Wisdom at Work
In every organization, there exists a tremendous collective intelligence - a wisdom - that resides within its workforce.
This collective wisdom represents great, but often unrealized, value. For example, it typically knows how to solve vexing customer service problems that reduce competitiveness and limit growth.
If tapped, it also has the potential to help organizations avoid potential disasters. One need look no further than the court proceedings in a recent civil trial in which BP was sued by injured workers who survived a 2005 explosion at a refinery, near Houston, Texas, that killed 15 of their colleagues and cost the company over $2 billion.
Testifying about a report (released 2 months before the explosion) that had warned of safety issues at the plant, the BP plant manager reported that he had discounted the report's conclusions and recommendations because they were based only on workers' "perceptions." This is a particularly tragic example of the potential consequences of ignoring the wisdom at work.
Advances in technology and business intelligence analytics are making it easier and more cost-effective for organizations to tap into this wisdom. And the economic pressures of the globalized, competitive marketplace make it increasingly unwise to turn a deaf ear to the wisdom that already exists at work. |
Want to Know More?
Join us on October 17, 2007, for a webinar on "Linking People and Profits," featuring McBassi's CEO, Laurie Bassi. For more information or to register, click here. |
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