Leaders and Counselors:
Comment and Question: We have been in a battle between “More” and “Less” for over a year. “More” is now demanding “Faster” and “Less” is going “Slower.” We are being overwhelmed with IT solutions as to how to do “Faster.” It was not until I recently attended Counselor Selling with you that I realized that this battle is not one of persons or technology, rather a structural issue. I can’t get the management here to understand how structural change can resolve this battle. We are stuck in what you called the swamp of “Bud-wise-“er” and starting to “yell at the water.” How can I make them aware? Z. A.
Answer: If you as a reader are not familiar with my work, you can refer to Chapter 6 of my book Transformational Change and read about the Structural approach to Change. I’ll be glad to send you a copy or you can buy it on Amazon.com. The Laws of Structure are on pages 78-79.
Z. A. As I shared with you at Counselor Selling, we must all get out of the PROBLEM BOX in order to meet the challenges we will face in the future. The old adage applies: “Problems are never “solved” with the same intelligence that created them.” The “more with less” command actually “confronts” the “intelligence” that seemed to create the “recession” but the recession of 2008 was not “caused” by the lack of “intelligence” of any person or human entity. The Recession was the EFFECT of the burnout of the Industrial Age Businesses Model. Read “What’s Happening” on pages 8-9 of Chapter 1 entitled Burned Out and Still Shining. The “problem solving” Industrial Age Business Model still forms the underlying “structure” in many companies as it has “caused” them to be successful for the past 100 years. It is like the Constitution of the United States. It will not be easily replaced or amended.
Key Point: Many Mangers will “defend to the end of their careers” the polarized, problem solving strategies of “More” and “er.” Please don’t make them “wrong.”
Also, be careful of IT solutions. A new high tech golf club will not change the underlying “structure” of a faulty golf swing. It will just hit the ball “er” out of bounds.
What is a non-confrontational way to resolve the battle? Simply embrace doing things “Different with the Same.” The difficulty with this approach is the lack of Vision to activate a “creating” orientation. The word “Different” as a Vision lacks definition – some vague definitions are the “Next Level” and “World Class” and “Make a Profit.” Refer to Chapters 8 & 9.
How should you proceed? To create a very clear picture of “Different” begin by simulating the future using the Transformational Sales and Leadership Simulation. During the Simulation the battle between “More” and “Less” will instantly disappear. No technology is involved. No one’s career will be threatened and your entire company can be involved in the Simulation. The “Wall” in the attached picture serves as a clear Vision of “Different.” Also, the picture of the team at KHS America shows how the “Less” embraced this approach. Suggest that your management team simulate the future and end this battle. It can be sudden, successful and very economical.