buy these parts for less somewhere else." -- Finding a cheaper supplier for parts that would disappear with strategic repositioning

"While we are at it…" -- Adding that extra software feature while you are in the process of making other changes: "we'll have to test everything anyway"

For a diagram that accentuates the dangers of pursuing low hanging fruit, visit th

Is your organization quick to pick the low hanging fruit? Do you gravitate first to the quick and easy? Are you prone to delay the bigger projects until you get those little ones out of the way?

Low hanging fruit is, by definition, quick and easy to implement, thus the lure to pick it is compelling. And picking the first piece usually exposes another, leading to an infinite quantity of low hanging temptations. While some of these quick fixes make excellent investments, many do not, and the nearly infinite supply can become a black hole for your limited resources.

Not only are the quick and easily-visualized fixes compelling, but the more important, strategic opportunities are often exactly the opposite because they can involve fundamental changes in how things are done. The most important initiatives will create an organization with new capabilities, new capacity, and new potential. These often require disruption to people, processes, resources, policies and/or technology. The complexity and level of departure from the norm can make both the goal and the path harder to visualize. The need for analysis and tough decisions ensures that many important opportunities will never be mistaken for low hanging fruit.

Here are some examples of low hanging temptations:

"Let's get this system working right first" -- Increasing cycle count accuracy for inventory that should be disposed of

"First, just let me get organized!" -- Reorganizing files, electronic or paper, that are rarely, if ever, used

"I know I can buy these parts for less somewhere else." -- Finding a cheaper supplier for parts that would disappear with strategic repositioning

"While we are at it…" -- Adding that extra software feature while you are in the process of making other changes: "we'll have to test everything anyway"

For a diagram that accentuates the dangers of pursuing low hanging fruit, visit thi

of low hanging temptations. While some of these quick fixes make excellent investments, many do not, and the nearly infinite supply can become a black hole for your limited resources.

Not only are the quick and easily-visualized fixes compelling, but the more important, strategic opportunities are often exactly the opposite because they can involve fundamental changes in how things are done. The most important initiatives will create an organization with new capabilities, new capacity, and new potential. These often require disruption to people, processes, resources, policies and/or technology. The complexity and level of departure from the norm can make both the goal and the path harder to visualize. The need for analysis and tough decisions ensures that many important opportunities will never be mistaken for low hanging fruit.

Here are some examples of low hanging temptations:

"Let's get this system working right first" -- Increasing cycle count accuracy for inventory that should be disposed of

"First, just let me get organized!" -- Reorganizing files, electronic or paper, that are rarely, if ever, used

"I know I can buy these parts for less somewhere else." -- Finding a cheaper supplier for parts that would disappear with strategic repositioning

"While we are at it…" -- Adding that extra software feature while you are in the process of making other changes: "we'll have to test everything anyway"

For a diagram that accentuates the dangers of pursuing low hanging fruit, visit th

e done. The most important initiatives will create an organization with new capabilities, new capacity, and new potential. These often require disruption to people, processes, resources, policies and/or technology. The complexity and level of departure from the norm can make both the goal and the path harder to visualize. The need for analysis and tough decisions ensures that many important opportunities will never be mistaken for low hanging fruit.

Here are some examples of low hanging temptations:

"Let's get this system working right first" -- Increasing cycle count accuracy for inventory that should be disposed of

"First, just let me get organized!" -- Reorganizing files, electronic or paper, that are rarely, if ever, used

"I know I can buy these parts for less somewhere else." -- Finding a cheaper supplier for parts that would disappear with strategic repositioning

"While we are at it…" -- Adding that extra software feature while you are in the process of making other changes: "we'll have to test everything anyway"

For a diagram that accentuates the dangers of pursuing low hanging fruit, visit th

opportunities will never be mistaken for low hanging fruit.

Here are some examples of low hanging temptations:

"Let's get this system working right first" -- Increasing cycle count accuracy for inventory that should be disposed of

"First, just let me get organized!" -- Reorganizing files, electronic or paper, that are rarely, if ever, used

"I know I can buy these parts for less somewhere else." -- Finding a cheaper supplier for parts that would disappear with strategic repositioning

"While we are at it…" -- Adding that extra software feature while you are in the process of making other changes: "we'll have to test everything anyway"

For a diagram that accentuates the dangers of pursuing low hanging fruit, visit th

buy these parts for less somewhere else." -- Finding a cheaper supplier for parts that would disappear with strategic repositioning

"While we are at it…" -- Adding that extra software feature while you are in the process of making other changes: "we'll have to test everything anyway"

For a diagram that accentuates the dangers of pursuing low hanging fruit, visit this article on my website: Strategy, Results and Distractions. Even without the diagram, you can probably imagine that success likely depends on a combination of easy and difficult tasks. If your efforts are driven first by ease of implementation, you will squander resources on low hanging, unimportant fruit.

Are Your Resource Decisions Driven by Low Hanging Temptations?

The most important factor determining the impact of low hanging temptations depends on how clear your employees are about your strategic objectives. Employees make decisions all day long that consume resources. If they do not know and understand your strategic objectives, they will pursue low hanging fruit. The only way to find out what they are thinking is for management to ask and listen.

Beyond that, you can listen for comments indicative of quick fixes, "We need to get a few things fixed and out of the way before we can start a bigger project." Strategic initiatives are rarely described as "getting things out of the way."

If you want to avoid the temptation of low hanging fruit, the following are critical:

• Have a clear strategy -- A clear strategy, well-communicated, with realistic expectations and only a few top priorities for any one individual makes it easier for everyone to focus on the right things.
• Assess each idea for strategic fit -- Forget ease or difficulty of specific actions and determine the value of an idea r