So What?: The Definitive Guide to the Only Business Questions That Matter - Brossura

Duncan, Kevin

Brossura

ISBN 10: 1841127930 ISBN 13: 9781841127934

Casa editrice: Capstone Ltd, 2008

Riassunto

So What? gets straight to the point so you can cut through the noise and nonsense of work. Much of what we learn in our formative years is unlearnt in later life. As grown-ups we are often unable to answer the simplest of questions in a clear, direct way, and frequently have no idea why we are doing something. This can lead to crippling inefficiency in business, and goes some way to explaining why so many people spend so much time doing things that have no bearing on the true purpose.<br /> <br /> by behaving in a genuinely inquisitive way, you can get right to the heart of the matter and save yourself hours, days, and even months of anguish. The questions So what?, Why?, How?, and When? can be hugely effective when applied in the right context, and this book shows you how to use them.<br /> <br /> Once all the right questions have been posed, there is a final sure-fire method for testing whether something is relevant and helpful. By completing the sentence "Something must be wrong if...", it is simple to work out if you are wasting your time. For example, "Something must be wrong if I don't want to go to work in the morning."<br /> <br /> So What? shows you how to become truly inquisitive again. So let the questions roll. Pay attention to what the answers are. Learn from them, and you will immediately improve your prospects of finally getting somewhere in life.

Su questo libro

Informazioni sull?autore

<b>Kevin Duncan</b> is a business adviser, marketing expert and author. He was educated at Oxford and has worked in communications for 25 years, advising companies such as British Airways, Carlsberg-Tetley, Diageo, Heineken, Lloyds SB, Marks & Spencer, Norwich Union, Reuters, Scottish Courage, Sony, and Virgin.<br /> He has hands-on knowledge of how to run most types of business, and has worked with over 200 clients in almost every category (except tobacco, which he won't work on). He has deployed £600m of funds on more than 200 brands, overseen over 1,000 projects, and won 35 awards for creativity and effectiveness.<br /> Kevin is the author of <i>Running Your Own Business</i> and <i>Growing Your Business</i> and teaches at Canterbury University. For the last eight years he has been an independent troublehooter, working on is own as expert Advice, advising companies how to run their businesses.

Dalla quarta di copertina

So What? gets straight to the point so you can cut through the noise and nonsense of work. Much of what we learn in our formative years is unlearnt in later life. As grown-ups we are often unable to answer the simplest of questions in a clear, direct way, and frequently have no idea why we are doing something. This can lead to crippling inefficiency in business, and goes some way to explaining why so many people spend so much time doing things that have no bearing on the true purpose. <p>by behaving in a genuinely inquisitive way, you can get right to the heart of the matter and save yourself hours, days, and even months of anguish. The questions So what?, Why?, How?, and When? can be hugely effective when applied in the right context, and this book shows you how to use them.</p> <p>Once all the right questions have been posed, there is a final sure-fire method for testing whether something is relevant and helpful. By completing the sentence "Something must be wrong if...", it is simple to work out if you are wasting your time. For example, "Something must be wrong if I don't want to go to work in the morning."</p> <p>So What? shows you how to become truly inquisitive again. So let the questions roll. Pay attention to what the answers are. Learn from them, and you will immediately improve your prospects of finally getting somewhere in life.</p> So What? gives it to you straight like no other business book you will have read. Kevin Duncan's no-nonsense style will take you straight to the heart of the issue a in dozens of different scenarios. For example: <ul> <li> <div><b>The Value of Questions</b><br /> The only way to break the unholy chain of vagueness is to start by asking questions of yourself and others. Lots of them.</div> </li> <li> <div><b>Write a list what you are not going to do<br /> </b>Because what you are not going to is just as important as what you are going to do. Avoid time wasting and get n with the ob in hand.</div> </li> <li> <div><b>The issue of 'when"</b><br /> If you are going to panic, do it early. In other words, put the frenetic activity in early on, so that there is plenty of time to make mistakes, and rectify them.</div> </li> <li> <div><b>Simple is good</b><br /> Why would you want the route to getting something done to be complicated? If the way forward is clear, take it.</div> </li> <li> <div><b>Jargon and cliche red alert</b><br /> Business does not work if people talk nonsense. Jargon limits clear expression and prevents people from articulating what they really mean. Only plain English will do.</div> </li> <li> <div><b>The Why chromosome</b><br /> Take the inquisitive nature of childhood and continue it into later life. Pass it on so that everyone starts asking Why?more often. Let's be inquisitive grown-ups!</div> </li> </ul>

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So What?

