Success anomalies are difficult, if not impossible, to replicate. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop leaders from attempting to repeat a success without first verifying a pattern exists. This over-confidence can result in large investments that don’t return. Organizations can have success anomalies and then stumble as leaders try to repeat past performance in important areas such as:
• Entering new markets
• Hiring senior level people
• Making acquisitions (statistically, the majority fail to deliver expected results).
Make significant investments only where there are clear patterns of positive outcomes. In other cases, make guarded resource commitments since you could be building on an anomaly.
“Everything has its limit – iron ore cannot be educated into gold.” Mark Twain
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Tags: In 100 Words, Leadership, management, Troy Schrock
