David Lyle-Carter asked for some advise on the above.
Below is just a perspective (not an advise) from undersigned
in the format of Object Solution (refer homepage
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5621 under
"Important Annoucement".
Goal: Difference between "Solving Machine Problems" and "Solving
Human Problems"
Goal: Symptom becomes Problem, When?
Fact: Inappropriate behaviour
Fact: Business Management
Fact: Theory and Commitment
Symptom: A Management consultant experienced the following
difficulty with one of their clients: managers not willing to
manage. All too often a subordinate will request something and the
respective manager will pass on the responsibility to his superior,
who will pass it on in turn, until the whole job lot of problems
ends up on the top management's plate.
Symptom: It seems that many managers are too afraid to take on the
responsibility to deal with the matter in hand.
Change: A symptom becomes a "problem" to the consultant as they
consider such behaviour in-appropriate to the attainment of the
organisation goals in which the consultant is offering their
services. The symptom may not be a "problem" to organisation
personnel as they continue to behave the same, either a) they get
used to it, b) to some, they don't know how to change the situation
or they don't want to put in real effort to correct the situation.
Cause: Being seriously interested to institutionalise an
appropriate behaviour, on the part of the consultants, causes the
symptoms to become a "problem" to be solved.
Fix: They are many theories to explain such un-desirable behaviour.
Hence there could be many "solutions" that can be tried out. But
the common and recurrent danger of such approach is "consultant
treating the problem outside they being, like a mechanic repairing
a car, which is an object that has no "human relationship" with the
mechanic".
Fix: Before any attempt to "solve the problem" based on whatever
theories, consultant to re-examine their own vision, mission and
values to determine to what extent they can be driven by their own
belief and commitment. For example, is the consultant ready to face
a conflict with the management in the course of "solution seeking"
at the expense of their consultant fee cut or contract terminated?
To what extent is one prepared to follow some of the foot-steps of
Mother Theresa to take on that extra miles by personal deep
involvement?
I hope the above is useful
Regards
Andrew Wong
Organisation Observer and Thinker
Homepage http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5621
--andreww@petronas.com.my (Andrew Wong Hee Sing)
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>