Every business has problems. That is why the average life span of a large industrial company is 40 years. Some are learning disabilities where companies are not prepared to learn from their mistakes. They insist on doing the same thing every time. Even when problems occur no one examines the cause of the problem. The problem is an embarrassment that should be swept under the rug and forgotten rather than be used as an opportunity to learn. Handling these dilemmas and disabilities is the Management Team. Below is a quote from Peter Senge's book "The Fifth Discipline ? the Art & Practice of the Learning Organization." Does this sound like your company? If it does start worrying!
The Myth of the Management Team
Standing forward to do battle with these dilemmas and disabilities is "the management team," the collection of savvy, experienced managers who represent the organization's different functions and areas of expertise. Together, they are supposed to sort out the complex cross-functional issues that are critical to the organization. What confidence do we have, really, that typical management teams can surmount these learning disabilities? All too often, teams in business tend to spend their time fighting for turf, avoiding anything that will make them look bad personally, and pretending that everyone is behind the team's collective strategy ? maintaining the appearance of a cohesive team. To keep up the image, they seek to squelch disagreement; people with serious reservations avoid stating them publicly, and joint decisions are watered-down compromises reflecting what everyone can live with, or else reflecting one person's view foisted on the group. If there is disagreement, it's usually expressed in a manner that lays blame, polarizes opinion, and fails to reveal the underlying differences in assumptions and experience in a way that the team as a whole could learn.
"Most management teams break down under pressure," writes Harvard's Chris Argyris ? a long time student of learning in management teams. "The team may function quite well with routine issues. But when they confront complex issues that may be embarrassing or threatening, the 'teamness' seems to go to pot."
Argyris argues that most managers find collective inquiry inherently threatening. School trains us never to admit that we do not know the answer, and most corporations reinforce that lesson by rewarding the people who excel in advocating their views, not inquiring into complex issues. (When was the last time someone was rewarded in your organization for raising difficult questions about the company's current policies rather than solving urgent problems?) Even if we feel uncertain or ignorant, we learn to protect ourselves from the pain of appearing uncertain or ignorant. That very process blocks out any new understandings which might threaten us. The consequence is what Argyris calls "skilled incompetence" ? teams full of people who are incredibly proficient at keeping themselves from learning.
So how does your company stack up? If your company is what Senge describes as a 'Learning Organization' then there is no need to protect your turf, no need to accept compromise, no need for management to know everything. In a Learning Organization the knowledge that employees have is used and each member of the management team is there to support the other. They realize that everyone wins if the team does well and they also know that a failure is just another term for a learning opportunity.
Wouldn't you like to work in an organization where your opinion counts and where you CAN make a difference in the companies success? Where you don't have to pretend to be busy, or pretend to know everything. So how do you create a learning organization? It starts with creating learning individuals in learning teams which then cascade into a learning organization.
Through an effective facilitated process team members learn to work collaboratively, learn from their mistakes and continually challenge their assumptions about reality. Above all they work together as a team to solve problems and improve results.
A Learning Organization is possible!
GRAEME NICHOL, President, Arcturus Advisors.
Graeme Nichol has worked on 4 continents and in 106 unique businesses gaining experience in manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, communications, banking, direct marketing, consumer goods and retail amongst others. He has significant management experience and consulting experience, including Business strategy, project management, change management, big six consulting, team productivity, business productivity and quality improvement, ERP implementations.
Arcturus Advisors works with businesses and teams that are struggling to formulate a strategic plan that delivers bottom line results. Using tried and tested planning systems that have achieved results internationally for 20 years we ensure that you transform your business through focus, alignment and accountability.
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
There are some very simple guides for delegation.Most people delegate... Read More
OK. So you have decided that your organization has to... Read More
Okay, so you've figured out what kind of meeting is... Read More
How do you as a manager, supervisor or team leader... Read More
The business books at the library and book stores fill... Read More
I could begin this article by providing a checklist of... Read More
Employee motivation is probably the most important single manageable factor... Read More
A recent report from the American Hospital Association's Commission on... Read More
I was talking with first-line supervisors in a utility company... Read More
People buy from you, offer help, and grant rewards based... Read More
You can use this step-by-step method to hire applicants who... Read More
Go into any bookstore and you will find a big... Read More
Let's begin by singing the jingle from an old US... Read More
It was 2.30 am. It was cold and dark and... Read More
IntroductionThe role of the Human Resource Manager is evolving with... Read More
One of the first things I look at when I... Read More
You've made the plans, built the quality system and conducted... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Do you have piles of paper on your desk. Many... Read More
In fact, bringing your people - any of them -... Read More
Firing, sacking, letting go or terminating people is unpleasant. There... Read More
Not long ago I was asked to come out and... Read More
Can you imagine playing hockey without a goal? Basketball without... Read More
Have you ever sat in a meeting where everyone is... Read More
If you work from home, chances are you already know... Read More
Ten Money Saving Tips for Print ManagersDespite their stated desire... Read More
Every one of us, in reality, has two people inside:... Read More
Putting a piece of paper in a file folder is... Read More
Office politics! It's just another way of saying: "The employees... Read More
The economy may finally be turning around and showing signs... Read More
On consulting assignments, here are some of the questions I... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
There is no substitute for soliciting the opinions of the... Read More
Current Situation:As of this writing, the MCI Board of Governors... Read More
The higher you go, the cooler it becomes. Really? Let... Read More
Some say that in business as in sex: if it... Read More
I've seen several articles that begin with lines like "the... Read More
In our experience, we have found that there are several... Read More
Communication is the key to your success at work, at... Read More
To get the best results you have to be very... Read More
Cost cutting has become a necessary and important reality in... Read More
Define the Problem First. It seems obvious, but how many... Read More
The economy may finally be turning around and showing signs... Read More
Why are people changing jobs so quickly these days?Here are... Read More
One of the first things I look at when I... Read More
Is your online business disaster-proof? Online businesses face a unique... Read More
"When you hire the best, the rest is easy!" We... Read More
In a competitive world with the need for businesses to... Read More
Ten or so years ago, an international consultant, specializing in... Read More
Do you manage by walking around? What do you see?... Read More
Ok, you say, I know I need a budget, but... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
The steps need to be taken to prepare an organization... Read More
Consultant's Perspective...The threat of violence whether it emanates from a... Read More
Measure.The first key question to answer in starting a problem-solving... Read More
I'm sure you've experienced those typical "headache" meetings! You know... Read More
A recent report from the American Hospital Association's Commission on... Read More
Best Practices StudiesThese studies can be defined as inquiries into... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Learning comes from many places. And one of the most... Read More
Part Two of Creating Well-Defined Processes SeriesNext Week: ImplementationLast week,... Read More
When people or groups make a decision to purchase something,... Read More
Imagine that you're a sports coach and you need a... Read More
An essential step in managing the performance of salespeople is... Read More
Like many, I watched the 134th Belmont Stakes hoping to... Read More
Business Management |