"Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of 'crackpot' than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost."
Thomas J. Watson, Senior
First IBM CEO
There can only be two reasons for that. One, staff does not think independently or two, they could but fear showing their independence.
How do we encourage cohesive group action (see previous posts) while at the same time encouraging independent thinking?
First IBM CEO
Always easier for the boss to say than it is for the people who work for him to do. And doesn't it seem like there is often an inverse relationship between a CEO's calls for independent thinking and how much independence the staff actually exhibits?
There can only be two reasons for that. One, staff does not think independently or two, they could but fear showing their independence.
How do we encourage cohesive group action (see previous posts) while at the same time encouraging independent thinking?
Individual group members need to be both (individuals and group members.) Some can only do one well.
ReplyDeleteIf you watch the TV show Survivor you see this in action. The more successful ones easily move between expressing their opinion and occasionally giving in to what the groups wants. The less successful usually only do one or the other.
By the way the other thing you see in Survivor is politics in action. Office politics without the office.
Good ideas will come from independent thinkers and by definition will be few and far between.
ReplyDeleteBut that's OK. Paraphrasing the Marines, we're only looking for a few good ones.
Continuing with the military theme; its like watching one person expose them self to fire. If they make it they're a hero and if they don't they're just dead.
ReplyDeleteWe need more heroes but by definition there will always only be a few of them. The rest will just sit back and wait for events to carry them along.