Lesson 3 Doing the Impossible
Stretch Goals and the
Seemingly Impossible
Companies
like Samsung, Hyundai, Kia, SK, and LG have a reputation for setting huge goals
that look to many outside the organizations unrealistic.
Most
often it's stretch goals for sales, which I've witnessed not only throughout
the Hyundai Motor Group, but with other major Groups, from smart phone sales,
to food services, to the Korean retail golf market.
What I
have found interesting and quite different from the West is that when stretch
goals are announced Korean teams and management never openly voice that the
task is impossible, even if leadership and most of team don't have a plan...
Why?
It's thought that although you may not have a plan or solution...someone,
perhaps the most junior employee may either know of a way, or someone has a
friend in their personal network who has a solution.
It's
felt that it is never productive to share even with close co-workers that task
is impossible, since they may be the one with an idea. Outwardly they are
forward leaning and positive.
On
another level, when senior leadership set huge goals some in the ranks might
doubt, but many more grew up witnessing the amazing and near impossible
achievements of the Group. They reason that if the company did the impossible
before, why not again... In other words, success breeds success.
BTW, I
was a once in a conversation with a senior Korean manager. I brought up the subject
of what it took to be terminated or fired. Pondering for a moment, the Korean manager
instead explained that it was hard to get fired even if you made a big mistake
if you were seen as positive and upbeat.
Suggestion
Always
be seen as positive and forward leaning...even when facing the near impossible.
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