In the Lucidea Letters you've received from me over the last few months, I've suggested ideas that will help you cut your costs and make you more competitive. But of course simply having an idea isn't enough. You have to make that idea happen. So that's what this month's letter is all about. It's how you get the benefit from these ideas by turning them into action.
So here are three practical steps you can take. They've helped me - and I'm sure they'll help you as well.
BEFORE YOU START: WELCOME CRITICISM
If you've had an idea, you're going to think it's a good one aren't you? So the last thing you want to hear are reasons why it won't work. But don't avoid these criticisms, or brush them aside - welcome them, and deal with them head-on. Some of the objections will be genuine. The sooner you find out about these, the better. Once you know about them, you can deal with them. And it's a whole lot easier to do this before you start making changes, than it is to put them right later on.
THREE TIPS THAT TURN YOUR IDEAS INTO ACTION
To turn your ideas into action, you need an implementation plan. Or in plain English, you need to write down a list of tasks that get you from where you are now to where you want to be.
This may surprise you, but the way you describe these tasks can make a big difference to how successful you are. Here are my three simple tips that will improve your chance of success.
Tip #1: make your task specific. A task shouldn't be an abstract idea such as "improving the efficiency of direct labour". You need to make it concrete, for example: "change the staff rosters to reduce overtime". Make sure all the tasks in your implementation plan are concrete activities - then you'll have something that you can actually do.
Tip #2: make it something you can do - today. If a task is too big, it won't get done. If you're in any doubt, break it down into smaller tasks that you know you can finish. And if you can, make each task something you can do within a day. Then you won't get overwhelmed. You'll make steady progress - and you'll feel good.
For example, you could break down "change the staff rosters to reduce overtime" like this: (1) work out how many staff hours are available now in each hour of the day; (2) estimate how many staff hours actually need in each hour of the day; (3) change shift start times to reduce the excess of hours needed over hours available.
Tip #3: make one person responsible. You should make sure that every task has one - and only one - person who's responsible for getting it done. If two people are responsible then nobody's responsible. And make sure that you tell that person what the deadline for completing the task is.
DON'T FORGET TO SELL THE SCHEME
It's easy to become task-focussed when you're managing a big implementation - but you've got to remember that the rest of your company and your customers are still out there. It's vital you keep these people informed about what's going on. Sooner or later they'll be affected by what you're doing, and you'll need their help to get the job done. So remember to give yourself time to sell the benefits of what you're doing to them.
So what message should you take away from this month's letter? Lots of good ideas fail because they aren't turned into action successfully. If you want to increase your chances of success then welcome criticism; make sure your implementation tasks are concrete, small enough to complete easily, and that there's just one person responsible for each of them; and don't forget to sell your plan to your customers and the rest of your company.
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