Pushing the reset button in your business

I’m somewhat of a software geek.  I try out new software packages all the time on my laptop as I am always looking for the latest tool (toy)  to try and be more productive.  Unfortunately, it seems like a ”universal law” that as time goes by my laptop gets more cluttered, and filled with unnecessary stuff and the memory gets used up by programs that really don’t matter.  Over time, the machine starts freezing up and acting funky.  Usually I delete some stuff and reboot the computer and it runs better for a while, but every so often I just need to start from scratch and do a clean reinstall of the software.  The process is frustrating and time consuming, but after the clean-up, the laptop is lean and mean and runs like new again.  It’s kind of like pushing a giant reset button.

We spend a lot of time with clients “pushing the reset button” on some of their projects and initiatives.  I’ve written before on the problem we see in so many organizations.  It’s easy for businesses to fall in love with new ideas and start initiatives to solve current problems.  But similar to my laptop  - business projects and initiatives get too complicated over time, and there are often too many of them happening at the same time.  The competitive landscape changes quickly, and what seemed like a good idea when the project was started often becomes a resource hog and/or management distraction.  Ignoring the issue – like constantly rebooting my laptop - does not solve the problem.

Unfortunately, the clean-up / reset process is not easy.  Many business managers can’t get past the sunk costs and resources of stalled initiatives.  It can be difficult to explain to the participants that an initiative or project they have spent time on is no longer necessary.  And sometimes, a business is too far down the road and just needs to slog through a project and finish it - often with diminished expectations.

The key to successfully navigating the issue is to develop a process where the various projects and initiatives are measured and progress is regularly reported.  Initiatives that are taking longer or using more resources than expected should raise red flags.  Just as important, the management team should continually question the relevance to the business.  Would we start this same project today?  Are the underlying assumptions for the project the same as when we started?  Can we still afford the resources for this project?  If the answers are “no”, it’s almost always better to “cut bait” than continue wasting limited resources.

It’s easy for me to get enamored with the newest software for my laptop - and it’s easy for businesses to be convinced that another initiative will help solve a current issue.  It needs to become routine to stop and review what’s actually going in the organization.  It just might lead to a decision to push the reset button and start with a clean slate.