The Definitive Guide to the Only Business Questions that MatterBy Kevin Duncan

John Wiley & Sons

Copyright © 2008 Kevin Duncan
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-8411-2793-4

Chapter One

So What?

This chapter covers how to use the So what? cycle of questions, and explains the difference between using them internally (privately asking yourself) and externally (asking other people). Inquisition is something of a lost art, and there is much we can learn from children about how to do it well. It is important to get your feelings out into the open, organize them, and interlock them with those of others. There is also a knack to working out what not to say, and when not to say it.

How to use the So what? cycle of questions

I have subtitled this book "The definitive guide to the only business questions that matter". This description may sound a bit over the top, but my orientation is one of simplicity, not complication. There is no intellectual high ground being taken here - quite the opposite. What I am suggesting is that if, as grown-ups, we could recapture some of the inquisitive nature that we had as children, then we would be a great deal more successful, and very much happier.

The question So what? is the beginning, or the end, of a series of questions that children instinctively ask, and which we often now fail to ask. So what? provides the initial screen: what's the point of this then? If a good reason is provided, then we want to know Why? in some detail. Assuming the idea or project passes that test, then we are on to asking How?, Who?, When?, Where?, and so on. You may think that all these questions are naturally covered in modern business, but I can assure you that they are not. Once all these elements have been thought through in a satisfactory way, there are a number of sense-check questions to make sure that we haven't overlooked something. These are Do we really need to do this?, Something must be wrong if ... (a sentence you have to complete), and Are we there yet? The What? question is left as a postscript at the end because, frankly, if you haven't worked out what you are doing in the first place, then you shouldn't be embarking on the other questions at all.

Which brings us back to the beginning. The diagram in Figure 1.1 shows the cycle, but don't worry, we'll work our way through the whole thing during the course of the book.

How to use the So what? question

So what? is a very powerful question in its own right. It can deflate the most cerebral and lofty minds in one stroke. Somebody makes an assertion and does not expect to be challenged. But they certainly should be challenged. You don't have to be massively confrontational, but you do need to make your own point and stand your ground. So let's investigate the tone in which the So what? question should be delivered. It can certainly be used with devastating effect by sarcastic teenagers, as a derogatory measure - the "Am I bovvered?" syndrome. But that is not the style I am suggesting here. So what? has use both as an internal question and an external one. In other words, you can ask it of yourself as well as others. Let's have a look at the difference.

For internal use only?

It is perfectly possible to use all the questions in this book to sort your thoughts out without ever having to say them out loud. If you are self-employed, or a decision-maker in a company and do not wish to reveal your thought processes to your colleagues, then you can ask all the questions in this book of yourself. The questions are just as valid, and a very useful way of sense-checking your thinking.

Internal So what? questions

So what? questions are essentially infinite, and the reader will instinctively know which issues to address, but first here are some examples of internal ones.

I hate my job: so what?

I feel out of my depth: so what?

I have been told to do it: so what?

I am in charge: so what?

I am very busy: so what?

I have a grand title: so what?

I disagree with a colleague: so what?

Your first step is to pose a lot of questions. Don't shirk the tough ones because, if you address them honestly, they will help you the most. The next step is to work out what your answers to the questions are, and what you propose to do as a result. For example:

State of affairs Answer: what I am going to do about it

I hate my job: so what? (a) Change something (b) Leave this job and get another one

I feel out of my depth: (a) Get help so what? (b) Enjoy the challenge and learn more

I have been told to do it: (a) Do it and stop moaning so what? (b) Ask my boss for a reason

I am in charge: so what? (a) Enjoy the moment (b) Redefine what I do each day

I am very busy: so what? (a) Keep going and hope I can take it (b) Think harder about which bits matter

I have a grand title: so (a) Use it to enforce helpful ideas what? (b) Get rid of it and be more humble

I disagree with a colleague (a) Don't mention it (b) Say so and propose an alternative

My purpose here, and the purpose of the questions, is not to be an irritant but to flush out the potential answers that are really going to help you. If there are no questions, or they are too vague and general, they will not help you at all. Rubbish in, rubbish out, as the saying goes. So think hard and get to the heart of the matter early.

