Does your company have an Acceleration Culture?
If you answer “yes” to more than 5 of the following questions, then there is a good chance that your company is caught in the “Acceleration Trap.” If you answer “yes” to more than 8, it’s extremely likely that you’re trapped.
- Are new activities / projects started too quickly?
- Is it difficult to get the most important things accomplished because too many other activities prevent focus?
- Is the cancellation of a project or initiative considered a weakness in the organization?
- Are projects completed at times only because people fear terminating them publicly?
- Is there a tendency to continually drive the organization to the limits of its capacity?
- Is it impossible for employees to see the light at the end of the tunnel?
- Does the company value attendance at work and meetings more than goal achievement?
- Does it value visibly hard effort over tangible results?
- Are employees made to feel guilty if they leave work early?
- Do employees talk often about the size of their workload?
- Is busyness valued?
- Are managers expected to act as role models by being involved in multiple projects?
- Is “no” a taboo word, even for people who already have a full plate?
- Is there an expectation in the organization that people must respond to e-mails within minutes?
- Do numerous people regularly get copied on e-mails because employees are trying to protect themselves?
- In their free time, do employees keep their cell phones on because they feel like they always need to be reachable?
Call us at (888) 720-7337 for additional information about how to overcome the “Acceleration Trap,” and to discuss your results in the context of what you’re trying to accomplish.
(Adapted from Bruch and Menges, Harvard Business Review – April, 2010)
