Six in the fifth place means The tusk of a gelded boar. Good fortune. Here the restraining of the impetus forward drive is achieved in an indirect way. A boar’s tusk is in itself dangerous, but if the boar’s nature is altered, the tusk is no longer a menace. Thus also where men are concerned, wild force should not be combated directly. THE 1 CHING, CHINA, CIRCA EIGTH CENTURY B.C.
The Organization Architect
- Create and align key elements of the organization system
- Strategic Direction – Additional Capital – when is required?
- From where?
- Structure – Business – which remains?
- Invest? Draw cash?
- Core Processes – Commitments – what decisions to critical resources?
- What to try to unwind? when?
- Skill basses – Customers – which set of existing(internal/external) will continue to serve?
- Which markets exit/enter and when?
- What is our value proposition?
After this meeting, a story about Mao’s methods was presented in the rounds of Shanghai’s remaining executive suites. Mao called in Liu [shaoqi] And Zhou [Enlai]. He had a question for them: “How would you make a cat eat pepper?” Liu spoke up first. MAO : A BIOGRAPHY, ROSS TERRILL, 1999
“That’s easy,” said the number-two man. ” You get somebody to hold the cat, stuff the pepper in its mouth, and push it down with a chopstick. ” Mao raised his hands in horror at such a made-in-Moscow solution. “Never use force … Everything must be voluntary.” Zhou had been listening. Map inquired what the premier would do with the cat. ” I would starve the cat,” replied the man who had often walked the tightrope of opportunity. MAO : A BIOGRAPHY, ROSS TERRILL, 1999
Diagnose Misalignment
- Design a plan to correct – between strategic direction and skill bases
- between structure and process/skills
- Core process – align an org like a long sailing trip
- Destination – mission and goals
- Route – strategy
- Boat – Structure
- Processes – how to outfit
- Crew members – skill base
- Strategic Direction – Fundamental questions
- What the organization will do?
- What the organization won’t do?
- Encompasses – Vision – why people should be motivated to perform at a high level?
- Strategy – how resources should be allocated and decisions made?
- Mission – what will be achieved?
“Then I would wrap the pepper with a slice of modern meat. If the super-cat is sufficiently hungry it will swallow it whole.” Mao did not agree with Zhou any more than with Liu. ” One must not use deceit either – never fool the people.” What, then would the chairman himself do? “Easy,” he said, concurring with Liu on that, at least. ” You rub the pepper thoroughly into the cat’s backside. When it burns, the cat will lick it off – and be happy that it is permitted to do so. ” MAO : A BIOGRAPHY, ROSS TERRILL, 1999