It is common in organizations that once an execution cycle has been completed, whether it is a methodology, project, process or problem solving, there is no stage where the results and the path towards them are analyzed. Many times it is considered that with a simple check that tells us what was achieved and what was not, it is enough to continue executing.
However, it is the analysis that allows organizations to capitalize on learning, take ownership of achievements and understand what are the next steps to follow to achieve success or what we must avoid in order to fail. In short, the analysis of results contributes significantly to the good performance and evolution of the organization.
Why do we leave it for last?
The vortex of everyday life tells us that there is no time to stop, that we already have results and that we must keep looking for more and better ones. That we should go for the next thing and attend to other matters while we are caught up in the whirlwind of things to do and resolve. Analysis is usually something we leave for later, for when there is time, time that organizations do not usually find. Thus we miss out on almost the most important thing in growth cycles, LEARNING.
But be careful; there are many analysis tools to be able to do it in an effective way without the need to enter into extensive conversations that end without conclusions or concrete actions, taking care of our time and respecting the cycles for greater growth.
The hats 
At Teamwins, we love and use Edward De Bono Hats the most.
It is a simple and solid method that helps to order the thinking process by advancing step by step in the discussion of a topic, attending to one issue at a time, thus eliminating the main obstacle to effective thinking: confusion.
The concept of the hats is a symbolic tool that serves to identify the different thought processes and to establish in which direction we are going to focus it in a constructive way. It proposes that all those involved think at the same time in the same direction or from the same perspective (hat) and in this way facilitates the organization of divergent opinions since it does not confront them but arranges them in order.
We use this technique at the close of each quarter to review OKRs and their path to results. We thus achieved a structured way of making feeback rounds around what happened.
De Bono proposes six hats that he identifies with different colors:
- The WHITE to provide facts and objective information.
- RED for the emotions that such a subject generates in us
- The BLACK for the negative judgments we have about it.
- YELLOW for the positive judgments we have about it.
- GREEN to propose creative alternatives.
- BLUE to control the process, it is the one that moderates.
We simplified and used 3 of the 6 hats, and with an imprint of our own:
- Black Hat: with this hat we invite you to think critically about WHAT DID NOT WORK in the process.
- Yellow Hat: with this hat you think positively and focus on WHAT WORKED.
- Green Hat: as this is the hat of creativity, the focus here is on WHAT COULD BE BETTER.
In this way, it is possible to have a look at what did not work on the way to obtaining results (black hat), what are those good practices that should be implemented, maintained or done more (yellow hat) and what should be changed or transformed to be successful (green hat), which is often connected to the black hat.
Simple and effective
De Bono’s hats is a simple method that requires little preparation and can be carried out in face-to-face, virtual and hybrid meetings with small adaptations and simple slogans to awaken and encourage the involvement of all participants. It is effective because it avoids time-saving discussions and aligns knowledge and experience by looking and working in the same direction. Structures information and thought.
Stop, and harvest…
How much time do you spend reviewing your results?
What do you do with the learnings you collect?
As I mentioned earlier, the analysis of results and the process towards them is fundamental for the evolution of the organization. It is an “obligatory” pause to harvest learnings that we can use in our next sowing (challenges) and to establish a process of continuous improvement. Beyond the method, it is a requirement to connect with the fundamentals of this stage, to give it space at the end of a process and thus ensure that the fruits remain.
