking fundamental questions: Why is this activity important? How does it add value to the project, task, bottom line, or risk mitigation? What may happen if I eliminate it? Who truly...

My best friend is the one who opens my eyes to the obvious that I don’t see. They hold my hand, lead me from the front, and push me to notice vital things I might find uninteresting. They make me uncomfortable for my benefit, spot my biases, false assumptions, and...

When we adapt and learn to live with problems, we become part of them. The longer we have them, the deeper they engrave themselves into our lives. After a while, we don’t see them as problems; they become part of us. At some point, we may be lucky to have an outsider...

The question is not that if we can improve something, the question is that if it makes business sense and we have the appetite for improvement. The improvement can be in any dimension. For example, process, automation, communications, efficiency, customer service...

I often hear this: "We want to get a new system that processes payroll (or any other process) with the click of a button." In summary, customers want an easy-to-use automated system. However, achieving this is not just a procurement aspiration but a procurement and...

Sometimes, I find it hard to convince people to act on rational things. I wonder why they do not understand basic questions and address the problems in front of them. I often get perplexed by the thought that people cannot see what is in their best interest—losing...

Common sense is overrated. In theory, most of the world around us can be functional using basic common sense. However, we need processes, procedures, rule books, communications, contracts, legal bindings, and systems to operate smoothly. We may organise massive chaos...

I asked myself: Who have I lost to most of the time in my life? It didn’t take long to realise that I have often lost to myself. I lost when I didn’t keep my promise to commit. I lost when I wavered from the decisions I made. I lost when I knowingly distracted myself,...

If it's clear that the work needs to be done, then we should start it promptly. Sitting on the fence and merely raising issues and risks is easy and unproductive. While learning from past experiences and making informed recommendations is important, these actions...

If the result of helping others is feeling happy about myself, then the help is still superficial since it is based on internal happiness and perhaps pride. A deeper level of help comes when we help not out of volunteer service but out of a sense of duty. When it is...

We all make sacrifices for various reasons. Some of us sacrifice time to earn more money, while others give up money to gain more time. We might also sacrifice our resources for justice, status, legacy, or other goals. Often, we aren't fully aware of what we're...

Perhaps we are all blessed with countless treasures. Perhaps one of the purposes of life is to identify and explore these treasures, using them to make a positive impact.

I'll do it tomorrow. It's not that important. All right, I'll get to it eventually. This pattern of slow responses and procrastination isn't harmless. Lethargy comes at a significant, often unquantifiable, cost. How can we measure the price of missed opportunities,...

As a child, I learned from my environment, teachers, and parents. As I grew older, I sought counsel for guidance and support, knowing I didn't have all the answers and needed help. Upon reaching adulthood, I mistakenly believed I knew everything and began ignoring...

We live in parallel worlds. What is considered right in one country may be deemed wrong in the neighbouring country. It may be primarily influenced by differing cultures and societal norms. These cultural and societal frameworks shape our perceptions of morality,...

Workarounds can be appealing because they provide quick solutions to immediate problems. However, if we rely on them without thoroughly understanding the underlying issues, they can proliferate rapidly, leading to more significant challenges. Over time, a habit of...

The critical KPI for my work is the degree to which I have moved the needle. I may spend time demonstrating the value I add or my knowledge or skills. I may choose to showcase how others are not doing the right things. My critical KPI is the degree to which I have...

When I view the present through the rosy lens of the 'good old days,' the present may disappoint me. However, life continues to move on. Things continue to expand, contract, start, and stop. While it may seem disappointing, perhaps, this is how the world has always...

My achievements give the impression that I am a winner. It could be delivering a successful project or scoring a goal in soccer. It is natural for us to focus on the person closely associated with the final action, whether it's a successful project or a soccer goal....

The pressure of what others think of me often seems unnecessary. My default response is often, 'So why should I bother?' This mindset gives me the freedom to do what I think is right without worrying about impressing others. On the surface, this approach makes sense....

In searching for more, we often overlook what we already have. In routine matters, we fail to understand how to capitalise on our existing skills, relationships, and resources. For example: I may not need new customers; instead, I could find opportunities to offer new...

Self love: When I put myself at the center of the world, my decisions are driven by my desires and comfort. I choose options that are favorable to me. Sometimes I feel a sense of achievement, although it is often short-lived. Love: When I put others at the center of...

Being present allows me to see through other people’s eyes, read their minds, feel their heartbeats, and observe their body language. It guides me to know when to slow down and when to trust my instincts. In moments of presence, I understand my emotions better and let...

The real damage is done by people who do exactly what we ask. For example, they design software the way we want, follow our instructions like a rule book, and act without asking questions. On the surface and in the short term, this approach seems ideal. However, over...

It seems we are constantly struggling to gain attention, seeking acknowledgment that reassures us we are enough. This attention can fill our moments, days, weeks, and months with joy and fulfilment. Attention comes in various forms: a nod from a stranger with a hint...

We all are characters on the world stage, playing our parts before passing our roles to the next generation. Some of us are privileged, occupying positions of power and higher socio-economic status. These 'lucky' ones often receive more attention and admiration,...

Good things need space to grow and prosper. Plants need space from weeds. Ideas need space from constant chatter in meetings. Mental clarity needs space from chaos –from our work desks to shoe racks. Implementing new ideas needs space from a constant inflow of shiny...

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