Preparation, preparation….
August 18th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
Hi All
Had some thoughts recently about the value of preparation, triggered by some home decorating (I know, not a good thought and during my hols too). We have some outside railings at home, exposed to the worst of Scottish weather, and they needed a lick of paint, or so I thought. But when I started the preparation I discovered several layers of rust and old paint much of it disguising earlier shoddy work. Wire brushing and sanding and lots of rust proofing later I had a set of railings ready for the final coat and that stage was so easy because all the preparation was properly done. And I have to say the finish was a tactile pleasure.
All of that set me thinking about work and other areas where preparation is key. In our work with negotiators we stress the value of good preparation – it’s one of our two big takeaway ideas – and we help people to do that prep in a productive and efficient way.
In running projects we again emphasise the value of sound preparation and the time it saves. Ditto when coaching, we encourage clients to think in advance about what they want to get from a coaching session and likewise we don’t just wander in and ask some facile questions. Presentations too
I wonder where in your work you find examples of preparation adding real value to what you do? Please share if you have some experiences to offer. (Or in the garden perhaps?)
Be good over what’s left of our summer.
Steve
