Tuesday
Oct122010
A time to win, a time to lose
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 9:10AM
Yesterday I had dinner with a man who spent his working life preventing flight accidents. We compared thoughts on how Management Expectations shape results, and found that maybe all accidents could be avoided. Possibly all accident are preceded by a series of ignored warnings.
Photo by Hyougushi Flickr CC
The fact that Air forces have several accidents a year, and airlines hardly any, made me reflect on how management culture might bring about deadly results. Any military action involves risk to human life, that is more or less part of the package. Does that ingrained acceptance cause peace time accidents - maybe.
A highly goal oriented organization might do great sacrifices to win. Paying for results with sustainability. Steve Tobak at BNET, blogs that there are 5 Ways to Win in Any Business Situation:
But, in a Military organization things might be different. Boss-employee relationship might not be win-win, but win-die. Individuals might well be asked to go into battle knowing that losses will be heavy.
A lot of times Management is compared to warlike thinking, and then extended into the principles behind the Martial arts. Of course, Martial arts are about hurting others and even killing - but maybe even more about handling yourself - the Samurai rated as highest the win without having to draw the sword.
When training with the Japanese sword, many schools have cutting exercises at least once a year. Straw mats and bamboo stalks are sliced repeatedly and swiftly in what is called tameshigiri or test cutting. Now to an important distinction - most high level practitioners will warn against test-cutting too often, since the practice intoxicates! The cutting takes you away from the "way", it makes you think about winning and killing instead of improving yourself.
I believe that it is crucial to reflect on what you are thinking about as a leader. If you think about losing, possibly you go into cost-cutting, stop innovation and participation, which will bring you to financial failure. If you are giving directives and demanding your orders be followed, maybe you become intoxicated by the power, just as the test-cutter.
As a parting thought, I feel that the leader's responsibility is beyond being "the steward of the collective genius", it is to foster the expectations of yourself and others.
What are your insights and reflections? Any examples of being intoxicated by power?
Photo by Hyougushi Flickr CCManagement expectations
The fact that Air forces have several accidents a year, and airlines hardly any, made me reflect on how management culture might bring about deadly results. Any military action involves risk to human life, that is more or less part of the package. Does that ingrained acceptance cause peace time accidents - maybe.
A highly goal oriented organization might do great sacrifices to win. Paying for results with sustainability. Steve Tobak at BNET, blogs that there are 5 Ways to Win in Any Business Situation:
- Internal relationship between coworkers. Win-win, collaborate, all the way. Anything else is dysfunctional.
Goal: Win-win
- Boss-employee relationship. Companies exist for two reasons: to provide a product or service to customers, and to provide value to shareholders.
Goal: Win-win
- Competitors in the marketplace. I win - you lose. Period. Market competition is a zero-sum game, simple as that.
Goal: I win - you lose
- Customer-vendor relationship. Customer-vendor relationships should always yield the perception of a win-win, especially if you want an ongoing relationship.
Goal: I win - you don’t lose- Job or consulting opportunity. You all have to live with each other after the fact. That said, when it comes to negotiating dollars and cents, it’s the same as customer-vendor.
Goal: I win - you don’t lose
But, in a Military organization things might be different. Boss-employee relationship might not be win-win, but win-die. Individuals might well be asked to go into battle knowing that losses will be heavy.
Intoxicated by power
A lot of times Management is compared to warlike thinking, and then extended into the principles behind the Martial arts. Of course, Martial arts are about hurting others and even killing - but maybe even more about handling yourself - the Samurai rated as highest the win without having to draw the sword.
When training with the Japanese sword, many schools have cutting exercises at least once a year. Straw mats and bamboo stalks are sliced repeatedly and swiftly in what is called tameshigiri or test cutting. Now to an important distinction - most high level practitioners will warn against test-cutting too often, since the practice intoxicates! The cutting takes you away from the "way", it makes you think about winning and killing instead of improving yourself.
Foster expectations
I believe that it is crucial to reflect on what you are thinking about as a leader. If you think about losing, possibly you go into cost-cutting, stop innovation and participation, which will bring you to financial failure. If you are giving directives and demanding your orders be followed, maybe you become intoxicated by the power, just as the test-cutter.
As a parting thought, I feel that the leader's responsibility is beyond being "the steward of the collective genius", it is to foster the expectations of yourself and others.
What are your insights and reflections? Any examples of being intoxicated by power?
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