Saturday 6 September 2008

Upon reflection, I wonder

Friday evening, Philippe was in his office checking his emails. There was one from Gaston. It contained one question.

“Have you filled in the weekly questionnaire?”

He hadn't of course. There hadn't been time. He opened the attachment which Gaston had thoughtfully sent along with the email:


What value added have you provided to your organization?
Which new ideas have you and your team generated?
Who have you spoken to in a meaningful way, even if you disagreed with each other?
Who have your observed in your organization who has been outstanding?
Why do you think that person has been outstanding?
What has your shop floor team been doing?
Which information has been passed to you and from distributed by you?
What actual value has this information been to the recipients and to yourself?
How much was this week's “wasted cost factor?”
How does this compare to the “non-waste cost factor?”
What have you learnt his week?
How will you apply these lessons learnt next week?
How happy are you this week?
Can you go home this evening, feeling positive about your contribution?


Philippe shut the computer down and left the office.

“Stupid questions”, he thought.

Friday 5 September 2008

TGIF

Episodes 1 – 10 (August 27 – Sept. 05) The story so far: Fish works as a production leader at the Fishing Club by the Duck Pond. The club is a world leader in the manufacturing of fishing equipment. This causes a moral dilemma for Fish but the CEO, Philippe the Angler, sees enormous potential in Fish's career and, for reasons known only to him, wants to support him. Philippe is a modern day manager. He has visited all the relevant seminars, talks to important knowledge trainers and learns many new things in the field of value based management tools, leadership skills, visionary skills and many more. Philippe believes all this content and wants to implement it. He has selected Fish to assist him. Then there is Gaston, the Wise Duck. Gaston has a different view on things and always wants to learn something new. Gaston likes good food, good wine and good conversation. In the course of time, Gaston has many wonderful conversations. Archibald is the Head of the Works Council. He has a problem with just about everything. This is a little story of how they all interact and cope with their respective environments and most important, the story of their diverse yet common experiences.

Fish was stung by the word “idealistic”. Deep down, he knew that it wasn't the case. But then, he also couldn't define what it was. He too had thought about Archibald's credo about being “naive”. Naïve was one of those negative words. It was wrong to be naïve in today's world. All too simplistic. But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing either. But life long learning was the credo as well. Everybody had to learn something. Nobody could actually define what. Some learnt languages, some went on self-awareness trainings. It was all there, all for the taking.

But something was missing. Something didn't feel right.

“You're in a rut” he thought. “Get a grip on yourself and face reality”

That reality was the regular Friday lunch debriefing. Philippe had initiated it as a lessons learnt meeting. As was so often the case, it started but he wouldn't take ownership. Friday lunches were often spent outside with clients or suppliers or friends. What seemed like a good ideas soon became as the le-le meeting. It was still held, because of Philippe's insistence, but without enthusiasm, it almost had become a gossip session, hugely unproductive.

“A rather expensive luxury”, Fish thought. He did the number crunching. Hourly rate of €50. 8 people meeting for about 2 hours. That put a price tag at €800 per week. Not such a significant sum, until you figured you might meet about 25 times a year. That came to €20,000. That was a somewhat larger figure. Too much for the le-le meeting. If there was to be any cost cutting and productivity increases, here was a place to start.

It began to dawn on Fish that using the le-le meeting would be the opportunity he subconsciously had been waiting for. All he needed now was an idea, a plan. And some help from somewhere.


To be continued.

Thursday 4 September 2008

What is right?

Fish was sitting in his office with a whole pile of paper in front of him. Information which had to be distributed to the various notice boards dotted around the production area. KPI's, production planning, status reports. It was all part of the new philosophy which Philippe was pushing through, it was all about transparency. Continuous improvement was the buzz word. After years of secretive hoarding of information and news everything was open and transparent and everybody had now access to all the information. It was made to be relevant and geared to make the workers feel to be part of the process, to accept responsibility for their actions. The change had been relatively sudden and as in all these approaches, badly explained and rolled out.

All of a sudden, people had to feel passionate about their work.

“Passion and work do not go together,” said one worker, “I cannot imagine that everybody sees a passion in his daily routines”.

“But it is in our core values,” said Fish

“Ha”, came a response, “another one of those empty phrases. Passion is about love and people, not about processes and systems. It is the wrong word. I am satisfied when I do a good job. I am happy when people buy our fishing equipment. But passion? Do we have to love each other now as well?”

