| Our senses are finely tuned to reject anything that | | | | One open-minded CEO ran a successful restaurant |
| looks, smells, tastes, feels, or sounds different than | | | | business. His success was due to starting his |
| what we prefer. In an increasingly complex and | | | | restaurant tours at the dumpster, one of the least |
| diverse global environment, organizations run the | | | | attractive parts of any restaurant. The CEO could |
| danger of overlooking great opportunities right under | | | | judge the restaurant's health by what the dumpster |
| their noses and in front of their eyes because the | | | | contained. Decaying raw food suggested over |
| opportunities do not fit the conventional ideal. | | | | ordering of supplies. Too much decaying cooked food |
| NEGATIVE FIRST IMPRESSIONS CAN KEEP YOU | | | | meant that the kitchen was having problems. |
| FROM OPPORTUNITIES | | | | Occasionally, he even found carefully wrapped, fresh |
| Most people can identify situations in which they | | | | prime steaks
indicating that employees were |
| dismissed an opportunity that someone else | | | | stealing food. |
| capitalized on later. Often these opportunities were | | | | Floored |
| overlooked or rejected because they were | | | | Packages that protect products are usually seen as |
| perceived as dull, boring, or unpleasant. You may | | | | necessary, but not important. Crafty Henry Ford |
| recall the fairy tale of "The Ugly Duckling." It is the | | | | thought otherwise. On realizing that batteries for his |
| story of a cast-off baby bird that is mistreated | | | | cars came in solid wooden boxes, Ford specified the |
| because it is unattractive to the young ducklings | | | | details of those boxes. After the battery was |
| raised with it. Much to everyone's surprise the ugly | | | | removed, workers took out the screws and used |
| duckling develops into a beautiful swan. Thus, what | | | | the wood as floorboards for his Model A. |
| we call the unattractiveness stall prevents people | | | | STALLBUSTERS |
| from seeing potential because they make judgments | | | | ServiceMaster has made a good living by solving the |
| based on insufficient knowledge. | | | | ugliest, dirtiest and smelliest problems its customers |
| As you contemplate this point, it is worth | | | | have. Perhaps you can do the same. |
| remembering that if Alexander Fleming had been | | | | Find Your Ugly Ducklings |
| unwilling to work with the unpleasant green mold that | | | | Here are questions to help you find hidden |
| affects stale bread, the world might not yet have | | | | opportunities: |
| the wonder drug penicillin and its heirs. | | | | Where are the places that executives and |
| DON'T TAKE MY PICTURE, I'll Break the Camera | | | | managers seldom visit? |
| The Taj Mahal | | | | What can be learned by investigating those |
| All too frequently, management becomes engrossed | | | | unattractive places? |
| in creating posh office space. Having feathered their | | | | Which potential customers are perpetually |
| nests, executives avoid the ugly duckling sites that | | | | shunned? |
| need attention. | | | | Which kinds of potential employees are never |
| In many organizations, distribution is one such ugly | | | | hired? |
| duckling. Trucks and loading docks excite few | | | | Which suppliers are avoided? |
| corporate chieftains. Yet Wal-Mart struck gold by | | | | What services are avoided? |
| focusing on fast deliveries through warehouses | | | | Turn Your Ugly Ducklings into Swans |
| serving constellations of stores. As a result of its | | | | How can you use an open mind and thoughtful |
| efficiency, Wal-Mart can offer lower prices and | | | | questions to learn more about these areas? |
| attract more value-seeking customers. | | | | Who already sees these ugly ducklings can become |
| The Ivory Tower | | | | swans? Why? |
| Executives dislike dealing with customer complaints. In | | | | How could each of these ugly ducklings be one |
| fact, very few top-level executives will talk with | | | | of your best opportunities? |
| unhappy customers. Junior people deal with those | | | | Who could help you to better see, hear, and feel |
| problems. Fearing that the bearer of bad news may | | | | these opportunities? |
| pay a heavy price, workers often sugarcoat | | | | How could you easily and inexpensively test out |
| customer unhappiness or badly conceal it. | | | | ideas related to the worth of these opportunities? |
| STALL ERASERS | | | | Copyright 2007 Donald W. |
| Losses Are Uglier Than the Dumpster's Contents | | | | |