The difference that makes the difference

I've always asked, what is a framework? Why are frameworks useful and how can we be trained to design a framework that helps us.

One of the most powerful frameworks I use is that of the neurological levels of change, or as I've called it, the "circles of influence". Those of you who are familiar with Covey's work will remember the circle of influence as quoted in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

I do see many circles, not just one in which we work within. Many of us already apply it subconsciously. Of course the danger of subconscious level is that we do not get the outcomes consistently. In other words, sometimes we get the results we want and sometimes we don't.

It even frustrate us, especially when others look to us for solutions when they know that we have achieved some success in the past, but we don't or can't replicate it over and over again. Or worse, we become 'lucky'.

So, what is the difference that makes the difference? I believe is the combination of three factors, which are frameworks, interdependency, and strategies. We can take someone else's strategies to apply it to our situation. But unless the circumstances are exactly the same, then the strategies might work. However when the situation changes, we become lost, and worse still when we try to apply the exact same strategy over and over again, we find that after a while we just give up altogether.

So, if strategies aren't important then why is it that people spend millions engaging consultants to help them? I believe a good consultant will be able to tell the difference of the applicability of one strategy in a situation but when the rules changes, they'd recognize that there would be another more appropriate strategy.

However that is not good enough unless the consultant has a whole suite of strategies that he has previous experience with that he can, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of the hat, quickly identify the appropriate strategy for the situation.

But what happens when a totally situation arises? Or when the rules have changed, hence whatever strategies that were formulated in the past just doesn't work anymore? For instance, if you had in the past been successful selling your wares via advertisements placed in the newspapers. But assuming now, where only a small percentage of your potential customers read the newspapers, do you think applying the same strategy would work? Even if you advertise more and learnt positive mental attitude would that help? The answer is obvious.

So, a great consultant is one where she understands the principle of interdependency and also have the ability to formulate new winning strategies that are not only ground-breaking but also work! In order to do that, she must also have a good framework to help her.

For instance, if she was engaged as a consultant for the business in the example quoted above, she would take into account, the interdependence of the habits of the potential customers. She would also adapt from various sources and use a principle-centered framework to help her design winning strategies for her client. As a result, the client not only get to capture market share but would also most likely become a dominant player in the market, in other words, become an enduring leading organization.

So how does one select a framework that can do that? Any framework is as good as the assumptions that underpin it. For example, if you chose a framework, you'd need to make sure that you understand the limitations of it. Or put it differently, understand the basis in which the framework was developed. So go further than just the workings of the framework but ask yourself in what circumstances would this framework fail? Even principle-centered frameworks can fail if certain conditions were not met.

Given that, examine closely those conditions and once you've understood these conditions and also its interdependency, you then design the structures and systems to support these conditions. Or in a different context, be able to tweak the underlying conditions of the framework so that it would bring you the results that you want. Only then, will you be always able to formulate winning strategies for the new economy.