Q3, 2023 Newsletter
In This Issue:
- A People Perspective: Working Genius Workshops (and a free offer!)
- A Business Perspective: How Did Your Company Respond to its Last "Rapid, Unscheduled Disassembly?"
- A Leadership Perspective: Embrace a Chief Data Officer and Ditch the CIO
- A Data Perspective: The Last Thing Your Company Needs is a Data Strategy
- A Personal Perspective: The Timeless Beauty of America's Founding
A People Perspective: Working Genius Workshop (and a free offer below!)
I do a lot of work in the area of data and the vast majority of a company's data problems are actually people problems and most of a company's people problems are in reality leadership problems. This might include the wrong person, but more often it is the right person in the wrong seat, or said another way, asking someone on your team to work outside their working genius.
Working Genius is Patrick Lencioni’s newest teamwork model, which helps people understand how they can contribute to work most effectively. This tool can help individuals, leaders and teams better leverage one another’s strengths and understand how to be both productive and fulfilled at work.
"This groundbreaking new model and assessment have revolutionized the way I look at work and teams. I am excited for everyone to understand their gifts and frustrations so they can better experience fulfillment and dignity in their work." ~Patrick Lencioni
The iBusiness Group is a Certified Working Genius Facilitator. We offer Working Genius workshops that include individualized reports, a team map, discussions, and exercises to quickly and simply:
- Transform your work
- Maximize joy and fulfillment
- Increase productivity
- Build effective teams
- Lead better meetings
- Improve hiring
- Boost morale
- Find greater success
As a special offer to The iBusiness Group network, we are providing a free four-hour Working Genius team workshop for up to 8 team members to anyone who refers a client to us that engages The iBusiness Group in a paid engagement. Please submit an inquiry for "Working Genius Assessment" to learn more about this offer or to refer someone to us.
You may also purchase one of our Working Genius workshops to elevate your team's performance and fulfillment today by submitting an inquiry for "Working Genius Assessment." We look forward to helping you discover your Working Genius.
A Business Perspective: How Did Your Company Respond to Its Last "Rapid, Unscheduled Disassembly?"
On April 20, 2023, about a minute after liftoff, SpaceX tweeted that Starship had cleared the launchpad and was on its flight path. Three minutes later, the rocket exploded. SpaceX described the "failure" as:
- "Congrats SpaceX team on an exciting test launch of Starship. Learned a lot for the next test launch in a few months." (a tweet from Elon Musk)
- "You never know exactly what is going to happen, but as we promised, excitement is guaranteed."
- "The goal was to gather the data, clear the pad, and get ready to go again."
- "Everything after clearing the tower was icing on the cake."
- The flight resulted, not in an explosion or a failure, but rather in "a rapid, unscheduled disassembly."
The way SpaceX talked about this experience, beginning at the top with Elon Musk, exudes a culture of innovation. I can guarantee everyone at SpaceX is willing to critically evaluate what worked and what didn't work with no fear of being blamed. And, I can only imagine how willing, excited, and eager the entire team is to learn from the experience and try again, striving for progress rather than fearing falling short of perfection.
Is your company truly this innovative or has innovation become little more than a buzzword and cheap talk? The quickest way to evaluate innovation at your company is to think about a highly-visible, high-stakes experiment that did not result in a homerun, and then ask a few simple questions.
A Leadership Perspective: Embrace a Chief Data Officer and Ditch the CIO
In today's data-centric business landscape, traditional roles and structures are often no longer be sufficient to harness the power of data for strategic decision-making. As businesses increasingly rely on data and AI to drive growth and innovation, a new approach to data and technology leadership is needed. Enter the Chief Data Officer (CDO), a role specifically designed to oversee data management and analytics, working in tandem with a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Embracing a CDO-led capability could (should?) very well mean ditching your current Chief Information Officer (CIO) role.
I have been in IT, data, and operational leadership roles for a long time. In addition, I have consulted with dozens of organizations over the years and have seen many different ways data rolls up in organizations. The most common way that companies venture into the world of data is having it part of IT, and if the company is small enough, IT will itself roll up to either an Operations leader or a Finance leader. In all of these scenarios, data is buried behind an IT firewall where project budgets, project deadlines, project resources, and traditional project execution routinely stifles and kills strategic data and analytics initiatives.
One CIO told me, "we can do IT without data, but you can't do data without IT."
A Data Perspective: The Last Thing Your Company Needs is a Data Strategy
I admit it. I am a recovering data strategist, guilty of creating data strategies. But, I have changed my ways and will never again create a data strategy because that is the last thing any organization needs that is trying to achieve data readiness and data maturity.
The last thing your organization needs is a data strategy, with its own set of objectives and goals, its own desired outcomes, and its own framework for decision-making. Let's be honest, a lot of companies struggling to achieve data readiness, data maturity, and effective data execution have robust data strategies, and yet they continue to struggle.
So, what's the answer?
A Personal Perspective: The Timeless Beauty of America's Founding
I love Independence Day, or "the Fourth" as it is commonly referred to. I also love the United States of America, what it has stood for, and the good it has brought about here at home and around the world. America's founding is a testament to the power of ideas, ideals, and the courage to challenge the status quo. The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration, articulating principles that continue to shape the nation to this day. As a country, America just celebrated the 247th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Let us also celebrate the timeless beauty of America's founding, exploring the ideals and principles that have propelled the nation forward.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
At the heart of the Declaration of Independence lies the belief that every individual possesses certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This revolutionary concept formed the bedrock of the American identity, emphasizing the intrinsic worth and dignity of each human being. This commitment to individual freedoms has fostered a society that encourages personal growth, innovation, and the pursuit of dreams.
Equality and Justice for All
The Declaration of Independence boldly proclaims that "all men are created equal." While the struggle for equality has been ongoing throughout world and American history, this principle has been a guiding light in the pursuit of a more inclusive and just society. America's founding documents laid the groundwork for transformative movements, such as the abolition of slavery, women's suffrage, and the civil rights movement, as the nation continuously aspires to fulfill its promise of equality for all.
Limited Government and Popular Sovereignty
The Founding Fathers recognized the potential dangers of unchecked power, leading them to establish a system of government that balances authority with individual rights. The Declaration of Independence emphasizes that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed, placing sovereignty in the hands of the people. This principle paved the way for the creation of a democratic republic, where citizens have a voice in shaping their destiny through active participation and the power of the vote.
Freedom of Speech and Expression
The Declaration of Independence champions the right to express oneself freely, acknowledging that open discourse is vital to a vibrant democracy. This principle has allowed diverse voices to be heard, leading to innovation, progress, and the protection of individual liberties. America's commitment to free speech has fostered a climate of intellectual curiosity, enabling the exchange of ideas that challenge societal norms and drive positive change.
There is much debate about the founding of our country and whether or not America has lived up to its potential. There are also numerous forces at work to undermine our country, our Constitution, and what America has stood for. However, the beauty of America's founding lies not only in the words penned on parchment but in the enduring ideals and principles they represent. The Declaration of Independence embodies the aspirations of a nation built on the belief that all individuals are created equal, possess inherent rights, and have the power to shape their own destiny. As America continues to evolve, it is essential to reflect on and reaffirm these foundational principles, ensuring that the nation's beauty endures for generations to come. By embracing the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, we honor the spirit of America's founding and chart a path toward a more perfect union.
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