Move

Chapter 5Resource RealityYour Strategy Is Where You Put Your Resources

You are on the hook! You know how important this new initiative is. Everyone knows how important this is! So you assume the right resource decisions are being made and implemented because if you don't complete the transformation, the whole organization is at risk. The new work must be getting the attention and resources that it requires because everyone has agreed that they are committed to moving the new strategy forward.

What Everyone Is Thinking

Yikes! I've been asked to do this new stuff, but I still have all of my current workload, and I don't have more resources. So I can't move forward on the new stuff until I get some more resources.

Or…

This new stuff does not affect my team, so I'll just assume resources are being moved around elsewhere, and I'll keep my head down and keep doing my work. I'm not going to volunteer to give up resources from my team. I'll do everything I can to support the transformation; it's just that it doesn't involve me at this time.

Resource Reality

Another harsh reality during the “Middle” is that resources will never self-optimize to support a new initiative, strategy, or transformation. Never. New stuff requires resources to do it. And very seldom does new stuff come with new, additive resources. So if you don't work through resource shifts out in the open, top-down, on purpose, they will not happen. Even if the organization as a whole has absorbed the importance of the ...