Perpetual motion machines do not exist.
Be on guard against a common problem among organization managers: Belief they can build a perpetual motion machine. Set up the process, get it going, then expect it will run without any additional energy or oversight. Friction exists. Distractions abound. The value proposition changes over time.
Oh, people intellectually understand that perpetual motion machines don’t exist. Yet their behavior – and their irritation when a well-started process ground to a halt – tells me that they wanted one anyway.
This is easy to spot in others, and more difficult to spot in your own managerial work.
It’s best to build a prototype and test before you commit to a sophisticated process. A good process is well-documented, resourced with primary people and with bench-strength, reproducible. None of these things is a substitute for energy input. Someone needs to put in the energy to make the process work.
That energy might come from a front-line worker who knows the boss is looking for the result. It might be prompted by a standing meeting agenda to review a monthly report. You might need to prioritize energy for this process instead of competing opportunities for attention.
Perpetual motion machines do not exist, even for gifted managers.
