You Don't Always Want To Focus

Dr. Srini Pillay, an author and executive coach who teaches part-time at Harvard Medical School, has written an intriguing HBR post about the value of "focus" in our work. Pillay argues that focus can enable us to perform outstanding work, but certain negative consequences may emerge if we are "too focused." Pillay argues, "The brain operates optimally when it toggles between focus and unfocus, allowing you to develop resilience, enhance creativity, and make better decisions too." 

What's an example of the value of "unfocus" in our work? Pillay points to a study by Denis Dumas and Kevin Dunbar in which the scholars found that one can solve creative problems more effectively by pretending to be someone else.  Assuming a different identity, or pretending to stand in someone else's shoes, can help people achieve better results at creative problem-solving tasks.  Specifically, Dumas and Dunbar invoked two stereotypes for their research subjects:  the "rigid librarian" and the "eccentric poet."   They asked subjects to either imagine themselves as the librarian or the poet, and of course, they had a control group in their study as well.  The students who imagined themselves as eccentric poets exhibited more divergent thinking than either the librarian group or the control group.  They conclude that, "divergent thinking... is a highly malleable rather than a fixed trait."  

McDonald's and Beverages

McDonald's reported a remarkable 6% rise in same-store sales growth in the United States in April.  What drove the rise in revenue?  Drinks... smoothies and McCafe beverages not only appear to be selling briskly, but they are attracting customers, who also purchase food at McDonald's during those visits.

While the news appears very good for McDonald's, they will have to keep an eye on service within their restaurants.  As the drink business booms, McDonald's will have to focus on keeping wait times as low as possible.  With the introduction of smoothies and McCafe beverages, the menu becomes more complex.  McDonald's must avoid the downside of that complexity, which could be longer wait times, if the firm doesn't manage its operational processes effectively. 

That point brings us to a fascinating new article in Business Week about the operational processes at fast-food restaurants.  According to the article, "The big brands spend hundreds of millions and devote as much time to finding ways to shave seconds in the kitchen and drive-thru as they do coming up with new menu items. 'The majority of the business now happens around the back of the building,' says Blair Chancey, editor of QSR magazine. 'So much money and R&D go into perfecting the production system because there is so much money to be had.'"

That type of focus on operational efficiency has always been a hallmark of McDonald's.  It will only become more important as the drinks business continues to grow.   For a cautionary tale, McDonald's need look no further than their competitor in the coffee business, Starbucks, which suffered when complexity and process inefficiency began to harm customer service quality a few years back.