A leverage point is a place where you can provide a small amount of focused energy and get an even bigger and better result in return. Have you identified the leverage points in your sphere of influence?
I'm delivering a presentation next week on "Coaching Skills" for a local HR association. The reason for this is that HR coaching managers represents a giant leverage point in organizations. If one talented HR manager can help make one manager more effective, that HR manager has in fact reached not only the manager but every employee he or she works with. It's about leverage.
A great tip about leverage points (I believe it comes from Donetta Meadows) is that usually everyone knows where they leverage points are in an organization, except that they are trying to push them very hard in the opposite direction they need to go!
A good example of this is an overly strong focus on corporate policies and heirarchical control. I've known CEOs who try to build organizational excellence by clamping down so tightly on rules and regulations that people need three signatures to purchase a box of paper clips. (OK, a slight exaggeration). Rather than building excellence, this kind of tight control tends to lead to less accountable workforces, people who say "no" to customers because of "rules" and inflexible approaches. (Not to mention it also makes managers feel like they're being treated like five year olds - which is never good for retention.)
Where are the leverage points in your work? Where can you expend focused effort to get a bigger payoff than many might expect? Food for thought today.
See http://www.agileadvice.com/2008/05/12/referenceinformation/the-best-agile-practices-to-implement-now-highest-return-on-investment/ for three Leverage Points for team ROI.
Posted by: Rolf | May 13, 2008 at 09:18 AM