One thing that drove me crazy when I was paying for my sins in corporate America was all of the hidden costs inside the organization. As a corporate manager I was always asked to cut expenses. However, I was rarely asked to look at those hidden costs. The costs that were silent killers. For example:
- Meetings. Need I say more?
- Training events that were the equivalent of a U2 concert. Entertainment versus learning here. Feels good in the moment, but forgotten when it counts.
- Employees and their organizations who don't fully understand the difference between time and results.
- Outdated policies and procedures written 20 years ago that are as relevant as a powder blue tuxedo.
- Hiring practices that are driven by HR. The hiring of talent is not a legal process.
If your organization really wants to be efficient and lean, then take a look at the hidden costs. It could lead to a new curve. Failure to look always leads to atrophy. And as we know atrophy lives next door to extinction.