May 1996 € Volume 6 € Number 5

Motive, Opportunity and Means! (M.O.M.)

By Paul E. Sheehan, CPIM

The atmosphere, lying there as a patient in a hospital room, was not conducive to the topic. I was asked a question by a visitor, a long-time friend and associate: "What do you think of Mom?"

"I love her dearly, but I find your question rather strange."

"I don't mean that Mom, I mean the M.O.M. that is another three-letter acronym meaning: motive, opportunity and means!"

I really didn't know if this was a ploy to get my mind off the current situation; if the question was legitimate; or if the question was being asked as a result of too much coverage of the People vs. O.J. Simpson.

A month or two later, we had an occasion to sit and discuss motive, opportunity and means and how it impacts businesses. Since that time, many hours have been spent reviewing how M.O.M. can assist in achieving a competitive advantage. If you look at this now familiar collection of words, it is a practice that has been used in criminology for many years. Yet, if you review the intent, there is no reason why it should be limited to criminology and should, in fact, be used in business.

Everything that is done in life is done as the result of motive. Although the reasons may vary immensely, motive is the driver. Each day at your work site, motive drives every action or inaction, most of the time without conscious awareness. Let's take right now. Why are you reading this article? Was the title titillating enough to make you want to see what might be contained in it? Are you reading it to (hopefully) learn something which you might be able to apply to your current position or your job? If you think about it, as a reader of this article, you had to have a motive, and only you can legitimately identify what that motive might be. Point made: All voluntary actions are driven by motive!

Next, let's address opportunity. When the proper conditions exist, that is to say, the circumstances provide or promote a favorable or advantageous time for a possible change, you then have an opportunity. In the business environment, that suggests that management is willing to accept a reasonable risk of failure. This is only accomplished when management allows and encourages input from the people employed.

Lastly, means! It is of little value for a company to motivate and encourage employees to generate new ideas, new methods and/or new or revised processes if the company does not provide the means to implement them. How many of us have heard: "Your idea sounds great, but you're years ahead of your time." "It really isn't in the budget." "Although it looks great, I don't think 'they'll' go for it!" And on and on and on. This management approach has been identified as: how to kill progress!

M.O.M. is not devoted to any organizational discipline; it's universal in its application. It promotes cross-functional integration. If what exists in us today, motive, is provided the opportunity and is given the means, the final result will be total organizational involvement.

If my friend and associate meets you between sessions in New Orleans and asks: "What do you think of M.O.M.?" Remember, he's referring to motive, opportunity and means, not mother!

Paul E. Sheehan, CPIM, is president of Business & Educational Associates (BEA), Inc., Marborough, Mass. BEA, Inc. provides resource management education and training to members of the health care provider community. He is a past president of APICS (1989) and was acting executive director (1991-1992).

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