Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim, Fire

October 18 2015
By: Terry L. Mathis

Some organizations simply don't make decisions as fast as others. Even when they decide what to do, they may take a long time to decide how to do it. They may take even longer to decide who, if anyone, should be selected to help them do it. Such organizations are not necessarily remedial or overly bureaucratic. Often, such hesitation and care in selection has been bred from former failures or missteps. Leaders are careful not to repeat the problems of the past.

However, most hesitation over the selection of solutions, consultants or processes stems from a common cause: the options are rigid and inflexible. The organization must choose this methodology or that one, and neither are obviously better, and neither are a perfect fit. One consultant seems a good fit with the culture but another has a better product and the third is significantly less expensive. All such situations can be avoided by utilizing consultants who fit their solutions to your culture rather than trying to make your culture fit their solutions. Good doctors don't prescribe before they diagnose, and good consultants follow the same pattern of assessing the culture before customizing the solution. Customized solutions are also based on trust between leaders and consultants. Consultants create trust through multiple successes with customized solutions.

If you are having trouble deciding between options, maybe you should choose "option D: None of the Above," and look for a custom solution provider like ProAct Safety.


Terry L. Mathis

Terry Mathis, Founder and retired CEO of ProAct Safety, has served as a consultant and advisor for top organizations the world over. A respected strategist and thought leader, Terry has authored five books, numerous articles, videos and blogs, and is known for his dynamic and engaging presentations. EHS Today has named him one of the '50 People Who Most Influenced EHS' four consecutive times. Business leaders and safety professionals seek Terry's practical insight and unique ability to introduce new perspectives that lead to real change.





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