Re: Shared Vision Tough Spots LO720
JOHN N. WARFIELD (jwarfiel@osf1.gmu.edu)
Mon, 10 Apr 1995 07:20:52 -0400 (EDT)
VISION. Understanding of a vision would seem to be the minimum essential
of ownership of the vision. As an example, IBM's founder created three
essential aims for the company that he started about a hundred years ago.
Near the time of his retirement, his son, Thomas Watson Jr., wrote a paper
discussing the three aims, and noting that they had provided guidance to
IBM's employees for a long time, and were very prominent in all aspects of
the organization. By contrast, when I spent one year at Burroughs World
Headquarters, I was given a long list (perhaps 30 or so) of aims that had
been developed at the request of Michael Blumenthal (former Treasury
Secretary). I noted that the cognitive overload was severe and, in the
entire time I was there, I never heard anyone refer to any of them in any
corporate situation.
After the Burroughs-Unisys merger, there was much repetition of the "power
of two" slogan, but one seldom hears it any more. CONCLUSION: If a
vision can't be understandable, it won't have any impact.
John N. Warfield
Jwarfiel@osf1.gmu.edu