Pursuing Excellence requires targets

Edward De Bono invented the word “PO” – a provocative operation. A po is an idea (often silly) to take us out of the comfort of an existing pattern and move to a new one. The po generates possibilities. De Bono described five ways of getting movement:

1.Extract a principle or feature and work forward from that.

2.Focus on the difference.

3.Look at the moment-to-moment effect of putting the idea into practice.

4.Focus on the positive aspects.

5.Figure under what circumstances there would be direct value.

“Po” can be a powerful approach for using the seemingly impossible to show us what is possible.

Benchmarking is a powerful approach for using the real best practices of others to show us what is possible.  Benchmarking plans, scopes and acquires best practices. The best practices generate possibilities.  We then act to get movement:

1.Extract a principle, process, feature or approach and work forward from that.

2.Focus on the difference between what you have found and what you do now.

3.Target the level of performance to put the chosen idea into practice.

4.Focus on the improvement or innovation you need to meet your target.

5.Figure out the value proposition for your customers.

6.Implement a clear action plan, measure results, review progress, adapt and iterate.

What separates top-performing organisations from the rest? I am very lucky to have a global vantage point on what good looks like through international excellence assessment work, helping to judge the International Best Practice Competition, through my role as a Global Benchmarking Ambassador with the Global Benchmarking Network and from my participation in regular events held by the Strategy Implementation Institute.

On 11 August I will share some global insights into what drives top-performing organisations – and what gets in the way. This is a 45-minute webinar hosted by New Zealand Boutique Consultancy Association

Get in touch with Natalie Minkin or Dan Minkin if you want an invite. There is no fee to attend.

Strategy without clear targets and the capability to get there is just wishful thinking. Strategy implementation is what we do at Hague Consulting. Please get in touch for a chat. Enquiries@hague.co.nz

Phil Guerin, Consultant/Director, Hague Consulting Ltd. © Hague Consulting Ltd 2026. If you like this content, subscribe to our blog – it’s free!