In the 1958 movie ‘The Blob’ an amoeba-like and formless alien life-form set out to absorb and destroy the inhabitants of a small Pennsylvanian village.
Though the movie was a work of fiction, I have come across many blobs in my professional career: A blob is a prominent, yet unclear initiative, with an undefined scope, which seems to dominate the focus and conversation of many leaders and employees.
It usually involves buzzwords such as Quality, Digital, Sustainability, Customers Centricity, Diversity, etc.
If you encounter a blob initiative, your main focus is to help the organization unblob this very project.
Three key questions will help you to become an effective unblobber:
- The scope: What does success of this initiative look like?
- The measures of success: How do we know we have achieved success?
- The final result: What does ‘done’ look like?
Your ability to unblob a project is your secret superpower to help any organization to get unstuck.