my article

© Insoo Kim Berg and Coert Visser We are often struck by how results oriented many people in business are. It seems to come naturally to many of them to constantly keep an eye on the outcomes they want to achieve. It seems fair to say that business conversations are essentially goal driven conversations. However, in situations of adversity both managers and employees seem to lose that focus. Whenever there are obstacles, when there is delay, when people don’t perform like intended, it seems only natural to become more directive, more outspoken and to generate pressure in order to speed up the process of getting results. A patient, soft spoken, thoughtful, style of management seems to be the last thing that is asked for. Rather, such a style is viewed as conflicting with a results focus and should be avoided. After all, how can you create sense urgency when you act patiently and understanding? In such cases the drive for results is usually still there but it somehow does not translate i...

© 2004, Coert Visser “While we pursue the unattainable, we make impossible the realizable.” - Robert Ardrey One of the most important reasons why individuals and organizations fail to change effectively is that they formulate change goals ineffectively. Well-formulated goals are an important key to realizing successful change. Effective change goals are achievable, ineffective change goals are not. Unachievable and achievable change goals There are three ways in which the formulation of change goals can stand in the way of effective change. In the first place, change goals are often formulated negatively: they are formulated in terms of what one does not want instead of what one does want. In the second place, goals are formulatied in terms that are so abstract or vague that it is impossible to determine whether and when the goal is achieved and whether progress in the direction of the goal is made. In the third place, goal and means are often confused: people often focus their attent...