Sheepwalking

In post-Sox environment, as organisations try to increasingly codify all processes, define norms of behaviour, prescribe ways of working and increasingly define rigid boundaries of what can & cannot be done, and how, they ironically kill off the very skills & behaviours required to thrive in the increasingly globalised, aggressively competitive business arena.

Seth Godin calls the management by fear, intimidation, rules & “well-defined processes” by the evocative term Sheepwalking:

I define “sheepwalking” as the outcome of hiring people who have been raised to be obedient and giving them a braindead job and enough fear to keep them in line.
…It’s ironic but not surprising that in our age of increased reliance on new ideas, rapid change and innovation, sheepwalking is actually on the rise. That’s because we can no longer rely on machines to do the brain-dead stuff.
…many organizations go out of their way to hire people that color inside the lines, that demonstrate consistency and compliance. And then they give these people jobs where they are managed via fear. Which leads to sheepwalking.
…The fault doesn’t lie with the employee, at least not at first. And of course, the pain is often shouldered by both the employee and the customer.
…When you hire amazing people and give them freedom, they do amazing stuff.
And the sheepwalkers and their bosses just watch and shake their heads, certain that this is just an exception, and that it is way too risky for their industry or their customer base.

And they continue watching, and shaking their collective heads, as they hurtle towards oblivion, while at the same time complaining of lack of qualified talent, the high attrition rates driven by fickle behaviour of today’s “ungrateful/disloyal” employees, and the pressure on their margins.

Purpose Is More Important Than Profits

Our purpose is the compass which keeps us on the straight & narrow. On our path through life, and business, it’s very easy to forget what you set out to do, to achieve, and the reason why you took this path at all.

Tom Peters has a brilliant post on not forgetting why you are here:

…many CEOs epitomize this. They get so caught up in the earnings game that they forget the fact that they are meant to be “of service” to some worthy, Olympian objective. Perversely, I’m pleased to report, this loss of attention to the basics is the wellspring of earnings that don’t measure up.

How True! But it isn’t just about CEO’s & business-people. This applies to all of us, no matter what our chosen path, our calling. Peters suggests asking yourself the following to re-discover your “why”:

Why did I take this assignment, or choose this profession? Am I doing everything possible in my current project to hold to the principles that got me into all this? Is my time here up?

Think about it!

Bosses & Employees

Michael Wade wrote a really candid note every Boss should print & sign before giving copies to their employees. While you can (& should) read the full thing, a highlight to push you on the way:

I expect you to take initiative. If you keep bouncing things to me, I’m going to wonder why I have you around.
You should ask questions if you don’t know what to do. On the other hand, you should not have to be taught the same thing over and over again.

Erik Mazzone posted a really beautiful response to this in the shape of Note from Employee to Boss, which is worth a read too. It takes on Michael’s post point by point in a good natured way.

I do try to take initiative. Remember that when you say you don’t like unpleasant surprises.
I respect your time and try to keep my interruptions of your work day to a minimum. Let’s agree that you won’t micromanage me, too.
I will never behave unethically because of the goals we set. You, however, should help make sure that the goals are achievable. Because while I will not behave unethically, I will get tired of you setting goals that I can not reach no matter how hard I work.

And then via one of the comments on Wade’s post, I came to an open letter from employees to bosses here.

You’re the king, we’re the workers, and we work for you.But guess what? Your throne is made of porcelain, just like ours. The work is the real king. We all serve it. So don’t let your position get in the way of our work. Kill the hierarchy, and realize this: your job is to help us be successful, because your success depends on ours.The king is dead. Long live the work.

…You hired us because we’re good at what we do, because we can do what you cannot. Accept the fact that there will be times when you’re out of your league. That’s ok. Just remember that you have faith in our abilities (right?), and let us do our job. Trust us—we’ll make you look good.

Do read all the posts…it will make your day, whether you are a boss or a subordinate! 😉