Last week I looked at the cost of perfect information. Most people over-analyze challenges and opportunities, trying to uncover the “perfect” information that they think will reveal the best choice.
I’ve observed that experienced people instinctively know the right course. You just need to trust your instincts, make a decision, and then focus on the consequences and next steps. You’ll get it right most of the time.
Let’s look at another angle on decision-making: booking and shipping…
In a manufacturing business, “book it and ship it” simply means, “We’ve finished building this. Let’s ship it to the customer and move on.”
For nonprofits it’s a way of saying, “No more dithering. We’ve done our best here; now let’s put the decision in motion and see what happens.” If problems develop, you’ll find a way to manage them.
Kicking the can down the road over and over just saps energy. Success comes from the implementation of ideas. Time should be spent on organizing, strategizing, and planning, but then you need to complete the project, hire the person, and get the donation.
Remember: Success is only 10% strategy. Implementation counts for 90%!
- Within your organization is there a project that’s taking far too long to complete?
- What do you need to do right now to “book it and ship it”?
Listen to the chapter Book It and Ship It from the audiobook of Applied Wisdom for the Nonprofit Sector.