One of the first warning signs that you’re putting on a few pounds is usually when your pants get a little tighter. It’s not the number on the scale that triggers the concern, rather the extra pull at your waistband. Even if you never got on a scale you would know that you were gaining weight.
Think about what the early warning signs are for your organization. If you see that a pile of paperwork is accumulating, does that signal that you are getting behind on invoice processing? If you hear one of your stars grumbling to someone, does it indicate a fissure in your morale? If you start to see trash on the grounds or things out of place are those harbingers of mediocrity?
You want to find the equivalent of tight waistbands for your enterprise so that you can take corrective action before the problem gets out of hand. The early signals should be heeded the most as they only require slight behavior modifications to get back on track. It’s much easier to say no to an extra dessert than it is to buy a whole new size wardrobe.
