
The U.S. Capitol at night. On December 10, 2006, the 109th U.S. Congress adjourned without completing work on 9 of the 11 bills needed to appropriate funds for the fiscal year that began the previous Oct 1.
Photo courtesy U.S. House Democratic Cloakroom.
Sometimes we have objectives that elude us over a long period of time. When this happens, we usually remain unaware of the situation, until by "happenstance" the question arises: "Why haven't I accomplished that?" Here are some of the "answers" that enable continuation of the status quo.
- Something came up and I put everything else on hold.
- I made progress, but then I came to where I didn't know what to do.
- I came to where I had to make a choice, and I couldn't make up my mind.
- I came to where I had to make a choice, and I chose another path, which now seems to be a mistake, but I can't fix it right now.
- I can see how to get something like what I want, but it isn't exactly right, so I'm waiting.
- I found something really interesting to do, and that got me off track, but I'm back now.
- I've had a lot on my plate, but I plan to get moving now.
- I have a lot on my plate right now, but I plan to get moving soon.
- I think I'll be having a lot on my plate soon, but I plan to get moving after that.
- It looks like changes are coming, and I might get what I want without having to do anything, so I'm waiting.
- Somebody needed my help and I had to give her (him) all my attention.
- To make progress, I'd have to give up what I'm doing, and since I like what I'm doing OK, it seems too risky.
- Somebody I respect advised me to give it up.
- Somebody I don't respect advised me to give it up, but since even an idiot can be right once in a while, I gave it up.
- I noticed that someone else is much further along, and it seemed like I would probably lose out, so I gave up.
- I can see how to get
something like what
I want, but it isn't
exactly right, so I'm waitingIt looked like there would be a big obstacle a few months (years) down the road, so I'm waiting to see if I can find a way around. - I heard there would be a better opportunity someday, so I decided to wait.
- It does look good, but there are some serious problems with it, so I'm going slow.
- They told me it was a done deal, and I had a lock on it, so I waited for the announcement, and then it went to someone else. Now I'm just disgusted.
- If I go for it and I fail, I'll lose credibility and then I'll never be able to get what I want ever again.
Maybe now would be a good time to see what your own personal list looks like. Or maybe you can do it later. Top
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Related articles
More articles on Organizational Change:
Finger Puzzles and "Common Sense"
- Working on complex projects, we often face a choice between "just do it" and "wait, let's
think this through first." Choosing to just do it can seem to be the shortest path to the goal,
but it rarely is. It's an example of a Finger Puzzle.
Assumptions and the Johari Window: II
- The roots of both creative and destructive conflict can often be traced to the differing assumptions
of the parties to the conflict. Here's Part II of an essay on surfacing these differences using a tool
called the Johari window.
Patching Up the Cracks
- When things repeatedly "fall through the cracks," we're not doing the best we can. How can
we deal with the problem of repeatedly failing to do what we need to do? How can we patch up the cracks?
Even "Isolated Incidents" Can Be Bullying
- Many organizations have anti-bullying policies that address only repeated patterns of interpersonal
aggression. Such definitions expose the organization and its people to the harmful effects of "isolated
incidents" of interpersonal aggression, because even isolated incidents can be bullying.
Contrary Indicators of Psychological Safety: II
- When we begin using new tools or processes, we make mistakes. Practice is the cure, but practice can
be scary if the grace period for early mistakes is too short. For teams adopting new methods, psychological
safety is a fundamental component of success.
See also Organizational Change and Organizational Change for more related articles.
Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout
Coming February 26: Devious Political Tactics: Bad Decisions
- When workplace politics influences the exchanges that lead to important organizational decisions, we sometimes make decisions for reasons other than the best interests of the organization. Recognizing these tactics can limit the risk of bad decisions. Available here and by RSS on February 26.
And on March 5: On Begging the Question
- Some of our most expensive wrong decisions have come about because we've tricked ourselves as we debated our options. The tricks sometimes arise from rhetorical fallacies that tangle our thinking. One of the trickiest is called Begging the Question. Available here and by RSS on March 5.
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