“But then, if you don't love your work, why are you here?” replied Fish

“Look”, I have been here for over 10 years, “it's not the company, it's my colleagues here. I have known them all this time. I know the good times, the bad times, and they know me. We do our work because we are happy with each other. Not more, not less. We don't care about all the management hot air coming from the offices”

“Exactly”, somebody else said, “I don't spend 5 minutes looking at the information boards. I don't need them. I need work, not some paper on the wall. It is important for me to know what I have to do and when the deadline is.”

Fish was in a difficult situation. On the one side he could see their point of view. A lot of it was not necessary. But he did also see some benefit from the greater transparency. It was difficult to articulate it however.

“Look guys”, said Fish, “it's all about communication and integrity. We have to talk to each other, be informed and communicate all the problems and the status of our production. You know..”

“Fish”, said one of them, “when was the last time Philippe came down to us on the shop floor, eh? When was the last time he came down, shook our hands, listened to us, spent time with us. I suspect he was told that at some leadership training program. Has he done it?”

“He is a busy man, with meetings to go to. He needs to figure the future strategy, develop his mission and fulfil his vision,” replied Fish, sensing the emptiness of those words.

“Sure he has to do that. And he has to inspire us too, does he? If he wants to inspire us, he has to communicate with us, but that might be too uncomfortable. He is not interested in us, not really. And to be honest, we're not really interested in what he has to say because it only helps him.”

“But doesn't this information, this transparency inspire you?” replied Fish, “Look, inspiration is also about giving people a feeling of a good job. It gives you the possibility to have good ideas for product improvements and production improvements.”

“Aren't you being a little idealistic here Fish?” came a question?

Wednesday 3 September 2008

Wine Tasting

After spending two days in the Douro Valley, Gaston had reached a state of delirium. He was totally unprepared for the warmth and hospitality extended to him. But it was more. He had entered a different world.

Victor and Gaston sat down to shoot the breeze.

“You know”, Victor said, musing over which bottle to open, “I love to be alive and share expertise with professional people who are passionate about what they do and love?”

“Where does this come from?” asked Gaston

“Look around you. I was born in the most fantastic region for great wines. When you have great wines you have passion and care. The Douro Valley is a sacred place for viticulture because here we have fantastic weather and soil. The sun shines at the lovely walls up in the vineyards in Tua and the Douro Valley”.

Victor finally made his choice. “Let's start with a Vinho Verde. It is one of the green wines that we represent in overseas countries”

Gaston watched as Victor poured a small amount into the two glasses. When the wine swirled around in his mouth he could taste a persistent fresh flavour and tropical fruit aromas. It was going to be a long difficult evening, he thought pleasantly.

“This is a beautiful country, but it is not easy here. It forms the character. And, do not forget, the Victor Marques family has been producing wine for over 100 years. So, ever since I was a young boy, I was determined to win in every field that life put me in. I had to learn. I'm a risk taker and I follow all my passions with an open heart and with a smile on my face”

Gaston could only listen. The pride expressed in those words could not be overheard.

“I have it in my soul. The Marques family believe in it and carry on planting more than 13 acres of new vines near Douro and Tua rivers where even the Romans have been cultivating the culture of the wine!”

“You have deep and strong roots then.”, Gaston added.

Victor nodded. “And because of that, there is a tremendous benefit for everybody”

“How so?” asked Gaston, “Is there a secret?”

“Passion for people and for wines is my only secret...I love people and great wines...You can ask me why...!”

Gaston, raising the glass, was about to when Victor continued.

“Passion is a word that belongs to small producers who make wonderful wines. They make it in a such sensitive and caring way! Everything is a process that never finishes until the wine is bottled and go to storage in French oak or in metal containers. The honest and fair way that have been doing business help me to have a smile everyday of my life! Be yourself, so never judge people and never complain against the storms or bad weather because the sun will shine again and again...

“It sounds so simple. Why can't others in business be the same?” questioned Gaston.
Victor sighed.
“You want to try another wine? Maybe you will find the answer there. In Vino Veritas, eh?” he said with a twinkle in his eye and a captivating smile.

