Catatonic is defined in Psychiatry as being in an immobile or unresponsive stupor. According to the literature, people suffering from catatonia are schizophrenic when they become rigid and unable to flex or move.

There are plenty of examples of people who have been afflicted with this terrible malady. Strangely, the literature is silent when it comes to businesses. Even General Motors, which acted for decades like a deer in the headlights, isn’t mentioned. Despite a boom period of record overall car sales, GM seemed frozen, locked in a position from which it couldn’t break free. It sat on the sidelines for decades idly watching competitors take more and more market share. And now, the former behemoth is so far over the brink its nostrils are filled with the ever-increasing bad breath of bankruptcy.

When times are bad, fear and uncertainty can overpower us leaving us mired in whatever mode we were in when tragedy struck. But just as dangerous can be the feeling that we have to do something even if it’s wrong. Like jumping on the latest fad-wagon of ISO 9000, the Toyota way, Six Sigma, and other programs thinking they should work for us just like they do at the plant we visited without us having to do anything more than install them.

Yes, to avoid becoming one of the GMs of the world, we have to do something. But anything, even if it’s wrong, won’t create success either. Remember 3M implementing Six Sigma as a cure for troubles only to find itself losing creativity, the very attribute that made it successful? There are alternatives.

Doing something can be as simple as getting everybody in the room at the beginning of a new process. A semi-custom manufacturer in the Midwest used to have all kinds of problems with quality and was seemingly stuck in traditional ways of doing things. When the group decided to do something different, it relied on proven principles—not fads or knee-jerk reactions—and a whole new world of performance and quality opened up.

One of their major changes was in how they began to tackle new projects. Engineers now involve the operators right from the beginning. In fact, the whole product production line, along with engineers, supply chain staff and the production manager begin the process by spending a week in a conference room reviewing product drawings.

Together they design the layout of the production and assembly lines. Then the group works together to test their plans to make sure things will go as smoothly as possible once they begin actual production.

Shortly after implementing their new way of working together the group recognized that they were having miscommunications between quality engineers, design engineers and operations staff. So, they relocated the engineers to the production floor to make it easier for all to get together and work out issues in real time.

Now their primary customer rates them as one of the highest quality vendors among hundreds in terms of delivery and product quality.

This group could hardly be considered catatonic. They didn’t freeze up when faced with major challenges. But when they chose to act, they didn’t jump to the latest tool or redesign process to solve their problems. Instead, they collaborated on common sense responses to their situation. Key to solving their problem was erasing the lines of function and hierarchy and simply finding a better way to organize themselves to satisfy the demand in the marketplace. For some, the solution was, no doubt, unfamiliar territory. But the process was sound, so they put it into practice—a powerful example of how a business that takes action can become a great innovator in a crisis.

Trying it on for fit: Set yourself up for effective decision-making by first identifying the critical outcomes or results your unit (group, team, division, etc.) needs to accomplish to remain or become competitive. Focus on specific, critical measures of success, not processes. Next, determine the players on whom you must depend to get there. This should be a fairly complete list including front line staff.

Consider meeting with all the players to deliberate on ways to achieve critical results. Analyze the various options to select the best path to pursue. Here are a few useful tools for moving the group forward:

Create a matrix of solution options and criteria. Include the option of doing nothing. Weight criteria and vote. Add scores to get a reading of the direction favored by the group.

Construct a list of outcomes both positive and negative along with their severity. Conduct a probability analysis to reveal the greatest threats and possibilities for success.

Create a column of parameters matrixed with a row of options (ways parameters can be met). Create solution scenarios by linking various options. Reject scenarios with no support and deliberate on the rest making sure the ultimate decision supports critical results.

Send an email and let me know what you learn from your experiences. I would love to hear from you!



Kevin Herring is co-author of Practical Guide for Internal Consultants, and President of Ascent Management Consulting. Ascent specializes in workgroup and business unit performance turnarounds through breakthrough leadership, workplace cultures and organization systems. Kevin can be contacted at kevinh@ascentmgt.com.

Killen Herring is an Associate with Ascent Management Consulting. He specializes in strategic planning and analysis. Killen can be contacted at killen@ascentmgt.com.


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