Intro - Alistair Sutherland
A.Sutherland@fel0107.wins.icl.co.uk
Tue, 8 Nov 1994 14:27:28 +0000
Hello. Having read other's introductions I think that this is an
excellent idea and provides a very clear view of what this group's
about. So this is my input.
I am 37 and a Management Consultant, based in England but have
also done some work in the USA and in other European countries. I
have 2 children and I am a competitive archer.
I am currently working in the field of Business Process
Reengineering. Previously, I have been an IT specialist at all
levels, moved into facilitating management teams to develop
business strategy, specialised in organisational and people
development (especially in the area of interpersonal skills) and
am now in this area of BPR. BPR means different things to
different people, and the terminology does not, IMHO, matter.
What I am interested in is change. I am interested in it in terms
of business and in personal terms. I think that these are the
same.
In my current thinking, I am working with a number of
propositions, or beliefs and I am testing them. They are :
1. Technology itself doesn't benefit anybody.
2. Change can bring benefit and change can be enabled or
inhibited by new and existing technology.
3. Change is often looked at in terms of process (especially in
the business world).
4. Systematic exploration and change to process can bring short-
term benefits.
5. In order to change processes, people must learn to work
together as a team.
6. Working together as a team is often something new and
requires people to change.
7. New ways of working together can bring real benefits.
8. This requires each of us to be willing to be open, to share
and learn from mistakes and to utilise the strengths of others
rather than to compete with them.
9. Real teamwork is not hierarchical. It is not necessarily even
about empowerment. Principles of subsidiarity often apply. There
are many barriers to effective communication and teamwork (gender
issues, authority issues, age issues, etc.)
10. An organisation/family/nation is made up of people and it is
changing people that really counts.
What all of this adds up to is that we cannot change the
organisation as if it was something abstract. We can, however,
influence change by understanding and trusting ourselves and the
others we work with and by modifying our own behaviour.
11. This could have major implications.
This is the first time that I have written any of this down and I
apologise for the poor presentation. I am still working it all
out.
My interests are in the following areas, which overlap to provide
information that is valuable in bringing about organisational
change :
Psychology
Anthropology
Sociology
Technology
Any tools that help to structure thought
Any tools that help achieve self-insight
Any tools that help people to understand and value the differences
in others.
Any research on group dynamics or teamworking
This ended up longer than I intended, so I will stop. Any feedback
gratefully received.
Alistair Sutherland | Mistakes are always initial
A.Sutherland@fel0107.wins.icl.co.uk | and When you get there
Tel (home) : 011 44 734 423833 | there isn't any there !