“You know the history is very important with the product. The Port wine region was established in 1756 and is still the second oldest region protected in the world! Traditionally the wine was taken to port by the so-called rabelo boat and then stored in oak Barrels in Vila Nova de Gaia. The port is sweeter and is served before or after meals with cheese. The white Port is often served as an aperitif. Tawny Ports are aged in wooden barrels.
Remember Gaston, that you are visiting a fantastic part of northern Portugal . But don't forget a great place called Tua. The Tua river there is very calm and at the same time like a paradise for men and God. Here we have a great micro climate that is optimal for cultivation of olives, almonds and especially the many types of grapes like tinta Barroca, Tinto cao, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and touriga Francesa.
The Douro Valley is a great place for olive oil too. And I usually say that we can compare wine with olive oil because the climate, the soil and the real people who take care of the vineyards and olive trees. The olive oil organic version in produced with care and love from small producers of Tua and Douro Valley! So, olive oil and wine can live in the same land like sister and brother.”

It seemed that Victor was building up his history and geography lesson to give credit to the next wine he was going to try. Victor was still holding a bottle as he continued

“I think we should try a late bottled vintage. It is a kind of wine that had been destined for being bottled as Vintage Port, but the due to the lack of great demand for Port was left in the barrel for rather longer that it was at first planned. Over time it has become two distinct styles of wine, both of them bottled between four and six years after vintage, but one style is refined and filtered prior to bottling while the other is not. So you have filtered wine ready to drink without decanting and unfiltered wines which are bottled with conventional corks and need to be decanted. The cork is so important for a great wine. These Ports are the product of a single year's harvest and tend to be lighter bodied than a vintage Port.”

Gaston recalled the growing number of wines now being bottle with screw capped tops. He shuddered inwardly.

“You are going to try a Quinta Seara Dordens 2003 Late Bottled Vintage Porto bottled last year in 2007.”

Victor poured the liquid into a fresh glass, gave it to Gaston, and then settled back with an expectant look in his eyes. Gaston took up the challenge and raised the glass to the light. It was intense in colour. When he tasted it, it exploded in his mouth with a bouquet of ripe grapes and forest berries.

After a second taste, he said “Very elegant, .....fruity ........and full -bodied.”

Victor nodded in satisfaction. “Yes, he said, it has a unique personality and aged for 20 months and then in old wood casks until bottling in the 4th year. With I wine like that, I love to be alive and share expertise with professional people who are passionate about what they do and love.”

“You said that earlier” said Gaston.

Gaston did not overhear the hidden statement. For all the love of his product, his roots, his sense of being, Gaston had grown to realise that with a commitment to quality came the expectation to appreciate quality. But what quality? Quality of life, quality of work, quality of being generous. There was a sense of modesty in Victor but there was also a man who new what he wanted and how to get it.

“Victor, I must ask you a frightfully boring question now, but this wine here is such a perfect inspiration”, said Gaston slowly, looking for the right words.

Victor nodded.

“What do you understand by leadership?”.

Victor grew solemn.

“Gaston”, he commenced, “I'm not afraid of fighting for the ones that need help! I really believe in what I say or do... I'm very positive and never give up, I follow my passions and all my dreams . Gratitude is a source of inspiration!
Everything is global and I can do everything and I'm not afraid of a fight, not afraid about my future, my own abilities give me the right way of positive things that will always happen because I work hard seven days a week...
I'm like a navigator who never knows what is going to happen next...
So. I'm a long life learner who loves real people and I trust myself and I show it to others in a farming way...

Silence began to settle. “There,” thought Gaston, “sits a truly wise man!”

Victor, slightly uncomfortable, started again. “Gaston, that is business. This is pleasure and what do we do? We try great wines with perfect food and the most important ingredient: Love, family laughs and great moments! Look at this fantastic picture, taken when we were all celebrating the confection of Pork and Beef, both grilled at a local grill!”

As Gaston retired for the night, he jotted down a few thoughts.

“In business, you must have your own world. It contains your roots, your identity and is what has moulded you. It goes beyond being authentic because it also contains your soul. It radiates a spirit. Not everybody will like your world, but they will respect you for it. Perhaps more, when people sense that their world might feel very empty in comparison. It is pure inspiration and all perfectly simple”


In this dialogue, Victor's words are largely his own, taken from his blog entries here on Ecademy and rearranged for the storyline and message for my own observations. I am deeply indebted to Victor and his generosity in allowing me to use his material.

