In January, many people make New Year’s Resolutions. By the end of February, 80% have forgotten them. Only 2% of New Year’s Resolutions yield a solution before the end of December.
Since I did not like the odds, I changed New Year’s Resolutions into a “pre-mortem” (pre=before, mortem=death).
A pre-mortem is like the dash on the grave stone which defines the time between birth and death. Very little information is provided about that “dash” on the grave stone. See video http://symbiosis4u.us/MP4/TheDash.html (3 min)
After birth, a doctor examines the baby using the Apgar test, which will assist in finding medical problems in the baby. After a person dies, a coroner performs a post-mortem. The coroner determines the cause of death but not all the events that occurred throughout life. Between birth and death, or the “dash” of life, a person experiences both triumphs and catastrophes. The “dashes” are really tests, or examination opportunities.
We’re all familiar with the concept of a post-mortem (post=after, mortem=death). It’s when somebody has died and a coroner examines the body to determine the exact cause, time and manner of death. But for the person being examined, it’s all a little too late. They’re simply dead.
So, the idea of a “pre-mortem” was born. This is how it works, it’s very simple! Just before you’re about to start your strategy, plan, goal or project, ask yourself the following question.
“Imagine my concept has failed about the plan or project. What were all the possible reasons that it failed?”
In beginning your pre-mortem, pull out your New Year’s Resolutions written in January, 2014. What possible factors might contribute to failure? Consider time, employees, relationships, costs, skills, price, timing, profit, finances, competition, new technology, taxes, environmental laws, lawyers, economy, commitment, guarantees, quality and so on.
List new business skills needed in a “Learn” column. Examples: computer expertise, Chinese language fluency, salesmanship
Test your awareness. See the video “Who Done It?” http://www.symbiosis4u.us/MP4/ChangeBlind-WhoDoneIt.html (2 min)
At 74 years young, some pre-mortems include my own experiences, others are from friends, and others I read about.
- A deer hits a car, bounces into the front door of your business, just as your prime customer is entering the front door.
- Someone called the police to report a bomb planted in your business … six times over a 6 month period before he was caught. (This happened in my wife’s corporate workplace before we married.)
- A strategic member of your team becomes fanatical, and crazy, or lives as a native in Bora Bora Island.
- What if ALL your employees called in sick … today? No one is working.
- A child gave the Hong Kong Flu to the new business employees, and all are sick. They will be sick for thirty days or more.
- A new business critical senior member died instantly before completing all business legal arrangements. (His wife returned all the company investors’ monies.)
- Your city newsletter has headlines, “The city has reached a 25% unemployment rate.” (I was living in Portland, Oregon in 1970, and experienced a 25% unemployment situation. I went back to California … quickly.)
- A competitive company has a new product which could wipe out your customers. You will have 6 months before you complete a competitive product.
- A divorce is a death of marriage. (Over 50% of marriages end in divorce.)
- A senior team member’s family was killed in a car wreck, with wife and three children.
Some of the above examples are extreme or bizarre, and yet they do and have happened. While it’s impossible to know all challenges in advance, reflective planning may make all the difference for you.
http://www.symbiosis4u.us/MP4/DanceInRain.html (3 min)
Be happy, healthy, wise, and abundance
Tom Van Drielen
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