What do we do on Monday?

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You've established the new vision for your business and you're leadership team is locked and loaded.

Congratulations! Now for the hard part.

Early in my executive career, I lead a meeting to review the company strategy with my team. We spent the day talking about all the great plans we had, and the role that technology should play in reaching our 3-year goals.

The memorable moment came right at the end when I asked for any final questions.

One hand went up—"What do we do on Monday?".

In all the months of planning I had done with the leadership team, we'd never considered an answer to that question. In the minds of the leadership team, the vision had been conceptually realized. We'd seen the future, and it was sunny.

But in the mind of the superstar that asked about Monday, the journey was just beginning. A big change lay ahead and my colleague was asking for help with the first step.

Until that question was asked, I hadn't considered that for many folks, there's a chasm between strategy and action. We bridged that chasm over the following month and I've been bridging it ever since, but those six words changed the course of my career in an important way.

I counted to 10 while I considered a useful answer. Then I went to 20 before offering a suggestion—"ask new questions".

Bridging Your Chasm

When your leadership team makes decisions that will impact your entire company, rate your approach with these questions.

Do you spend time in intimate conversations with smaller groups to:

  1. Understand their concerns?

  2. Secure collaboration rather than compliance?

  3. Agree on what you expect of each other?

Are you comfortable that:

  • You're being asked all the tough questions?

  • Individuals are given enough time to absorb the change you are asking them to make?

  • You understand the challenges your team is having with their adjustment?

Trusting Technology is a book about forming ideas, exploring opportunities with customers and colleagues, and building your future together. Order you copy here . This article is also available in hardcopy as part of my 10-minute Reflections series of exercises—order volume 1 here and volume 2 here.