Tuesday 2 September 2008

Archibald

After the meeting, Fish decided to get himself a cup of coffee. On his way, he passed by Archibald's office. Archibald had been the much disputed head of the works council. Still elected but singular in his thoughts and approach. He didn't always play by the rule book and stood out like a sore thumb, leaving a mixture of uncomfortable feelings, many questions even fewer answers.

Archibald must have had an attack of inspiration or the like because on the noticeboard outside his office hung a large piece of paper on which he had written:

What would a person think when looking at our world?
How may our person feel, when touching our material world often leaves us cold?
What would our person do, when the smells of golden opportunities are corrupted by power and greed?
What impression, does our person get, when everyone shouts at each other?
Why could our person feel sick, when the tastes of success have not flavour?
Who is this person?
Have you looked in the mirror?
It's in our hands.
Is our person naïve in requesting future progress be meaningful?
Is our person naïve in requesting we listen more and shout less?
Is our person naïve in requesting that some things are not for sale?
Is our person naïve in requesting we redefine power?
Is our person naïve in requesting we taste what we create?
Is a leader, who only uses his five senses, a naïve person?

“Wow, “ thought Fish, “that must have been quite a meeting that Archibald and Philippe had had. Archibald has gone into orbit again.”

Archibald's outbreaks were now quite well known in the Fishing Club, so Fish wandered off in search of his cup of coffee.

The word naïve did strike a chord however? Who said that being naïve was such a bad thing?

Monday 1 September 2008

Monday blues

On Monday morning, Fish knew that the week ahead would be challenging to say the least. The fishing club was a leading manufacturer of fishing equipment. It took quite some time for Fish to get used to the concept of being involved a business which harmed his fellow species more than it did them any good. But Philippe, the angler, had told him that it was in fact human nature.

“Your focus is wrong”, he told Fish over a glass of pastis years ago. “The main objective of our business is to make money. We have to generate an exceptional EBIT and we have to ensure shareholder value. To do this, we have to ensure that all our processes and systems are geared to produce the highest quality product. What the consumers do with it is none of our concern. We are in the business of making money and we do it with high quality fishing equipment.”

Fish couldn't really refute that line of logic, but he tried anyway. “What about the contradictory nature of what we're doing?”

“Listen Fish”, replied Philippe, “if you want to succeed in business, you have to live with the contradictions. Swim or sink”

“I don't know how to sink”, replied Fish.

“Exactly why we chose you. You have enormous potential. We'll develop you and one day, you could be on the board as well. I saw that in you when you came for the interview” said Philippe.

That was quite some time ago and Fish had managed to swim his way up the ladder, albeit more in a state of confusion than anything else. But he had mortgage to pay and a family to feed.

In this morning's production kick-off meeting, things which had been bubbling for quite some time, were beginning to boil.

One worker opened the discussion. “The problem is that we have too many different modules and the materials for all the different modules in our Kanban area. If we miss some material, then we can deal with that. But, you see Fish, we really are having many problems with our suppliers. I don't know why but the delivery problems of the last 3-5 years will continue to grow in the future.”

The group leader at the pre-assembly added, “And we do not have the time at the pre-assembly to check we you have all the materials to assemble a module. You know as well as I do, that if you have to start with your work at the pre assembly and find that are missing material, then it is too late. Kanban is good when all the materials are in the ware house. You cannot refill when there is nothing there.”

To which the first worker added, “The second problem on module lines 1 & 2 is that we have modules for 15 different fishing rods. The supplier of the fishing rods have delivery problems. The result is that we have to change our working plan to other rods and then we get even more material problems.”

Finally, someone else added, “The third problem is the quality of our suppliers is not good enough. We have 3 boxes and all the loops are wrong. We're going to have to inform Quality Management.”

“Gaston is sunning himself in Portugal,” thought Fish. “and Philippe is holed up in his office with the controllers. Ah well, onwards and upwards.”

A special trip

The River Douro still calm and there!
With lots of things to share...
Grapes and olives going away,
Lovely sunny days...

The rocks with colourful grey,
The vineyards and olive trees are great,
The light cork in pure state,
I don sleep I'm awake...

The great walls that you don't find anywhere,
True people with love and sincere care!
Real wine and soft passion in mind,
Come to Douro, come to paradise...

