Senge talks about personal mastery. I have been considering a particular
form of such mastery, namely the little details of the work we do and the
seeming inability of managers and executives to grasp those details when
they pass down taskings.
When I was on active duty in the Army I was told that I had to "love the
troops." I found the troops to be unattractive, base, crude individuals
whom I could never really like, much less love. Then I began a protracted
process during which I learned the basic skills required of a soldier. I
fixed and cleaned equipment, dug foxholes, stood guard duty, did KP, etc.
After a few weeks I was certainly glad that I would seldom, if ever, have
to do those activities again. After all, that's what privates are FOR,
isn't it?
I spent a couple years leading various infantry platoons and finally fell
into the worst job I ever had: Maintenance Officer. I was often the last
to deploy and ALWAYS the last to get home! The work and workplace was
dirty and smelly (and I have no sense of smell) and the troops uniforms
were always greasy and filthy. Yet, in that nearly 2 years, I saw
examples of the most dedicated and professional service I could have
imagined. There were times when I had to MAKE people stop working to get
sleep, only to find them hard at work well before the designated time. It
was a matter of pride for them!
My next job was commanding an infantry company for a year followed by
command of a couple of Special Forces A-Teams. Again, I found these base,
smelly troops to be among the most professional I have ever encountered.
Finally I took time to reflect on what I was experiencing.
In order to become an Infantry leader, I had to become an Infantry
soldier. In order to become a Maintenance Officer, I had to go to school
to become a basic mechanic. In order to become a SF Commander, I had to
learn about (and practice) every one of the seven skills that comprise
that group of 12 people. I finally understood that, in learning the basic
stuff - the little things - I gained an appreciation for what it took for
them to do their jobs well and a new appreciation for the pride they had
exhibited in their work.
I came to uderstand that I did, in fact, love the troops and had for some
time. I just had a facade of attitudes to get past before I could see it.
Each of us was willing to do whatever it took to get the job done. I was
the boss and had to give directions that required people to endure
hardship ... and often move into harm's way. Those were no longer easy
directions to give. Still, the troops knew that I understood their side
of things and were willing to do what I told them. They knew that I would
no longer sacrifice them meaninglessly ... and would sacrifice myself in
the process as well.
I look around many organizations that I encounter today and I don't see
that same level of affinity for the people who make up the organizations
and the work that they do. Often demands to perform are placed on people
that are unrealistic and people are held accountably (read: to blame) for
things over which they have no control. When I explore the situation I
find that it is apparent to all that the "boss" has no clue what it takes
to make what they ask for a reality. They don't have an appreciation for
the little things that make the organization work.
I wonder what would happen if CEO's and VP's were required to scrub
toilets as janitors in their own companies for a few days every year or
so. I wonder what would happen if they were required to enter endless
streams of data or maintain training and payroll records in similar
fashion and duration.
I just wonder ...
--Clyde Howell orgpsych@csra.net
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>