How do you get people to participate in leadership without starting the speculation engine? Two days ago an executive asked us to shift our paradigm(s). He went to the source (Thomas Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions). He asked us to take off our shoes. “How does that feel?” It’s a relief, and disconcerting, he said. True. “Try on the shoes of the person next to you.” Good exercise, poor hygiene. “Now that you see how important it is to get out of your ‘comfort zone’ and ‘think outside the box,’ divide into five groups.”
“You’re consulting teams. Find a way to do the remainder of this project better,” he said. “The most radical idea wins a prize.” All of the ideas had potential to save time, money, or work. A few were fresh approaches. We voted, which is to say, we chose the concensus option. And over lunch we asked these questions: How bad are things? Who’s responsible? Why were radical ideas discussed a year ago not on any flipchart? What’s my prize?
His good faith effort to involve the team was poorly conceived. The radical ideas were centrist. And the effect has been the spread a generalized doubt about the manner and results of our work. Regardless what comes next, that whining you hear is the high revs of people asking “What does this mean to me?”
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