It was these words which intrigued Gaston. They were written by Victor Marques who owns a vineyard near the town of Fafe, some 60km north east of Porto.
Port wine country. Gaston did like his Port, he had to admit. The French with their their great wine producing tradition simply do not produce anything remotely resembling a port wine. He also recalled a wine tasting evening he had several years ago. All the wines had come from Portugal. It was a revelation, not only in the wide range and depth of quality but also the facts about the wine making tradition. A small jewel tucked away in the south western corner of Europe.

Gaston knew he had arrived at Fafe when he saw the numerous wind turbines dotted on the hills above the town. The weather was unexpectedly cool. It was drizzling slightly from the grey, overcast sky. But tomorrow would be a nice sunny and warm day.

Fafe was not quite what he expected. The main town square was actually quite modern. But then there were architectural gems like the theatre and cinema with it's vividly decorated front. There were a number of individualistic designed houses. But the strangest he had seen was the house built between two gigantic rocks.

What Gaston liked about Victor's approach was the being proud of his wines, the quality of his produce and while being connected to nature and being so passionate about it all. This was a different way to what Philippe was doing.

“I wonder what Victor's hallmark is?” he mused.


The poem at the top was reprinted with kind permission by Victor Marques. Please view his profile here on Ecademy. His website is http://www.vitoriakoi.pt/pt/

Saturday 30 August 2008

Storm clouds gathering

It was a nice warm sunny day but Philippe, the angler, sat by the pond, looking serious.

“What's up?”, asked Gaston, the wise Duck.

“Well” replied Philippe, “we have a board meeting at the fishing club next week and I need to think about my approach. There are some issues with my colleagues on the board I need to focus on. The whole club is in dangerous waters.”

Gaston, casting his eye over the calm pond was somewhat bemused by this and asked, “why?”

Philippe grew more impatient. “Look, don't you read the papers? There will be a major global recession next year. We have to drastically cut costs, right size, re-engineer. All the KPI's need addressing. We will have to dramatically increase productivity at the same time and outsource non profit making areas. We have to implement the biggest change program the club has ever seen. And most important of all, we have to still increase our shareholder value or else our share price will drop and we will have to face a hostile takeover bid. This is very serious and we have to react immediately.”

“So, what is your strategy?” asked Gaston.

“Easy”, replied Philippe, “but I won't tell you now. I have made a comprehensive presentation, a detailed analysis of all our processes and products. Financial controlling are working overtime to prepare all kinds of figures and spreadsheets. I will be in the office on Sunday and I have asked a core team to brief me on all aspects we need to focus on. Nothing like a crises to generate extra pressure and ignite new processes! You know, that is why I have this role. I have the vision of the future and I can lead us out of this mess”.

“Well” replied Gaston, “you do that. And enjoy your day. Looks to be nice and sunny. What are you going to do today?”

Philippe looked at his in-box. “I have 138 emails to answer. All are high priority. The organization needs me. And you?”

Gaston stared deeply into Philippe's eyes. “I off to Portugal to meet a friend who is passionate about his business. He makes wine.”

Philippe grunted.

As they parted, Gaston reflected on priorities. “I wonder if Philippe is on the right path”, he thought.

Friday 29 August 2008

Just another day gone by

The fish was swimming around doing all sorts of fishy things. Suddenly, he came across an injured worm.

“What happened to you?”, asked the fish

“Well, I was told my role in life was to attract the likes of you so that the angler can meet customer requirements (his wife, I think) and so they cultivated and processed me. I think they call it a supply chain. But somehow, the process went wrong and, well, here I am.”

“Wow, you don't look too good. What can I do? “

“Oh, I wouldn't worry too much, it'll pass.”

“So, what is this supply chain thingy then?”

“You know, I don't actually know. It seems that I just appear at the right time in the right place. Almost like magic. Well, I was raised somewhere else and then transported at great distance to somewhere else. They put me in a box and shipped me somewhere else again. And the strange thing was, when the angler chose me for his step in the process, I recognised that I had only moved about 300 meters but it seems I had travelled several 1000km to get here. I mean, it was an interesting experience, I had a great time meeting others, saw strange places, you know, got around a bit. It was fun!”.

The wise duck had, by now, joined the conversation. “I know”, he quacked, “I see it all the time. There are lots of gigantic loud things moving on land. I suspect you were in one of those too. But I wonder if it can continue like this in the future? “

“Why, “ asked the fish and the worm

“Well”, replied the duck, “humans have this thing called oil and it seems to be running out and then they will have to come up with a new idea to send you worms half way around the world to process you. Oh, and everyone is saying it will get more expensive, whatever that means.”

