The movement of information in any organization is from top-down, bottom-up, or department to department. You would be surprised at how much redundancy takes place in many organizations because the primary method of communication is:

1. You have to be in the right place at the right time.
2. You have to be high enough on the food chain.
3. You have to be in the "in group" or
4. You have to fight for every scrap of information that you need to do your job right or better.

Again I ask you: How well can an employee do their job if they do not have the information they need to be effective?

I don't care what else you accomplish this year. If you can effectively address these three issues, you will be amazed at how much more profitable and competitive you can be in the market place.

Again, "Expecting different results from repeated behavior is a mild form of insanity."

I am amazed at how frequently this quote has applied to me and various areas of my life. How about you? Does it apply to any area of your business today? A department? Policy? Procedure? You and your attitudes, expectations, or behavior?

To combat this habit of repeating mistakes in judgment, decisions, or actions, I have developed the following three questions that I ask myself every month, quarter, and year. I often share these questions with my audiences to get them thinking.

The three questions are:

1.What are you doing in your life, career, business, etc., that is working? Why is it working?
2.What are you doing in these same areas that is not working? Why isn't it working?
3.What did you formerly do in these areas that used to work - that you have stopped doing? When and why did you stop doing these things?

Answering these three critical questions can keep you traveling in the right direction in all areas of your business, career, and life if you will ask them often enough and pay close attention to the answers you get.

The purpose of this exercise is to ensure that you are:

1.Focusing on the right things in the right way
2.Letting go of old stuff that isn't working
3.Reevaluating your career, business, and life from a past as well as a future orientation
4.Stretching yourself into new areas of development
5.Experimenting with new strategies, attitudes, philosophies, feelings and skills
6.Reinventing yourself each year
7.Staying ahead of the curve of relentless change

Many people are stuck in old ways of thinking, doing, and believing that just are not working for them anymore. Many managers, executives, and business owners are bogged down in products, policies, and approaches that just are not working - and may never have - but they hold on to them for dear life, regardless. Why? Fear? Comfort? Indecision? Arrogance? Ignorance? Ego? Politics? It could be any or all of these or others.

Are you holding on to something that you need to let go of? For example:

1.A product that has outlived its purpose or usefulness?
2.An unproductive or negative employee that is sabotaging the productivity of a department or the entire organization?
3.A policy that should have been changed months or years ago?
4.An attitude or prejudice that is getting in the way of your personal success?
5.A management style that is counterproductive?
6.A procedure that is redundant or counterproductive?
7.A habit pattern that is keeping you or your organization from improved effectiveness?

Why not spend some time on these final questions to see if you can uncover any areas that need modification or abandonment. If you feel really daring, why not put these questions to some of your employees or direct reports for their responses, too?