Management

I am a dreamer and an optimist.

I believe that people get organized to accomplish more together, than what they could do by working alone.

Under the old rule, there were overlords and underlings. The ones told the others what to do, and if the underlings did not produce enough output, they applied motivation with carrots and sticks.

The Lord of Human Resources (one of the minor lords) was responsible for the acquisition of new vassals (recruiting), to keep them motivated (frightened and hungry) and to make sure that Human Rights were not noticeably violated.

Under the new way, people get organized to accomplish more together than what they could do by working alone. Their shared goal is to serve the customer and the community. Their way is based on collaboration, synergy, truth and trust.

It is still early to say what the role of "Human Resources" will be in the new order. In any case, it is clear that humans are not resources or goods to be used by a boss.

I suggest that the Lords of HR should foster an environment where humans can develop their competencies and take their responsibilities for the common good.

Thomas More, Douglas McGregor, Abraham Maslow, Joseph Juran and W. Edwards Deming have said it before, and much better than I can say it.

Fungus

Plan

The planning process, when done right, is a great learning process at the individual, and at the team level.

The Business Plan is part of the Communications Plan. It is an instrument to inform someone about the plan and its execution. The Business Plan usually consolidates a portfolio of projects, each of which will use a separate plan, at the strategic, tactic or action levels.

A good plan is based on a good process, and it is flexible. The Rolling Wave Technique and Earned Value Management are good ways to incorporate flexibility in uncertain times, and good tools to manage user (or stakeholder) expectations.

We must make sure that schools teach good project management practices based on real life experience.

Fungus

Lonely

Lonely at the top?

It all depends on how you reached the top and what kind of top did you reach.

In a zero sum game, you get to the top by fighting and defeating the rest of the world. By the time you get there, nobody loves you. That kind of top is like a mountain peak, a very small, cold and lonely spot.

In a collaborative game, you get to the top by networking, supporting others and sharing. It is a wide and supportive top. More like the high plateaus described by Maslow, than the mountain peaks.

Fungus

Acceptance

Birds of a feather flock together.

I like to be around people who look like me. I don't like to be around people who don't look like me.
Oops... Looks ain't everything... let me rephrase that.

I like to be around people who share my world view. I don't like to be around people who don't share my world view.
That's a preference, not a limitation.

How can I get them to do what I want?
Oops... let me rephrase that.

How can I influence and lead them?
Should I send people who are different to the back of the bus?
Should I wear a sheepskin or imitate the duck call so that they let me approach them?
Should I try to make them into my image so that I can like them better?

I believe that to make friends or business associates it is more sensible to let them know who I am, and understand who they are. Show our different world views. And find some common ground. Then we can develop mutual trust. I believe that cats and dogs can agree to collaborate if they have a shared goal. They don't need to like each other.

I don't want to get people to do what I want. Much less by lying to them. I want us people to open our eyes, understand who we are without embarrassment, accept our differences, and get to work in the design and construction of a healthier community.

Fungus

Fear

I have the feeling that we want to run away from something...

If I have learned something from the movies, it is that when you run away from fog and darkness, you fall in the arms of the Werewolf.

We will be confused as long as we look back and focus on what we don't want. We need to look forward, and focus on what we want.

Elsewhere I have described my vision, and I will not bore you with it now. I will just remind you that in my vision there are conversations where we can speak without fear of being judged, and without the expectation of getting something [material] in return.

Let's go on.
Let's go on describing, enacting and practicing the future we want.

Fungus