Replying to LO24884 --
Replying to LO24884 LO24855
Hello Winfried and fellow learners,
Your reply to Hannah has sharpened my focus on what I am about in my role
with my company. Instinctively (tacitly or from my own learnings) I know
all that you talk about in terms of strategic and learning plans. I had
not yet pulled them together as tightly as you have here and the way I can
now link them to the five disciplines (and the 7 essentialities) has more
clarity. You have helped me emmensely in so many ways and I thank you.
In your reply to Hannah you say
"(First let me summerize what I understand is the output expected from you:
- profile of required skills/attitudes for each department/person
- profile of current state of skills/attitudes for each department/person
- deviations indicate training needs, including learning by doing,
coaching up to replacing people if necessary)"
This is in fact the output I expect from myself in my role, further
crystalised in my mind following a long and fruitful conversation (in
person) with Gavin some time ago, and believe me I would just do it. Alas
I am to deep in the layers of the organisation nor do my managers see my
output the same way you have described and how I see it Winfried.
My manager returned this week from a conference across the ditch (Tasman
Sea) singing the praises of "Manufacturing Excellence". In essence what
he told us about it is what you describe when you say:
"(The most important lesson to be learnt then is that each department and
person can see how hes work relates to that direction, especially in what
aspects NOT to be optimized for the sake of the whole - it is a matter of
SHARED VISION and TEAM LEARNING - what to keep and what to change. Again
such changes, aimed at alignment to the overall strategy, will indicate
further required learning)".
Now picture that before "Manufacturing Excellence" there has been TQM,
LFIF, LOC GLP .......and you have all been through this before? (no magic
bullet is there)
As best as I can ascertain, from careful study of our charter and the
strategic plan for our branch of the company, I know what the required
skills are. In fact our division grimly holds on to our ISO
accreditation. If we were able hold the accreditation "comfortably" I
probably wouldn't be writing this reply. You have detected my frustration
long since and you go a long way to describing it when you say:
"(The biggest obstacle on the surface level will be, that unwilling top
manager may blame you for what they didn't make clear, even worse, for
what they feel that they are not clear about self. This will require a
high amount of bravery (liveness, spareness, openness), diplomacy
(otherness, fruitfullness) and integrity (wholeness, sureness) from you.
(At, and strugglers with the essentialities, how do you like this?) You
will have to decide whether you have the guts for it. It burns down to
taking over leadership over the official leaders without letting them know
that you are doing so)"
For some time now (at the deeper level - double loop is it?) I have been
operating at the systems thinking, mental models and personal mastery
level in my dealings with shop floor people. In so doing I have been
attempting to do what you advised Hannah to do " .....Taking over
leadership over the official leaders without letting them know that I am
doing so". The only problem with this is that I am still trying to hone
my subleties and maybe they do know?
I feel no unease however about my task as I see it. Twelve years ago when
I was an electrical supervisor I was always uneasy about my instincts.
Since those times I believe I have graduated to the ranks of the life long
learner. I can now explain my instincts with ease from out of management
theory and I believe I can walk my talk.
What you had to say certainly resonates with me Winfried. Indeed it is
the centre of my "working life universe" at the moment. I hope what I
have to say here in reply strikes a cord with fellow contributors helping
to move themselves some distance along the learning continuum.
I assume as you do Winfried "People are striving for constructive
outcomes", and I continually strive to play the ball (the system) and not
the man (blame the people) in all of life not just at work.
Regards,
Dennis.
--"Dennis Rolleston" <dennisr@ps.gen.nz>
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