Launching an oil tanker
/“There’s nothing like a rapid launch to get the ball rolling quickly.” Yogi Berra didn’t say that—but I should have in Trusting Technology.
Have you ever turned an oil tanker? Neither have I, but I’ve seen new initiatives take way too long to get started and it feels about the same. A slow launch is the root cause of your biggest change headaches.
Which makes a rapid launch your second opportunity for success. That’s because you’ve already nailed your vision promptly.
Too often, I’ve asked when a business upgrade launched only to be told that the kickoff meeting was weeks ago, but progress have been slow since.
Let’s be clear—the kickoff is not the launch.
So how do you know when you’ve launched?
There are a number of ingredients to a complete launch:
You’ve articulated a clear vision.
The team is on board and OWNs success.
Resources are committed.
The team has a simple and efficient collaboration plan.
Measures and milestones are clear to all.
The plan mitigates risks as early as possible.
You’re ready to adjust course when circumstances dictate.
… oh, and the kickoff meeting was weeks ago and progress is ahead of plan.
(Much, much more on this in Part II of Trusting Technology.)
When you’re done, it begins to feel like your business upgrade is on auto pilot. That’s a comforting but dangerous perception. I’ll offer a remedy when we look at the final step in every business upgrade—navigation.
Trusting Technology is a book about forming ideas, exploring opportunities with customers and colleagues, and building your future together. Order your copy here.