LOST

Do you ever wake in the middle of the night thinking about an important contract, “What would happen if we actually lost this …?” 

Your company has invested, prepared for winning, improved technology, reduced costs and improved efficiency; you have analysed cash flow and eked out better terms with suppliers. You’re paying well for the best people, and your organization has invested in the pursuit of quality, the award plaques hang proudly on the wall, pictures in the lobby. 

But apparently there’s an elephant in the room: really, how confident are you of winning that crucial order? Holding your marketing people responsible for wins then terminating them if they loose… this is not a strategy.

An awful thought emerges, “What if the prospect doesn’t care about our investments -or our internal efficiency? They seemed impressed during our presentations, they commented on the cleanliness of the plant and our quality charts, our delivery performance and efficiency.” You lie there thinking, “What wins a critical contract?” 

There is a trade secret process which answers that question and provides a complete architecture for such strategy thinking. A part of the answer can be revealed here, it is this, “Decisions determine who wins.” Not your decisions. No. It's your customers' decisions that ultimately determines whether you win or lose, isn't it? So the first question you should think of as you are lying there, “What is the customer decision – which is going to bring them to us?”

Of course you have already considered the tangible elements, did you price it right, do you really meet requirements, have you sufficiently explained how your bid qualifies you? Well, the problem is that everyone competing has done that too, that’s what got you to this point of consideration. Now, what are the elements that will set you apart? And, are there omissions which might surprise you? Without a template of all the elements, there is no way of knowing. That’s why you wake up, it’s the “… not knowing that creates sleepless nights.”

A knowledge of these intangibles is what will separate you from the ordinary, and can take you from good to excellent, and allow you to win 3 out of 4. Some say this is all individual. What is certain, there are patterns - and they are not tangible. Because ‘it’ is more about how you think and therefore behave. Of course, one part of ‘It’ is how you select, translate and explain the values that you bring to the customer. But you knew that! So what could be so significantly different in this trade secret process? Well, for one - the most brilliant of intuition and based on our 35 years of research, your explanation of values is the 9th thing you should think about. Sound naïve? Alright, consider number eight: who did you send to communicate that value? Could that have made a difference? One which your customer might remember? 

The professionals of The Mapping Alliance have coached winning teams for over 35 years and provided a “Map of this process.” These teams learn, recognise and manage the intangible elements, and know the unseen dynamics of decision-making. And by having a map of the process, they know the omissions – in time. If you accept that the performance of your organisation is linked to the quality of your people, their ability to think, communicate and behave in brilliant ways … then come join us to learn how top performers are enabled to affect high strategic value decisions. 

The Element of Lost Brilliance

It is an old idea. Over time, the qualities of an organization wane, become unhealthy and ineffective. Why?

Because company leaders didn't duplicate or systemize the very things they do that made their companies great. And this systemized forgetting is clearly reflected in the deterioration and finally the demise of any organization, which forgets the importance of duplicating their 'WINNING' processes.

The suggestion here is that such an organization had entered into a downward spiral, and has become unaware of the deficiencies rooted in their lost knowledge, skills and attitudes. Their usual reactions are denial and anger, signs of a classic grieving process. Additionally, corporate politicking becomes part of each team members' means of surviving the next round of 'budget cuts," and resulting layoffs.

Before company decision-owners usually pay any attention to the dangerous spiral they are in, participants have to become conscious of the pattern; trusting and often-times acting on their belief this pattern foretells of an inevitable company deconstruction and loss of their job security.

Could the same be said for a society, or found in the dynamics of a family, a relationship? Of course. We easily are caught in this spiral, and remain so focused on “Finding solutions” - quick fixes - and on self-deluding tricks - that we have to approach the bottom before we even begin to consider doing anything different. For many, it is a perceived necessity to breakdown in order to break through.

The omission of not recognizing this pattern allows us to be lead further down the spiral of destruction, be it self-destruction or the companies we own, run or work for... So, the question is asked, "Is there a possibility of reversing the spiraling dynamic?"

In short, No. This pattern exists. It is part of any cycle and is constant and far more powerful than any of us. We can see clear evidence today with our economic crisis, can't we? However, there is good news. Because thankfully, there is an option completely depart out of the spiral. The secret is to take ownership for making the decision, to depart the processes which have led to the lost brilliance of the company...

There is a hopeful ancient idea here: the Greek root of the word decision is departure. In other words, it is within the decisions you make (or affect) that the opportunity for a true departure awaits. This is promising, yes?

Because all of us have been warned of this spiral since an early age, in the myths and stories of our traditions. In different cultures this progression takes the form of famous stories, haunting myths and even spiritual journeys. Consistent in every story is an alarming tale of the inevitable descent into darkness before remembering to be the light. We all live within an illusion - an illusion, of our own making - and it has been our choices which have created our individual and collective “reality.”

Our challenge is to escape this illusion. Faced with such a situation one might wish to introduce some escape – some kind of transformation – to establish a different standard for thinking and decision-making, to learn how right decisions get made and how such powerful decisions might be affected.

But what would it take to make right decisions?

There are three elements, which I'll explore in greater depth in my next post. For now, here they are in brief summary as we continue this conversation together.

The three elements for making right decisions are as follows:

1. An Immediate Need for Process,
   
2. An Insatiable Desire for Learning and Adapting; and
   
3. A Focus on Decisions.
   

Because the right decisions will bring about the real changes desired...