1. What is a Review?
A review originally comes from the game of Go, which means that after finishing a game, you remove the pieces and then re-set them in the same way as the previous game and explain the process again. This process is called a "review." You analyze where the moves were good, where they were not, and whether there could be better ways to play.
Lenovo's Version of Review: In 2001, when Lenovo Investment was established, Liu Chuanzhi formally introduced the concept of "review." In 2006, Lenovo clearly identified the review methodology as an important part of Lenovo's corporate culture. The essence of the review methodology is based on Lenovo's core values of pragmatism.
Alibaba’s Review: Jack Ma is fond of playing Go, and he uses this method for project and talent management. Alibaba conducts at least two large reviews every year, one around March and the second around October. In addition to large reviews, there are also event reviews and organizational reviews.
As Einstein once said: "You cannot expect to achieve different results by using the same ideas and methods."
Recently, there has been a saying that has appeared frequently in social media: "Your so-called ten years of work experience is just the same experience used for ten years." When it comes to work, if the method this year is the same as last year, the result will not change. Therefore, work requires frequent reviews, and our growth is the result of continuous reviews.
2. Why Do We Need Reviews?
► Know Why and How
Many times, we only know part of the story, not the whole picture, because we are too lazy to think. If we don't understand the underlying reasons and logic of things, we cannot apply them systematically. Through reviews, we can learn the fundamental logic and rules of things, which helps us make better decisions.
► Transfer Experience, Enhance Ability
Experience is not truly yours just because it happens to you; the depth of understanding and the takeaways from the same experience can vary depending on the person.
This is why people with 2-3 years of experience are sometimes prioritized for better job opportunities over those with ten years of experience.
Studies show that 70% of adult learning comes from experience. If we don't review and process our experiences through summaries, integration, expansion, and analysis, we will find it difficult to genuinely enhance our abilities.
► Avoid Making the Same Mistakes
Making mistakes is not terrible, but repeatedly making the same mistakes is. The best way to avoid repeating mistakes is through reviews.
One mistake is an opportunity, two mistakes are a lesson, and three mistakes are foolish.
Therefore, reviews allow us to absorb lessons and avoid making preventable mistakes.
In summary, reviews help us understand the root causes of things, avoid making the same mistakes, find and master patterns, verify our directions, and ultimately improve our abilities.
3. Is a Review the Same as a Summary?
A review is a form of summary, but there are three main differences between a review and a summary:
1. Structured: Reviews have a form and process to ensure effective outcomes.
2. Goal-oriented: Reviews emphasize learning, serving as a method for enhancing individual, team, and organizational capabilities.
3. Participatory: Reviews involve full participation from the group, followed by collective actions.
In sales-driven companies like COVNA, reviews are more applicable to operations than summaries!
A review is dynamic and continuous, 3-dimensional, and involves summarizing known facts and exploring the unknown; while a summary is static and flat, mostly a consolidation of past events. The evolutionary process of a review includes practical application comparisons, eliminating misunderstandings and finding more effective methods that align with the fundamental laws of the situation. It helps us determine which actions should continue and which should stop, improving our ability to do things right.
In other words, a review is a process of continuous learning, summarization, reflection, refinement, and ongoing improvement. Doesn’t that resemble the evolutionary path of operations?
4. How to Implement Reviews Effectively?
The successful implementation of reviews includes aligning organizational thinking and following the steps of the review process. Without aligning organizational thinking, the review will just become a formality. Operations rely on teamwork, and a unified understanding is crucial. Only through team-based reviews can we better understand the essence and patterns of things.
A review generally follows four steps:
1. Review the Goal: What were the original objectives or expectations?
2. Evaluate the Results: What are the highlights and shortcomings compared to the original goals?
3. Analyze the Causes: What are the fundamental reasons for success and failure, both subjective and objective?
4. Summarize the Patterns: From the analysis, identify more effective practices that align with the fundamental laws, such as new actions to implement and existing actions to continue.
5. Reviews Lead to Turnarounds
COVNA's sales & operations "review meeting" is about transforming the failed experiences of the past into valuable lessons, and turning successful operations into organizational capability through collective learning.
No Review, No Evolution!
In COVNA’s 2019 sales & operations "review meeting," General Manager Hong emphasized that the term "review" originally came from the game of Go. It is considered one of the most important methods for a Go player to improve their skills, especially when playing against a stronger opponent. By seeing their own thinking from someone else's perspective, a player can learn from others' experiences.
In COVNA’s actual sales and operations work, we also need to apply the review methodology to reflect on our work. Whether for individuals or the company, reviews provide dynamic and 3-dimensional perspectives that stimulate self-growth. This is the key for COVNA to continue on the path of continuous operational refinement and evolution.
