The Logic Box

Are two heads better than one? Moreover, if that is the case, then doesn’t it follow that three, four, five, etc. would be even better?

The answer is yes. Multiple heads are better than one when considering an action, for example, concerning a problem or trying to turn an apparent problem into an opportunity. It is not because those other heads are smarter. What they bring to the table is different combinations of KASH. Each of us is different because of the sum total of our prior learning and experiences. We each have a different “Logic Box”—a different set of Knowledge, Attitude, Skills, and Habits.

 

KASH forms the walls of our Logic Box. That box constrains our thinking. It limits our imagination. We can think outside of the box, but it is difficult, and it does not happen naturally. That is why brainstorming, getting multiple people (heads) to think about an issue, is better. It is better not because of better “ideas” but because of “more ideas.” The more ideas we have the better our chances of selecting the best one.

The classic puzzle illustrating the limits imposed by our Logic Box is the nine-dot puzzle.



The puzzle challenges you to draw four straight lines, without lifting your pencil from the “paper,” through all nine dots arranged in a square matrix. If you limit your attempts by an effort to stay inside of the box, you will not be able to do it.


“Think outside of the box” and the answer is simple:



We can all think outside of box, but it takes a deliberate effort to do it. Understanding the natural limits imposed by your personal Logic Box will help you look beyond the walls of the box to unleash your imagination, but no effort on your part can substitute for the value of groupthink. The more ideas you have on the table, the better your chances of selecting the best one should you be smart enough to recognize it among the alternatives.

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Mysteries by Tom Collins include Mark Rollins’ New Career, Mark Rollins and the Rainmaker, Mark Rollins and the Puppeteer and the newest, The Claret Murders. For signed copies go to http://store.markrollinsadventures.com. Print and ebook editions are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online bookstores. The ebook edition for the iPad is available through Apple iTunes' iBookstore.

 

Ceremonialism

We all like to be recognized for our contributions and achievements.  Effective change management looks for opportunities to provide an upward push against the downward spike of the Change Curve with awards and recognition tied to the KASH formula.  Examples include:

• Certificates for completing training courses designed to deliver “new knowledge”
• Lapel pins recognizing milestone achievements
• T-shirts, hats, and/or jackets with goal-oriented messages reinforcing the purpose of the change
• Cash awards for individual or team accomplishments

Nothing encourages success more than success.  Many a weight loss regime has been given an important boost by an early, quick weight loss.  Setting initial goals that are quickly achievable, and then recognizing their accomplishment through ceremony and awards, reassures those going through a change that “it is working.”

 

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Mysteries by Tom Collins include Mark Rollins’ New Career, Mark Rollins and the Rainmaker, Mark Rollins and the Puppeteer, and the newest, The Claret Murders. For signed copies, go to http://store.markrollinsadventures.com. Ebook editions are available on Amazon.com for the Kindle, on Barnes & Noble for the Nook, and in Apple iTunes' iBookstore for the iPad.  Paperback editions are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online bookstores.

Change by Decree

One of the wrong ways to implement change is by decree—“Do it because I said to!” or “Do it because I’m the boss.”  The problem with Change by Decree is that it is unmanaged.  It could be successful or it could fail.  The arrows in the icon illustrate that the reaction to the change can be all over the board.  It is uncontrolled.  People don’t react well to forced change so one thing is sure, whatever success is achieved, if any, it will be at a greater cost than for properly managed change.  Remember the icon for the condition required before the downward spike of the Change Curve is halted and turned upward—KASH.  Change by Decree does nothing to create a positive attitude, sabotaging the likely outcome from the onset.  Unmanaged change endangers any organization.

If change is so risky and dangerous, one might conclude that it is something to avoid.  The answer, of course, is that you can’t.  Change is the very essence of business.  Yes, change left unattended can destroy the business.  Likewise, change occurring around you that is left un-responded to reduces your competiveness and can even eliminate the market for your goods or services.  Too often entrenched market leaders ignore the changes occurring from disruptive technology or innovation.  They focus on the quality, “wrong Q”.  The Underwood company thought of itself as a typewriter company not as company to help people produce documents.  If they had viewed themselves as the latter, they might still be around.

Survival requires businesses to respond to a constantly changing environment.  Consider the chances of surviving in the music industry as vinyl was displaced by CDs only to lose out to the downloading of digital songs.  Consider what it was like to survive in the technology business as main frames and service bureaus were replaced by mini-computers which were quickly replaced by desktop computers now under assault from the “cloud” and a host of handheld devices and pads.  How does one survive in the telecommunications communications field now that the Internet is here?  How would you like to have been the leading manufacturer of FAX machines?  Consider the publishing industry now transitioning from the print age to the digital age.  Long-term survival requires companies to embrace change, not avoid it!

Change by Decree, forcing change on people, is unmanaged.  It may work or it may not.  The response to forced change, “Do it because I said to,” is random and unpredictable.

In 2010 Music City suffered a great flood.  Nashville streets were turned into streams and the streams into raging killing zones.  That is the setting for my newest novel, The Claret Murders, available on Amazon.com for $15.99 or at only $2.99 for the Kindle, Nook and through iTunes for the iPad.

Managing Change-KASH

In order for the downward spike of the Change Curve to be stopped and the upward movement to occur to the point of achieving the targeted higher performance, those involved must have four things: new Knowledge combined with the right Attitude to acquire necessary Skills which through use become Habit.

KASH

 
The people affected must acquire new knowledge—for the sake of illustrating what I mean by new knowledge, think of a user’s manual or training.  The receptionist trying to deal with a new phone system has to be trained, and equally important all the people in the office have to understand how their piece of the system works including its new benefits and features.  If they have been given that prerequisite knowledge, or eventually dig it out themselves, then with the right attitude they will acquire new skills (the skill to use the new equipment and features).  In short they will know how, but until those skills become habit, higher performance will go unrealized.  It is only over time that those skills become habit and allow the Change Curve to reverse its downward trend turning upward from its low point, the valley of despair, to climb up to targeted performance.  It is like a golfer or other athlete who develops muscle memory.  Taking advantage of the new equipment and benefits has to become instinctive.  If you have to take the time to check with others, refer to a checklist or open a user’s guide, the new system will still be getting in the way of performance.

When a receptionist dealing with a new phone system says “If you ask me this has just made things worse,” she is the victim of a lack of proactive change management. Sooner or later, in the example of the phone system, the organization will survive and get some of the desired benefit of upgrading its phone system—but not before hurting its performance and frustrating its people and customers for some period of time.  But other changes, left to similarly fester, can literally put a company out of business.  It is a scenario I have seen played out many times. 

PS: My new book, The Claret Murders continues to get strong reviews.  The Kirkus review organization said, "Collins keeps the story motoring with writing that is frank but not scant, muscular but not tough-guy, something akin to the 1960s TV show The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” " …when the great cache of wine enters the picture and then a roaring storm comes down to swamp the landscape and the cellar, Collins deftly moves the story forward, and frankly, the reader really wants to know what happens to the wine more than Ann, Paul and the rest of the no-goods. Collins has a nice way of evoking Tennessee, its pace and proprieties and politics, from the spicy Zumba rhythms of a local club to the breeching banks of the Cumberland River."  Ebooks are only $2.99 for the Kindle, Nook and, by going to iTunes, the IPad.  Amazon has the print edition for $15,99 and signed copies are available by going to www.markrollinsadventures.com.