| The U. S. subsidiary of a multinational, multibillion-dollar
company was contributing one-third of overall company revenue, yet its
contribution to total company profit was only ten percent. The company
chairman presented this glaring incongruity to the president of the U.
S. subsidiary and his executive team. Although they were obviously aware
of the problem, they incorrectly assumed that resolving this critical issue
simply required re-focusing their efforts and improving existing business
practices. Once their frustration level had peaked, they called us in to
help. In nine sixteen-hour days, we helped them to recognize how widely
divergent the perspectives of the president and his seven vice-presidents
were and what needed to be done to resolve the gaps. |
| Indulge in trial-and-error learning. Learn to
be comfortably uncomfortable. |
| Victor Gideon |
|
New legislation required two state
agencies to work together toward a common objective. Although the two agencies
did not realize that they were interpreting the objective differently,
they did realize that they were impeded by irreconcilable differences regarding
the means to reach it. Again, once they had reached a level of complete
frustration, we were called in to help. At a weekend "retreat," we worked
with the key agency personnel (about eighteen people altogether) to resolve
all differences.
|
If all environments
were stable, the well-adapted would simply take over the earth, and
the evolutionary process would stop. In a period of environmental
change, however, it is the adaptable not the well-adapted who survive.
|
| Kenneth Boulding |
|
A small and very successful advertising
agency (about twenty people) recognized that the usual prevailing creative
tension had somehow become rancorous and contentious, resulting in significantly
lowered morale and productivity. We worked with the principals and the
entire staff to find and fix the root cause of the dissension.
|
A belief is not merely
an idea the mind possesses; it is an idea that possesses the mind.
|
| Robert Oxton Bolt |
|
On many occasions, couples have requested our help to resolve various marital
difficulties. In some cases, we helped them through a reasonably amicable
divorce, while in others, we were able to repair the relationship.
|
If a man is offered
a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely,
and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe
it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords
a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept
it even on the slightest evidence.
|
| Bertrand Russell |
|
New federal legislation required that a major
bureau within the Department of Labor change its working relationship
with state agencies. After attempting to implement the required change,
the bureau realized that its personnel were too "stuck in their ways,"
making the transition to the new regulations extremely difficult and
almost impossible. We worked with the Executive Director and virtually
the entire staff to help them learn how to shift their perspectives.
|
Don't worry about people
stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you'll have to ram
them down people's throats..
|
| Howard Aiken |
|
The key investor in a new manufacturing company belatedly
realized that the president of the company had used almost all the investment
capital without having established an effective marketing program, resulting
in a significantly overstocked inventory. Virtually no agreement existed
among the investors and key company personnel regarding what the issue
was, much less how to resolve it. We worked with all parties to develop
a new business plan, including new investment, inventory reduction, and
an effective marketing plan.
|
