Like many I count Tom Peters and Bob Watermans’ In Search of Excellence as an influential book. Written in the late 70"s I found Search to be an inspirational read as I crossed over from corporate to entrepreneurial pursuits. His next book a Passion for Excellence was a nice follow-up. But I began to lose interest in Peters with his next book Thriving on Chaos. I began to read Thriving midway through a difficult turnaround. I along with a partner had purchased a struggling division of Johnson Controls. I was trying to rebuild a decimated customer base and was dealing with the typical list of problems faced by a troubled turnaround.
As I plowed my way through Thriving I was: negotiating a union contract with 400 pissed-off steel-toed-booted pipe fitters; begging my bank for another $100,000 of availability on my line of credit to make a payroll; trying to salvage a large bid we just lost to a competitor who used hookers and kick-backs to create customer loyalty; preparing for a trip to Japan to finalize a $60 million joint venture; and, fending off a group of class action attorney’s trying to rope us into an asbestos class action lawsuit. So, as I am dealing with my very own form of chaos, a very lethal form that leads to bankruptcy and all kinds of other nasty consequences, I’m being advised by Mr. Peters to create more chaos and "if it ain’t broke – break it".
It’s not that Thriving and it’s follow-up Liberation Management didn’t have some interesting ideas. Because they did. The problem was that for most businesses accessing these ideas was (and is) out of reach. What Peter’s didn’t get back then, and is more out of touch with today, is the simple concept of what I call "getting there". Most businesses do not have the time or cash flow to implement Peter’s concepts. To get from a cash-strapped, reality-driven today to a better tomorrow requires an incremental, controlled approach to change. Not revolutionary. Not chaotic. But controlled, methodical change. Two words that drive the legions of Peter’s followers absolutely crazy. And who will in wild-eyed-frenzied-hysterical-exclamation-pointed rants tell you that if you don’t do what Tom tells you, you’ll become extinct.
I am mentioning Tom Peters because of an interesting debate that is shaping up. Seems as if Tom and his devotees had major heart burn with George Stalks book on Hardball. Fast Company in it’s February 2005 issue, has a cover story on George, Hardball and a foreshadowing of the upcoming debate. Fast Company describes Hardball as:
"The book, a controversial reaction to the glut of squishy, culturally
focused business books that have dominated the last decade, is about gaining an unassailable advantage over rivals."
Tom Peters leads the glut of squishy, culturally focused business books. George Stalk has finally put a face and voice to the other side. I’ll be writing about this debate at length.
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You are absolutely correct. I am in the middle of the turnaround right now. While it sounds sexy to empower, liberate etc. I dare not bring any theories to the table. All I am interested in at this time is what works for small companies and if I adapt it to my context, will it work? I keep telling the investors that we have to move fast, we do not enough time; and on the other hand, I also tell them, we have to be careful, cannot make big, bold, sexy moves. This apparent paradox drives them crazy!
To your 2 requirements of controlled and methodical, I would also add observable. I want the team to also follow the ball as we move from point A to point B. I would not want it to be too much like a sleight of hand or magic!