“Why?” asked the fish and the worm, not really understanding what the duck was saying.

“Well, it could mean that they don't want your friends any more because, well, of this expensive thing. Your purpose in life will not be fulfilled” the Duck said.

“That's depressing”, replied the maggot.

“Hmm, and all those other people you met faraway, they won't have anything to do either” added the Duck, “so their purpose in life will not be fulfilled either!”

“Something has to be done about this” said the fish. “Why don't we meet tomorrow and explore any ideas?”

That night, the worm died of his injuries. When they buried him, they wrote on his tombstone
“Here lies a wealth of untapped inspiration, experience and hope and another lost opportunity. May we all open our eyes and learn from this”.

Thursday 28 August 2008

One day....

In a discussion on Wednesday, a person mentioned “my boss wants me to be professional....” It was that sentence which gave me the idea to the following little story.

A fish was swimming around in the duck pond. Suddenly it saw something glistening. Attracted, it swam closer to investigate. Above the surface he saw an angler. The fish noted that the angler was a figure of authority due to his elevated position and the tools by his side. Sensing this apparent professionalism and being motivated by it, the fish committed himself to becoming a professional fish.

“I don't want to disappoint the angler”, it thought.

The angler, naturally, had noticed the fish and wanted to catch it. Being a professional angler, he devised all kinds of processes and systems to attract the fish and lure him to his line. The fish observed this with increasing fascination and began to gain knowledge, experience and support from his network because he wanted to impress the angler.

Perplexed, the angler started to hire consultants, process engineers and the like. They introduced him to Kaizen, TQM, Six Sigma, Balanced Score Cards and many other value based programs. The angler was now being seen as the leader of the day and as his reputation gained more stature he was ceremoniously appointed Chief Executive Angler at the local fishing club. His position was so important, that his fishing line to attract that one fish had become extremely long. In fact, he no longer could see the point where it crossed into the pond. But he wasn't bothered as, so it seemed, as success appeared to be on his side.

The professional fish, too, had become successful. His influence was well established his experience, ideas, insights had helped him tremendously. He had keen powers of observation and was an active listener.

One day, passing by the now somewhat rusty hook, the fish had a flash of inspiration. It took out a piece of paper and wrote a message, fastened it on the hook, and gave the line a tug.

The angler, at the height of his career, adored by many, but equally disliked, sensed this was the glorious moment he had been striving for. He pulled up the line and saw the piece of paper. On it was the message “I know something you don't!!”

Time passed and both the angler and the professional fish retired. At their respective farewell parties, a wise duck came along. The duck took the angler to one side. “So, what did the fish have to say?”
“I don't know”, replied the Angler, “I never asked”.

Later that evening, the wise duck spoke to the fish.

“Would you have told him?”
“Probably not”, the fish replied.

Communication: fishing and eating, surviving without getting hooked.

Wednesday 27 August 2008

Busy at work

Germans always say “I have no time, I have too much to do”
The English say, “I am too busy”

Both say the same thing but it can be interpreted differently. What are the differences between doing something and being busy. Could you be doing something meaningful or are you busy wasting your time doing something meaningless?

For me, busy has a more positive connotation. A busy person might be bustling. A busy person might be doing business.

But when you ask someone, “What did you do yesterday?” how often have you heard “oh, nothing really”. Which always confuses me. Can anybody please explain to me the secret of doing “nothing”?

A few days ago, I witnessed the downside of our so busy culture. One of the projects I am involved in is assisting in a communication process in a German/Swiss/Russian Joint Venture. Some time last week a managerial meeting took place between the Head of Production and two Russian counterparts. It would have been a golden opportunity to take 30 minutes, sit down with others in the project and exchange the experience, impressions, thoughts and ideas. Vital information on the peoples side of this project and one which seriously need improving.

But the Head of Production was too busy. He had to go to another city to oversee his other responsibilities there. Another lost opportunity in quality communications.

Maybe he should have been busy doing something – as a leader, sharing his knowledge so that other people can do something with it when they are busy. Being busy doing the wrong thing can lead to disasters.

Or am I wrong?

Sunday 13 July 2008

Naive Leadership

The presentation below is more a result of a personal self-cleansing process. The roots are to be found in working with a senior manager in a large German global organisation who created his own workshop day with his 130 or so Managers. He has installed an complete organsational structure with the aim of supporting him and all his ides. I am the only outsider in this scenario and tend to play the role of a sparring partner.

