NOTEBOOK: Ralston recalls how ABI used ABC to fix “mess”
PERRY BEEMAN Aug 29, 2016 | 8:24 pm
1 min read time
206 wordsBusiness Record Insider, The Insider NotebookMike Ralston has been running the Iowa Association of Business and Industry for about 11 years.
In a note included in his weekly Monday Morning Memo, he recalls arriving to what he called “mess,” an organization that needed improvements in budgeting and accountability. He helped fix ABI “mess” with ABC.
Let’s get the story from Mike directly:
“Many of you already know the story; it seemed to me back in 2005 there were so many things that needed addressing, I had to find a way to focus. So, I came up with a plan called “It’s as Simple as ABC.” “A” stood for accountability in decision-making and results. It seemed like that had been lacking and we needed to instill it from the top (the board of directors) down (the staff).”
“”B” stood for balance sheet. ABI’s balance sheet was a mess. We were spending more than we were bringing in and there was no focus on our cash position or on program metrics. “C” stood for communication. There was not a lot of communication between board members, between the board and the staff, or between staff. “
“While things are never perfect; I believe the data shows that all of these areas have been addressed.”