Dear Systems Thinker,The reason for the title of this month's newsletter is not what you may think. Although, I occasionally think about it the other way too.
When I was consulting in banking years ago, a Fortune 500 company developed a report called the "Sunshine Report." Sure, it had other names like . . . Liar's Report, the Pinocchio Chronicles, etc. The reason for the report was for employees to tell great tales of triumph to executives that "read" the report - although I never saw any evidence it was ever read (like most reports). Many man hours expended to develop such a report . . . a waste of time.
Since working with the Vanguard Method, I realize why the Sunshine Report was so damaging. Management shouldn't be asking for a highlight reel, they should be asking for what is not working. "What is not working" can be transcribed into action on problems in the system (with understanding).
This doesn't mean that workers should be beaten up - I've seen that too. Asking "what is not working" can be far more helpful than asking workers to justify their existence in a report. Especially, if you show up in the work to see the problems and issues. If you do show up, seek to understand and not dictate. You will find most of the problems come from management decisions based on assumptions and not knowledge.
Sticking it (your nose) where the sun doesn't shine (the work) can be very interesting, profitable and revealing.
