Realistic
My grandfather used to quote the Scottish national poet Robert Burns’s (1759–1796) famous line: “O would some power the gift give us to see ourselves as others see us.” (“To a Louse,” verse 8.) It’s so true. Organizations, like people, have a very tough time being truthful with themselves. I have heard many small businesses express wide gaps between who they think they are and who they are in reality. Sometimes thegap lies between the owner and the team. Other times it’s between departments. Most often I see it between the “new” management team and the old guard.
Any plan that seeks to be a road map for growth must include a realistic assessment of which we are now, where we want to be, how we plan to get there, and the resources we’ll need to make the journey successfully. To that end, I advise including at least one outside observer as a reality monitor. A retired business school professor or successful business owner with some time can be used to sniff out the bull from the believable.
