Here's a neat management trick. Want to uncover the root cause?
Ask the question 'why' five times.
Problem: The office is dark...
1st Why: Because some of the light bulbs have failed.
2nd Why: Because three fluorescents tubes are dead.
3rd Why: Because the light bulbs are old and should have been replaced.
4th Why: Because we didn't know that they needed to be replaced.
5th Why: (root cause): Because we don't have a way to track how old the light bulbs are...
Use it with care because it exposes the dissemblers, the duck-shovers, the un-deliverers and the frauds.
Look away now if your are of a nervous disposition!
The project is late, why... (1)
'I'm waiting for an answer on that from Harry'.
Why? 2
He's not called me back...
Why 3
Well, he was supposed to... but didn't
Why 4
I don't know....
Why 5
Errr... I'll call him... now...
No humbugger, fraud, management spinner or dissembler can survive five questions. Try it but use it with your winning smile!
I can tell you what will happen if you do it. Some people will complain you are pressurising them, being unfair, unreasonable. Making them feel uncomfortable. Really?
Which people....?
Let's put it this way; if someone really is on top of the situation you wont need the five question technique to get an answer.
Why isn't the project ready? (1)
I don't know
Why? (2)
We are discovering we have been dealing with a supplier who has turned out to be unreliable, we haven't been on top of it. We are now. I'll have a proper answer in 24hrs
Thank you....
What turns an otherwise well educated, qualified manager into a faker?
One word; pride.
Pride makes us do all manner of strange things. We pride ourselves in being good at what we do. We tell ourselves we are.
We focus on the compliments we get and persuade ourselves we are on top of the game. Pride is seductive and makes us believe we are better than we are... effective and virtuous.
When events show we are not as good as we thought we were; when events demonstrate we have misjudged a person who has let us down, pride takes over.
- Pride stops revealing the truths only we can see inside us
- Pride is what makes us argue our case long after reason has gone.
- Pride is what makes us cling onto ideas that don't work.
- Pride is what makes us avoid the questions that we know must be answered, however uncomfortable.
Pride is what prevents us admitting a project is overdue because we haven't put enough effort into it. Pride is what makes us search for excuses. Pride is what makes us dump on the people around us.
Pride is what makes us keep doing the same thing, long after we know it's not working anymore.
Pride is easily confused with loyalty and abandons rationality.
Pride is behind most project failures.
Pride is what makes us believe nothing is too challenging, nothing is beyond us, nothing is outside our reach.
Pride stops us being truthful, even to our friends.
Pride is a terrible enemy... but can be a good friend.
There is pride in a job well done. Pride in seeing success we have been part of. Pride in watching people achieve. Pride in enduring services that have weathered the storm.
Pride leads to every management vice but can be the pathway to success, encouragement and a deep pleasure in watching someone we love, admire or have helped, do something good.
Pride ensnares us in self deception but can wrap us in a warm glow of achievement. Pride is arrogance and pride is humbling. Pride comes without thanks or with sincere gratitude.
Pride paints a target on our backs or can help us offer a warm helping hand. Proud of our kids, proud of something good and worthwhile.
Pride can weigh heavy on us, it will find us out. Or, pride can lighten our load, put a spring in our step.
... pride, a simple question.
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