External So what? questions

External So what? questions are equally infinite. They can go on and on. The knack with them is never to ask just one, but to know when to stop when the issue is becoming sufficiently clear. Here are some examples:

That's your opinion: so what?

This is my opinion: so what?

You are my boss: so what?

I don't have a clear opinion: so what?

I disagree with all my colleagues: so what?

The company line is announced: so what?

Now try a few of your own. Try filling in the panel:

State of affairs Answer: what I am going to do about it

_______________________ _______________________________________ _______________________ _______________________________________ _______________________ _______________________________________ _______________________ _______________________________________

The art of inquisition

The Spanish Inquisition gave the word a bad name, but inquisition is a thoroughly desirable thing. Without it, everybody rushes around doing things without really knowing why. In a previous book, I introduced the idea that you should never do anything unless you know why you are doing it (Teach Yourself Running Your Own Business, p. 91). It sounds so obvious, and yet every time I ask people in my training courses why certain items are on their list of things to do, the answers are less than convincing. Think about it. Never do anything unless you know why you are doing it.

Put simply, if more people were more inquisitive more of the time, we would start a chain reaction of good things. Let's imagine:

Your boss is more inquisitive, so he or she is less likely to ask you to do pointless things.

You are more inquisitive, so you are less likely to accept instructions to do pointless things without asking why.

Your boss knows you are inquisitive, so he or she thinks even more carefully before suggesting something pointless.

You get less stupid stuff to do, so you enjoy your job more.

Everybody gets the hang of it, and the whole company starts concentrating on the important stuff instead of the trivia.

Profits go up.

Your pay goes up.

Another way of looking at this relationship is to view it as a pair of linked equations.

The Inquisition Equations

1. Demanding, thoughtless boss + passive, meek employee = status quo

2. Demanding, thoughtless boss + inquisitive employee = change of ingrained habitual behaviour

In the first scenario, nothing changes. The boss gets away with slack thinking, and the subordinate does nothing about it, leading to an unsatisfactory working relationship. In the second scenario, the boss has to react, and suddenly the employee is in the driving seat. Power to the people! And just before you cry out that you never contradict your boss, bear in mind that one of the biggest complaints that bosses have is that their staff never come up with any ideas.

There's the rub. Asking timid questions will only ever lead to two things:

1. You fail to make your point.

2. The other person enjoys a second opportunity to ram home theirs.

Weak questions are no help to you at all. They make you look daft, neuter your capability, and ultimately lead to you not enjoying your work. So don't ask them.

Learning from children

Children are the experts at inquisition, albeit often in an annoying manner. Their persistent lines of inquiry frequently leave us exasperated. You know the sort of thing.

Child: Why is that man fat?

Parent: Because he has eaten a lot.

Child: Why has he eaten a lot?

Parent: Because he was hungry.

Child: Why was he hungry?

Parent: Because he hadn't eaten for a while.

Child: Why hadn't he eaten for a while?

Parent: Look, he just hadn't, all right?

This is hardly a satisfactory explanation for a young inquiring mind, and as a grown-up, you certainly shouldn't be fobbed off with half-baked answers and poorly thought-through requests. Don't stand for it. Tell them what you feel.

Venting your feelings

Venting your feelings is no bad thing. Most of us these days get paid for our opinion anyway, and we have every right to express them. Equally, as a consequence of doing so, we must be prepared to defend them and expect a robust response from someone who does not hold our view.

The trouble with feelings, of course, is that, annoyingly, other people have them too. So we are not just grappling with yours, but everybody else's. And in business, that person could well be your boss or a customer. It is much easier to blurt out a fact than a feeling that you may not be able to substantiate, and yet, in many contexts, it is the feelings that resonate more powerfully and may hold the power to generating better ideas. Indeed, in many businesses these days, they call it passion, and value it very highly. On the continent, they have been doing this for centuries.

In essence, control represents containment (holding things back), and feelings offer a springboard for imagination (unleashing potential). This balance of yin and yang is at the very heart of any decent business.

