Going for the right solution

An opportunity identified should have a definitive outcome objective that is verifiable scientifically. It does not always need to translate into dollars but it should be quantifiable in some form or qualified through consensus. We often chase the wrong outcomes when obsessed with a dollar ROI, miss inhout on the obvious. Often, however, an opportunity is chased without being rationally qualified. A humongous amount of pseudo-science and house-of-assumptions are built to justify it - that's an agenda. Chase an Outcome "Objective" and not (one person's) Outcome "Agenda".

So we now have an opportunity that has a quantifiable, or at least a qualified outcome objective. The overwhelming inclination will be to run to a technology or tool, or an asset of some form to solve for it. Pause. It is important to dive deeper and identify the origin of the opportunity. Is there a deeper, hidden, and systemic flaw that has created an opportunity? If the answer is yes and we solve only for a legitimate but superficial opportunity that may only be a symptom, we may be creating fertile ground for future rework and leakage.

We now are at the point where we solve. The natural tendency is to pick the technology (or tool) answer that is available at hand, that everyone is talking about, and that showed up on the favorite webinar sounding polished and smart. 7/10 tool, platform, technology transformations fail to deliver on the promised entitlement because of this rush. There are many ways to a solution. It is important to consider all the paths and proximity of the choice we make being optimum to the ambient context. Context is important. It can be driven by culture, economics, politics, technology, and is crucial.

Always, always get an outside-in perspective. The world now has a wide plethora of services ranging from networking platforms, digital forums to syndicated benchmarking, and experts for hire. It always helps to get an unconnected voice to talk about what works, and more importantly, what may not work. In a closed room, everyone has an agenda. Talk to someone who will get paid (in some form), or not, no matter what they say. It helps ask the right questions and zero in on the right path or alternative.