Just How Big Is A Billion?
One often hears of something costing a couple of Billion and no-one pays attention - one has to wonder if one heard that something is going to cost two thousand million, one would get out the magnifying glass to look closer at how and on what the two thousand million will be spent.
When you hear of something costing billions, what do you think? The democratic candidates proffer their take on how much it will cost to fix health care. Sound bites mentioning $54 Billion, give or take a couple of billion come to mind. It’s the give or take a couple of Billion that troubles me - if one cannot estimate with any certainty better than being one thousand million off estimate - that is not someone I would trust with the nations finances.
It seems to me that those who come up with estimates and those in the press who report the estimates and how badly they were missed subsequently would do a great service by deleting the word Billion from their lexicon and using the longer but much more meaningful numerical expression of thousands of millions. Perhaps then, people would sit up and take notice, start to question what the thousands of millions are actually going to be used for, who will get them and why.
I recall that in some places in the world, one billion is regarded as a million million. Whenever I hear business or government types anywhere talk of Billions I often wonder whether they are talking millions of millions or just thousands of millions? More importantly, do they understand the difference?
If you would like to learn more about the seminar themes I speak to, types of consulting engagements and research that underpins my thinking, feel free to browse my web presence at http://www.TLIRGroup.com
John Bolden
RMA, Mil C, C/MBB-ISSSP. F-IICM, F-IPMS
Transformation Leadership, Innovation & Research
http://www.TLIRGroup.com
John Bolden is renowned for value laden advice that stakeholders depend on when assessing the wisdom of investing billions. John’s views and observations enable corporate leaders to ask the right questions, probe problematic answers and avoid surprises.
Tags: change management, project management, business transformation