Canopy Platforms, Burning Platforms and Business Intelligence Platforms
(Originally published by B-Eye-Network) by Maureen Clarry
Is your company’s business intelligence initiative motivated by pain or gain?
There are a variety of business intelligence (BI) platforms that have been successful over time. The list of products and vendors is ever-changing and is the topic of many discussions and articles. However, there are two other types of non-technical “platforms” that may propel or inhibit your success in business intelligence. They are central to your ability to change and manage change in your organization.
A few years ago, my husband and I took an anniversary trip to Costa Rica, and it was a fantastic experience. Between the active volcanoes, exotic animals, beautiful rainforests, and vast beaches, we made time for a canopy tour. For those that may be unfamiliar with such tours, we climbed up a ladder to a platform built in a tree approximately one-hundred feet above the ground into the “canopy” of the rainforest. Then, outfitted with climbing harnesses and helmets, we CONNECTed ourselves to a cable strung between trees, stepped off the platform into mid air and zipped to the next platform in the rainforest. This continued for twelve platforms, and we eventually rappelled back down to the ground. Initially, I was quite inclined to cling to the trunk of the tree. However, once I convinced myself to step off the safety of the platform, it was an exhilarating (and frightening) experience that I will always remember. I had literally stepped out of my “comfort zone” to jump off the platform to move toward an exciting opportunity.
Daryl Conner, in his book Managing at the Speed of Change, tells the story of a disastrous explosion and fire that occurred on an oil-drilling platform in the North Sea. More than one-hundred-sixty people lost their lives in the worst catastrophe in the history of North Sea oil exploration. One of the survivors told of being awakened by the explosion and alarms. He ran from his quarters in the middle of the night and jumped fifteen stories from the edge of the platform into a frigid ocean of burning oil and debris. When asked why he took that potentially fatal leap, he said “…it was either jump or fry.” He didn’t jump because he felt confident he would survive. He didn’t jump because it seemed like a good idea. He didn’t jump because he thought it would be intellectually intriguing. He didn’t jump because it was a personal growth experience. He jumped because he had no choice; the price of the status quo was too high. He chose possible death over certain death. He moved out of his “comfort zone” to get away from a burning platform of pain.
A comfort zone is typically described as a limited set of behaviors that we will try without becoming anxious or creating a sense of risk. A comfort zone is a type of mental conditioning that causes us to operate mental boundaries that create a sense of security. Like inertia, once we have established a comfort zone in a particular area, we will tend to stay within that zone without stepping outside of it.
Both individuals and organizations have comfort zones. Perhaps you, as a BI professional, recognize the need to leave an unsatisfactory job, but fear doing so because it might result in losing a sense of security. Perhaps you recognize the need to have a candid discussion with your boss, but fear repercussions. Perhaps your organization recognizes the need to remove an ineffective executive, but is reluctant to rock the boat. Perhaps your organization is unwilling to invest in BI technologies because they have never experienced significant returns on IT investments.
The key for individuals and organizations is to consider two types of situations that will motivate them to move out of their comfort zones: opportunity or pain. For individuals and organizations, there is generally a tendency to either “move toward gain” or to “move away from the pain.” Some are more motivated to jump off the “canopy platform” to move toward opportunity, and others are more motivated to jump off the “burning platform” to move away from pain.
Which situation best describes your company? Which situation best describes how your BI initiatives support your company? Which situation best describes you in terms of your career?
Situation
Your particular company is losing market share. They will likely: (a) continue to sell the same products and services and spiral downward because it is within their comfort zone; (b) look for opportunities to add new products and services; or (c) abandon the status quo and make a major change to avoid going out of business.Situation
Your BI initiative is not well aligned with the business. You are trying to improve the alignment and gain additional funding. You can: (a) wait for someone else to figure it out because that type of challenge is outside your comfort zone; (b) promote the benefits and impact that the initiative will have on the business: or (c) promote the pain that will continue if the initiative is not funded.Situation
You, as a BI professional in your particular company, are in a job that is not satisfactory. You will likely: (a) stay because it is in your comfort zone even though you are unhappy; (b) leave because you find a new opportunity that is a better fit for your skills and personality; or (c) quit because the pain and stress have become so great you fear for your health.
If you are a BI professional seeking to support the connection between your business and your BI initiative and effectively manage change, ask yourself these questions:
- What gain has the company identified it would like to move toward?
- What pain has the company identified it would like to move away from?
- How does the BI strategy either enable the company to pursue opportunities or avoid pain?
- How does the BI approach enable the company to move away from present problems?
- How does the BI approach enable the company to avoid anticipated problems?
- How does the BI approach enable the company to take advantage of immediate opportunities?
- How does the BI approach enable the company to take advantage of anticipated opportunities?
The common thread in these questions is the level of urgency created by the high price of unresolved pain or the high cost of missed opportunities. Understanding your own pattern of motivation is a first step. Are you typically more motivated to “move toward gain” (the canopy platform experience) - or are you typically more motivated to “move away from pain” (the burning platform experience)? Recognize that your typical motivation may not be the same tendency as your executives or the organization, and plan your communications to address both pain and gain.
Maureen Clarry is the Founder and President/CEO of CONNECT: The Knowledge Network (CONNECT), a consulting firm that specializes in helping IT people and organizations to achieve their strategic potential in business. CONNECT was recognized as the 2000 South Metro Denver Small Business of the Year and has been listed in the Top 25 Women-Owned Businesses and the Top 150 Privately Owned Businesses in Colorado. Maureen also participates on the Data Warehousing Advisory Board for The Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver and was recognized by the Denver Business Journal as one of Denver’s Top Women Business Leaders in 2004. She has been on the faculty of The Data Warehousing Institute since 1997, has spoken at numerous other seminars, and has published several articles and white papers. Maureen regularly consults and teaches on organizational and leadership issues related to information technology, business intelligence and business.