3 Questions that Lead to Collaborative Focus

Last week’s blog set the reflective stage for your organization to think about collaborative focus.

One approach that can help organizations find and follow through with a strong collaborative focus is based on Jim Collins hedgehog concept. The concept is based on a parable, whereby a hedgehog outsmarts a fox by doing one big thing, sticking to it and doing it really well. According to Collins this concept is what takes companies from Good to Great (also the title of his book).  While this book is largely written with big business in mind, the concepts can easily be adapted for any organization. In fact Collins wrote a follow up monograph to accompany Good To Great specifically for the social sector which is also an interesting read.

So what is the Hedgehog concept?  It’s where leaders can discover their capacity, competence and the consistent activities that will boost your organizations work.

 It’s all about reaching an understanding based on three core questions...

1. What is your organization deeply passionate about?
2. What drives your economic engine?  (For non profit organizations consider this two ways; what drives your resource engine? and what drives your socio- economic results?)
3. What can you be the best in the world at? (This refers to your organization’s unique contribution and what it CAN be best at – not what it WANTS to be best at).

While the concept is somewhat simple, reaching collective understanding and focus takes time. Go over and over the three questions above (and do pick up Jim Collins book for more guidance of how to work through the Hedgehog Concept and to move your organization from Good to Great). Enjoy the dialogue and focused collaboration!  It’s through exploration of questions like these that you will unearth your core activities and strategic decisions.

Village Raising Question:

What is ONE thing that could bring the greatest single impact to your initiative?

(add more later). 

Distracted or Focused in your Collaboration?

The more choices we have, the greater the need for focus.  - Tom Butler-Bowdon

Is your collaborative...

Drifting from project to project?

Feeling fragmented from multiple interests and passions?

Losing sight of where you are going as a group?

It happens!

This past week a networking group that I have been a part of has decided to fold due to lack of participation.  One of the group members questioned if living in an urban setting contributed to this. She wondered if people were so distracted and had so many options available to them that it was hard to focus  on lasting deep collaborative relationships.

 This got me thinking about what role (if any) focus and distraction had in collaboration.  

Think about the many interests your group or collaborative has right now. How many directions are your collaborative members pulled in? For example, are people expected to take action around literacy, marketing, housing, poverty, nutrition, and social capital (to name a few)? While on one hand being aware of a holistically developed big picture is fantastic, as is being fully informed before making decisions, as is considering people's interests. AND can multiple interests pull people into overload, fragmentation and in-action?  

Consider this an invitation to reflect. What have you noticed?

Please do share your thoughts on RTV's Facebook or Twitter pages. 

More next week - come back to read about one approach to aid a working together focus (it’s found in a hedgehog).

Village Raising Questions:

What (if anything) has your group currently distracted?

What role do you think rural and urban settings play in this?

How does your group find AND keep their focus?

How can multiple interests be celebrated?