The interesting thing here is that while having so called "flat world ideas" he works in an environment which defines itself through hierarchy and power politics. As such, he and his ideas have little support amongst his peers and his relationship to the company's board is a somewhat critical. This is compounded by the fact that although he holds the same hierarchical level as 3 others in his division, he is their superior. Of these 3, only one fully supports him, one is reasonably ambivalent and the third has his loyalties elsewhere and openly displays this. His arguments and wishes for a hierarchical recognition (in form of a formal promotion to align role and position) are not being heard. The rest of the 500 or so people working in the division watch the circus at the top with emotions ranging from contempt to amusement.

My focus in preparing this person for his one day workshop was on a vital 10 minute window. What do you say to your 130 managers when most of them know that their boss is running an isolated show and the question is more "if" than "when" when it comes to his future involvement divisional planning. The question was simple enough: What do I say that will sound authentic, motivating and can create some form of a platform for future dialogue, when in fact, the world around you is vanishing and most people know it?

For 2 hours we tossed ideas around, built in some concepts. I left him with a handful of thoughts and instructions to prepare them over the weekend, thinking that he would do this. When we met again the following Tuesday, the company politics had once again worked against him and 90% of what we had priviously discussed was thrown out. The discussion went negative and all that could be done, given the time constraints was to let events take their course.

In the event, the workshop seems to have gone well. So say the small group of loyalists around him or who had an active role to play that day. How the momentum can be continued is a little unclear to them because the focus has been and will, unfortunately, remain, directed to the top. Looking for guidance at the top is a futile exercise. Seeing the power of the 500 people in the division and using their knowledge and networks is something that has not sunk in yet.

Left are many questions about theory, wishful thinking and corporate reality. Looking at the material available, it seems easy in theory. Tell stories, presentations should be more entertaining than factual. Worst of all, is a complete lack of understanding of corporate politics, power struggles and the realization that the corporte world may be detached but it is still somewhat driven by discussions in the public domain and by politicians and the legislatoin they produce. Corporate leaders are not alone. They are aware of what is going on. Only their viewpoint and interpretation works differently. After the bout of scandals in global organisations, we are moving back to a world where political control is on the increase. In 10 or 15 years, this will change back again.

Who then is naive? Them or those who have a different vision, more idealistic, less policitcal and more human?

Ask a simple question, get a complex answer.

Is oversimplification naive?

Thursday 10 July 2008

The Third Dimension

Google have taken the social networking world one logical step further by introducing Google lively. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of this new idea is how quickly the news travels. If you "google" (why should this become a verb??) "google lively", you get over 4 million hits. Something that has been in the public domain for only a few days.

Once the fun community have been through it, I wonder what the business community will make of it?

Saturday 5 July 2008

Look and Learn

Reality Social Networking?

There is a link to hierarchical organisations here as well. In the flat world syndrome, if there is discord, political infighting in top hierarchies, people will observe, shrug their shoulders and turn away. I know of several large organisations where the trust between top level management and "ordinary people" has been eroded to less than nothing.

Top down communication is acknowledged. If you look at the word closely, you will
recognise "know" and "knowledge". Translated it means: "I know what they are doing up there, I have the knowledge. There is no fundamental change, so I can continue as I have done before and laugh at them."

The immediate work place becomes a small community and this is where the work gets done, which is what makes these global organisations manage to get through each financial year.

The social network movement can be applied to live companies too. Senior managers just need to "get on the train".

The concept is as old as the hills. Back in the 1980's everybody's darling Guru,
Tom Peters, called it MBWA.

Management by walking around.

It's cheaper than taking the train - and keeps you fit at the same time, both physically and mentally.

What more can managers and leaders want?

A raw and honest message.

Thursday 3 July 2008

Welcome

My view on training and knowledge is to move managers away from all the process and systems thinking which dominate corporate culture.

At the core are the more emotional factors, the experiences which people have and need to share with each other so that any goals, any excellence, any development can take place now and in the future.

This journal is to be a mirror of these experiences. People and names will have been changed, the situations will be shared as I come across them.

Knowledge is a combination of lessons learned and forward thinking.

Anybody who stumbles across is welcome to participate. Enjoy, be critical, be
truthful, be aware and alive.

As an Introduction