When I was growing up one of our favorite vacations as a family was to go camping and fishing. We would tent camp, usually with some of our cousins, and spend the days either fishing, hiking, or playing games. When we were fishing it was typically in a small boat. In the early days the boat was a row boat which my brother and I often rowed around the edges of the lake while a couple of people, one in the front and one in the back, fly fished for bass and bluegill. These are by and large very happy memories, both the rowing and the fishing. Here are some things which I learned about rocking the boat.
1. Rocking the boat can give you a very vulnerable feeling. It makes you feel as if you are going to tip over and fall into the lake, losing all your equipment, getting wet, and potentially drowning - OK, you're not likely to really drown, but try telling that to your subconscious as the boat is rocking!
2. Sometimes a little bit of rocking is necessary. If you have to search for something, or move from one place to another, or even move to bring in a large fish, the boat will rock some. If done with care and consciousness of the effects upon the boat and all it contains, some rocking can facilitate a better more productive experience.
3. Those who rock the boat just to rock the boat may seem novel at first but can quickly become annoying and possibly even dangerous. These individuals are often excluded from future boating outings.
4. Those who rock the boat because they are new to boats and don't understand the ramifications need to slow down and learn a little before they inadvertently tip everyone into the lake.
Can you think of other points to include?
Leaders, can you think of applications for your business or church?
Monday, January 20, 2014
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Getting an Outside Perspective
I listen to my wife tell me something a dozen times and choose to ignore the validity of her point, but then to hear the same thing from someone else, especially someone I deem credible, convinces me (by the way this works in reverse as well - I can say something a dozen times to my wife to be politely ignored . . . until she hears the same thing from someone else and suddenly its a "fact"). I don't think we are unique in this or there wouldn't be consultants.
I've worked at companies which hired consultants whose recommendations were no better or different, and often worse, than those who were working at the front lines of the organization. However, the ideas and recommendations of the front line workers was ignored while the consultant's recommendations, for which significant sums were paid, were embraced.
Jesus said a prophet in his own land is ignored and this is true for more than prophets. Our willingness to embrace the word of the "expert" from outside versus the ideas and our internal staff is mind boggling! In fact, in many organizations the creativity and imagination of the internal staff to address weakness in systems and process is routinely and systematically eliminated in favor of conformity in the name of productivity. This is sad because, when encouraged, the front line workers have the ability to bring great ingenuity in solving problems and improving systems, particularly when encouraged to collaborate toward those ends.
However, it does mean that when these workers are encouraged to THINK they will also be able to spot insincerity and unethical practices more readily; something a consultant would be unlikely to spot from their brief exposure to the company. So, the best plan if you know your culture isn't quite in line with your administrative practices is to keep hiring consultants and bind your employees with strict policies and procedures. On the other hand, if you are genuinely interested in integrity, sincerity, and people, then encourage them to THINK, listen to what they have to say, and then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
I've worked at companies which hired consultants whose recommendations were no better or different, and often worse, than those who were working at the front lines of the organization. However, the ideas and recommendations of the front line workers was ignored while the consultant's recommendations, for which significant sums were paid, were embraced.
Jesus said a prophet in his own land is ignored and this is true for more than prophets. Our willingness to embrace the word of the "expert" from outside versus the ideas and our internal staff is mind boggling! In fact, in many organizations the creativity and imagination of the internal staff to address weakness in systems and process is routinely and systematically eliminated in favor of conformity in the name of productivity. This is sad because, when encouraged, the front line workers have the ability to bring great ingenuity in solving problems and improving systems, particularly when encouraged to collaborate toward those ends.
However, it does mean that when these workers are encouraged to THINK they will also be able to spot insincerity and unethical practices more readily; something a consultant would be unlikely to spot from their brief exposure to the company. So, the best plan if you know your culture isn't quite in line with your administrative practices is to keep hiring consultants and bind your employees with strict policies and procedures. On the other hand, if you are genuinely interested in integrity, sincerity, and people, then encourage them to THINK, listen to what they have to say, and then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
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