The Last Word on Power -
Reviewed in June 1999 by Dave Rawlings
Executive Re-Invention for Leaders Who Must Make the Impossible
Happen
By Tracy Goss
Published by Judy Piatkus (Publishers) Ltd., London - ISBN 0-7499-1617-6
The author is a consultant and the President of the Center (sic) for Executive Re-Invention. Despite this, I found the book immensely stimulating and full of sound ideas! I’m sure others will too, provided that you accept the basic premise, i.e., that we are all limited in our future potential by the very thing that got us to where we are now. Each of us has a “winning strategy”: ways of behaving, reacting and acting that have worked for us in the past. However, this strategy also defines the bounds of what is possible for us. There will always be limitations on what can be achieved using any such strategy – the twist here is that we will see anything that’s outside the bounds of our own winning strategy as completely impossible. Therefore, we won’t do any of the things that might actually move us towards the “impossible” goal. Therefore, it really is impossible – for us.
The book lays out a programme for overcoming the internal barriers that prevent individuals (and organisations) from achieving the impossible and there are examples of where this has worked for others. One controversial assertion is that by promising to deliver something that seems beyond you, you will move that something “into the realm of the possible”. I have tried to apply some of this thinking (only some!) and have found that the act of making “bold promises” really does motivate. It also opens the mind to the further actions that are necessary and that you simply wouldn’t have considered within your old winning strategy. Then you begin to see how the goal might be reached. Conversely, if you only promise what you know you can deliver, i.e. things you already know how to do, then you will remain limited by your current knowledge.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how to make a step
change in their personal or organisational performance. Some of its
language is rather mystical in places but it’s worth putting up with that
to gain a valuable insight.
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SPC and Business Improvement
Reviewed in June 1999 by David Hutchins.
By Mal Owen.
Published by IFS - ISBN 1-85423-101-4
This is one of the few books devoted to the application of statistical tools, which is refreshingly rich in examples all taken from non-manufacturing situations. In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the relevance of the use of statistical methods in administration, service industries and the service sector but few published examples to aid those faced with their implementation.
Fortunately, this highly practical guide fills this space admirably. Presenting data in an understandable manner and using it to control processes is a major theme of the book. Simple graphs based on sound statistical reasoning can help any organisation to make better decisions, save both time and money and improve efficiency. The book shows that even in manufacturing companies there are many non-manufacturing applications in which statistical methods can be applied for example, making staff appointments, processing enquiries, handling invoices, analysing accidents, dealing with insurance claims and so forth.
The book begins with a short explanation of the history of Statistical
Process Control, the roles of such pioneers as Dr Walter Shewhart, Dr Deming
and then through the basics of measuring variation in a clear and easily
understandable way. Subsequent chapters take the reader progressively though
successive groups of techniques all supported with clear examples from
actual applications. Clear explanations, large diagrams and a wide range
of case studies from real life data form the basis of a book, which reflects
the author’s wide experience in the subject and his ability to make a potentially
complex subject interesting and highly relevant.
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Resolving Conflicts in Organisations - a Practical
Guide for Managers
Rennie Fritchie and Malcolm Leary
Lemos & Crane
ISBN 1-898001-45-6
Reviewed April 1999 Fred Jacques
This is one of a series of books in the Mike Pedler Library. This series aims to provide ideas of substance that you need to know about together with invitations to action at various points. The books aim to be attractive and accessible but are not easy reads.
This book does this by inviting readers to consider a conflict that impacts on them or has been part of their experience and provides a number of exercises that help to bring the material presented to bear on the reader's own experience.
The scene is aptly set by Mike Pedler’s forward “Lively organisations create plenty of spaces for disagreements and the skilful handling of these prevents the escalation of healthy difference into bitter feuding whilst creating confidence in people that they contend and collaborate.”
The authors first make the point that we need to be aware of, and take action on, the subjective or emotional elements of the situation as well as the objective or factual. Many attempts at resolution of conflicts have limited results through concentration solely on the objective.
They then go on to consider the nature and progression of conflict. Conflicts are characterised as hot or cold. As one would expect a hot conflict is typified by aggressive behaviour and often incidents of intense personal confrontation and a charged atmosphere which can easily overheat. A cold conflict on the other hand may not be evident at all to a new comer. It may be possible to work with colleagues for months before becoming aware of the hostility and its full extent. A cold conflict is more of a war of attrition than an intense battle campaign. The protagonists rarely discuss or publicly engage in the conflict.
Personality obviously influences our personal preferences for hot or cold conflict but perhaps less obvious is professional background or management style. The book presents some discussion of personal style and preferences, the formation and behaviour of groups and how a conflict can develop and escalate. Finally of course the book leads to the roles, skills and techniques for resolution. The emphasis being resolution that gives room for growth and learning.
I found the discussion informative, challenging and thought provoking. Unfortunately, fortunately in other respects, I did not at the time of reading the book have a live conflict on which to work and test the ideas. I therefore did the exercises on past experiences. This was useful but I do not think as valuable as direct application. I was left with the feeling that I had learnt something but that I needed more to become effective in this area. Obviously you can get the information to some extent from a book but not the skill. I think that this book will remain on the shelf ready for the next time I have a conflict to deal with. Life being what it is that probably won't be that long. Then I will take the book down and try again but I think I still have a way to go before I am ready for the Balkans.
Advanced Topics in Statistical Process
Control: The Power of Shewhart's Charts
Donald Wheeler
SPC Press
ISBN 0 945320 45 0
Concurrent Engineering - The Agenda
for Success
Edited by Sa'ad Medhat
Research Studies Press
ISBN 0-86380 192 7
In Pursuit of Quality - The Case Against
ISO9000
John Seddon
Oak Tree Press
ISBN 1 86076 042 2
Jumping the Q: a TQ Prospective
O. Bull
ISBN 0 340 60754 8
Leading Change
John P Kotter
Harvard Business School Press 1996
ISBN 0 87584 747 1
Managing With Total Quality Management - Theory and Practice
Adrian Wilkinson, Tom Redman, Ed Snape and Mick Marchington
Macmillan Press Limited 1998
ISBN 0-333-62007-0
Productive Work Places: Organising and
Managing for Dignity, Meaning and Community
Marvin R Weisbord
Jossey-Bass Publishers 1991
ISBN 1 55542 054 0
Quality Management for Information and
Library Managers
Peter Brophy and Kate Coulling
Aslib Gower 1996
ISBN 0-566-07725-6
The Creative Gap - Managing Ideas for
Profit
Simon Majaro
The Fifth Discipline - The Art and Practice
of The Learning Organisation
Peter M Senge
Century Business
ISBN 0 7126 56871
The Learning Company: a Strategy for
Sustainable Development
Mike Pedler, John Burgoyne and Tom Boydell
McGraw-Hill 1996
ISBN 0 07 709300 3
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People
Stephen Covey
Simon and Schuster
Understanding Statistical Process Control
Donald J Wheeler and David S Chambers
Understanding Variation - The Key to Managing Chaos
Donald J. Wheeler
SPC Press
ISBN 0-945320-35-3
World Class Manufacturing: The Next
Decade
R.J. Schonberger
ZAPP - The Lightening of Empowerment.
William C Byham PhD with Jeff Cox
Century Business
ISBN 0-09-174922-0
Last updated: 10th July 1999