Sticking it to the man

Most bosses aren't half as good as they think they are, nor as good as they would like you to believe. In their private moments, they all think they are still in short trousers anyway. Many are simply getting away with it. It is your job to stand up to them. Give them a run for their money! Are you a man or a mouse? Are they? It's time to "stick it to the man", as the rock vernacular goes.

This appalling piece of advice was given to a friend of mine by his father. I think we'll keep that one anonymous, don't you? This is not how it works in the modern world. Work out what you stand for, and let them know, in a charming and engaging way, of course.

The power of feelings

Feelings can be highly persuasive. It rather depends on how they are presented. The facts will speak for themselves to a large degree. So will the control factors - the constraints that apply to the business issue, such as production capability, budget, resources, time limits, and so forth. But it takes personality to bring an opinion to the fore and argue its case. The question is: are you just expressing your own bias? If so, is that of any benefit to the matter in hand?

Twittering on about your small sphere of interest or your long-held prejudices is unlikely to create the right conditions for the big idea or a clever solution, so consider whether your perspective is simply too narrow to be of use in this particular context. If it is, bow out of the discussion or get informed quickly so that you can contribute in a helpful way.

The importance of getting feelings out in the open

Of course, you could argue that the less you know, the more useful you can be in many contexts, and this may well be true if pure objectivity is required. How often have you heard it said that someone is "too close" to the subject to have a sensible view?

It seems that in many cultures, both national and corporate, there is something of a conspiracy or hidden rule that prevents people from being allowed to air their views without fear of recrimination. Don't open your mouth in case your boss frowns upon it! Say nothing until you are spoken to! Unfortunately, this approach is useless in business.

So it is perfectly healthy and natural to be sitting in a room violently disagreeing with someone, or several people. Ask So what? regularly. Remember, you were probably hired for your opinion so you can hardly be criticized for expressing it, and it is certainly preferable to sitting around violently agreeing with each other. There will be plenty of time for that later, when you actually know what you are doing, and in what direction the solution to the matter in hand is heading.

So we want your thoughts out on the table, and that means allowing others to do the same thing too. You can't have it all your own way! The knack is to organize your thinking so that it is clear to you, clear to everyone else, and helpful to the debate. Keep asking So what?

Directional and pointed lines of inquiry

Feelings and opinions are essential in providing direction to creative thinking, particularly in business, precisely because they are directional and pointed. When they are clearly articulated, it is often called leadership. You know the sort of thing:

Boss: "I have a dream and it's somewhere over that hill!"

Staff: "We like that dream, so we'll go over that hill!"

They have no more idea as to what is over the hill than the boss does, but because they like the direction, they will gladly follow. Charismatic leaders have the power to inspire.

Feelings are pointed. They cannot always be explained, but they are often inspirational in creative thinking.

Organizing your feelings

Organized feelings: an oxymoron or a helpful idea? Many would argue that this is a contradictory notion. Surely, feelings just are? And don't they spill out whether you like it or not? Mmm. Not necessarily. With a little thought it is quite a simple matter to work out what your feelings are, jot them down, arrange them, edit them, and work out which ones help the subject in hand, and which ones don't. Once you have got the hang of it, you can apply exactly the same process to everybody else's feelings, so long as they are being honest, and so is the person noting them down.

As the proponent of a feeling, you need to be quite grownup about it too. Blurting out comments randomly might make you feel better in the very short term, but it usually causes havoc. Just take a couple of seconds to work out your point of view before it comes flying out of your mouth.

Also bear in mind that sometimes you have to hear yourself say something before you can actually work out whether you believe it or not. The classic case of this is during interviews.

When you are caught on the hop by a question that you haven't thought about, you will always provide some kind of answer. Sometimes it's not until later that day that you can decide whether you believe what you said or not.

So you need to believe your feelings completely. This helps the other person hugely too, because you can't make any progress if you keep contradicting yourself. Thought is also required if you have multiple feelings on a subject, or there are multiple subjects.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from So What?by Kevin Duncan Copyright © 2008 by Kevin Duncan. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Dettagli dell?edizione

• Editore: Capstone Ltd
• Data di pubblicazione: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1841127930
• ISBN 13: 9781841127934
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Lingua: Inglese
• Numero di pagine: 236
• Contatto del produttore: non disponibile