Promising the Dawn

I believe that Einstein got it right when he said that “vision without execution is hallucination”. Fundamentally, leadership is about translating vision into workplace reality with the execution capacity to make something happen. That “something”, is the creation of a value proposition linking, and holding in trust, the interests of all stakeholders of the enterprise – owners, investors, management, customers and employees. When the “line of sight” of each is common and focused on mutually beneficial means and ends, the enterprise flourishes.

Deming in my belief was also right when, in one of his 12 points, he stated that organizations need to “drive out fear.” Organizational fear can manifest itself in the most fundamental sense – concern for sustainability – of employment or the business itself. It can also be seen as doubt, doubt that the value proposition I mentioned earlier is important, or doubt that it exists at all. It is a doubt that drives anyone or any part of an enterprise to question their value and place in the grander scheme of things.

What I hold as important, and what I strive to do, is to foster environments where all organizational interests are held in trust and are linked to a common goal of mutual benefit. I believe this is only done by the creation of a vision and mission, supported by strategy and tactics, that “command assent” in their singular clarity. And what would this assent, and the execution behind it lead to – simply, but powerfully – innovation, the acceleration of business growth and sustained profitability, a conscience and bias to community and social well-being, and a workplace populated with hearts and minds whose spirits are not constrained by work, but rather, are empowered and nurtured from it.

The author Herbert Lieberman concludes a novel with the notion, in my paraphrase, that we are all very much like our ancestors, huddled together around a fire, braced against the cold and dark, waiting for a dawn that scarcely promises to come. In organizational terms, fulfilling the promise of this dawn’s coming is realized when capacity and capabilities are aligned to the purpose of benefit for all participants in the enterprise.

May we each in our own way, roles or responsibilities contribute to the light of that dawn.

When a Phoenix Flew

Great thing about these “personal blogs”, you get to be personal – and who said in business, it’s not personal, but I digress.

The subject of my blog is Capacity and Capabilities. My writings will be on the confluence of both as it relates to building and growing an enterprise – my particular area of interest is in doing so for start-up and small businesses.

Some time ago before I embarked on working on this, from the consultative perspective, (that’s not a paid announcement, is it?), I had the opportunity to see capacity and capabilities form as an outcome of the expression of character, competence and execution.

Two years ago a group of folks from different organizations, different cultures with different goals, but the same fears, came together to undertake a massive technology- focused undertaking. And, what about those fears; the same for most, in many organizations – security, the unknown, turf, well being, and the ability to make a difference – you get the picture. These are pronounced when added to the blend of “on-shore and off-shore’ work and team building – a subject that I will speak directly to in future posts. Any casual Google search of the subject matter usually begins and ends with one word – Disaster!!.

Well, farther from the truth for these folks. They overcame their fears, found a common vision that Einstein would have been proud of – no hallucination, just execution. At the same time, they also found a common language, a common set of goals and a common means to achieve them. They stand as a resounding affirmation of what happens when spirits are not constrained by work, but rather are expanded by it; by what happens when a belief in what can be overcomes the doubt of what could have been; by what happens when the flashlight of professional hope illuminates and dispels those organizational worries of what “goes bump in the night”

And so, with all due apologies to T.H. White, as this group celebrates the one year anniversary of their great achievement – don’t let it be forgot that once there was a spot where common destinies and multiple futures were lingua franca.

I never will.

Blogging with Jerry Masin for the first time

Dear friends, colleagues and those with an interest in the important topic of the multiple futures of organizations.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you on building capacity and capabilities for start-up, small and mid-size businesses. My focus will be on doing this through the practical, enterprise application of creatively leading human capital, project management and technology disciplines.

The subject matter at hand is one that requires a keen interest in "holding professional interests in trust".

I hope that will come through in our discussions. I look forward to a stimulating exchange of ideas.

Jerry