“When Should You ‘Flood The Zone?’”
How do you take an organization from losing to winning?
In the consultative approach you work within the existing framework, with the current leadership team, to effect positive change. In the “flood the zone” approach you bring in your own leaders, reorganize the team, and institute “massive change.” Or, you can employ both approaches, improving some areas, while you radically change others. I have successfully used all 3 in my work turning losing businesses into winners.
Some situations are so broken that you need to flood the zone. This is when the organization cannot be turned around by working within the existing framework using the same leaders. You see this frequently when a new coach brings in his/her own assistant coaches to manage the team and install new processes. It usually takes a year or two to remake the team with new players, new processes, and a new playbook.
When a business is so broken that it cannot effectively be repaired using the same people or processes, you must flood the zone. Such was the situation in 1993 when the new Saturn dealership in Savannah was under construction. The owner had not only hired the wrong construction foreman, he purchased a lot that was too small, and he was unsuccessfully attempting to manage this project from 125 miles away. They were way behind schedule, over budget, and he had upset most of the local politicians.
Opening day was set for October 15th. Prior to my assignment, that was moved to November 1st. I assumed oversight of construction, smoothed over the issues with the planning commission and local inspectors, and installed constant communication at the site. There was no easement for getting permanent electricity across the lot behind us, so I tasked our owner to handle that issue. Then we seemingly endured non-stop rain for 3 weeks, delaying getting the lot paved and exterior lighting installed. We moved the opening date to November 30th.
While construction progressed, I was tasked with recruiting, organizing, and training a new staff for all departments. With a new store, new processes had to be written and installed. The parts warehouse required organization. And, we needed to send our technicians to school in Tennessee for 3 weeks, and the sales staff for 2 weeks. Opening was rescheduled to December 10th.
3 days prior to that date, we still were not ready to open. I was furious. We were paying staff who could not work, in a building that that we could not use without a CO. I pulled all the subcontractors together telling them that we would ALL, myself included, work 24 hours a day to get our CO by December 9th. On December 10th we opened for business at 7:30am. We still had scaffolding in the showroom and the warehouse racks that needed assembly. However, we were open, selling 4 cars that day. By flooding the zone, we accomplished what seemed impossible. And, were profitable from the start.
We are currently watching as our new national government floods the zone. We have a new leader who brought in his own team. Their task is not to reorganize our broken government. They must remake it so that it works for all our people and within budget.
“When Should You ‘Flood The Zone?’”
That is today’s Morning Minute.
Morning Minute 2/7/25:
“Don’t Just Think About it…Do It!’”
You’ve done your Due Diligence.
You’ve invested hours researching the ins and outs of your decision. After your research, you employed the Ben Franklin method. With a clean sheet of paper, you drew a vertical line down the center. You put a “+” sign at the top of the left column and a “-“ on top of the right side. Then you listed the reasons “why” you should on the plus side, and the reasons “why not” on the minus side.
When the pluses outnumbered the minuses, you decided to seek advice from a friend and/or family member. Because those people always want to protect you from failure, they shared their concern about the possible pitfalls that doing it may have on you or your career. Now you are more confused than before you began. That confusion is natural. And, it can be costly.
Here are 2 valuable processes to help as you decide.
1st: What is your COI? That is your Cost Of Inaction. What opportunities will never be available to you if you do not decide to “Do It?” What will you not experience? What will you never learn? Figure your cost of inaction, your COI. Then decide.
Here is a short story to illustrate the cost of inaction. Years ago, our Exchange Club was grappling with how to fund our community programs. We augmented our funds by running a concession stand at the local fair, and a corn-on-the-cob booth at a downtown festival. Both were labor intensive and together only netted us @ $500/year. One of the members suggested that we replace those 2 events with a Low Country Boil dinner on one Saturday in March. We estimated how many dinners we could sell and ran the numbers. It appeared that we could net $1500 - $1800 if we worked together and had a successful event. At the actual event, we served 2500 dinners, netting over $4000. If we had decided not to have this event our COI would have been $3500.
2nd: Don’t underestimate the power of prayer! God always wants the best for you. And, He will guide you toward His plan for your success. He has people and events arranged for you that you cannot see. Always pray for guidance while doing your Due Diligence.
Here is another story illustrating how His plan is always better than our plan. Judy and I had an opportunity to progress our careers by relocating to Charlotte, NC. When God guided us to make this change, we had no idea that it would not work out. This “so called” opportunity turned into a nightmare within 3 months. Luckily, we had not yet sold our house and Judy had retained her job. However, I returned and held 2 jobs in the ensuing 10 months. Then, an offer appeared for me from another dealer group. That began a 21 year series of successes for our family. Remember, God’s plans are always better than our plans. Rely on Him and His plan. Ask Him for guidance and follow His direction. He will put people and events in place to help you prosper!
Recommending that you “Do it,” means you must decide. Figure your cost of inaction (COI). Ask God for guidance. Then make your decision.
And, remember; “Don’t Just Think About It, Do it!”
That is today’s Morning Minute.