Gordon wrote:
>The key here was that the approach was genuine and the manager's verbal
>and non-verbal signals were aligned/consistent. The process could have
>existed on paper but have been subverted in practice -- and your example
>of the implementation of the US Constitution brings immediately to mind
>the Soviet constitution of the former USSR. Isolated from its Stalin era
>context, no democrat could have failed to thrill at its ringing text; even
>Thomas Paine would have [likely] thought well of it. <snip>
>So if you are assuming genuine implementation, then I have drawn a red
>herring across your path and I apologize. The success of this "org chart
>as the direct report" required sustained, consistent work on the part of
>the manager to keep its vibrancy -- especially during times of stress
>(quarterly and annual closings, new product launches, etc.) when it would
>be all to easy to say, "OK, let's focus on the real stuff right now."
Gordon,
Couldn't agree with you more. The contrast you draw between the US and
Soviet constitutions (though I must admit to not having studied enough
Soviet history) is enlightening. I have great respect, knowing nothing
else, for the manager you've described. I've seen too many good ideas fall
into an "Eroding Goals" pattern in the face of urgency.
Marilyn Darling
--mdarling@warren.med.harvard.edu
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>