The Rapid Response Institute

Tag: collaboration

  • What We’ve Got Here is Failure to Communicate!!

    What We’ve Got Here is Failure to Communicate!!

    “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

    George Bernard Shaw

    The 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke, popularized the term, “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.”  The American Film Institute lists this statement as number 11 out of the top 100 movie quotes.  The basis of this exchange is the prisoner in a Florida prison camp, refusing a guard’s continual demands.

    Clash of Titans

    In our 1994 presentation, Organizational Conflict and Dispute Resolution we positioned Diversity as a Function of Culture.  Another way to look at this is a function of ‘tension at the margin.’  We defined this term as, “Stress between competing bodies—the engine of power.”  The idiom was derived from the Pressure Differential in powerful weather events such as hurricanes.  The blog went on state, “Humans constantly deal with this phenomenon and sometimes the stress caused by this dichotomy can seem to be overwhelming.  Sometimes, it seems this powerful internal engine races without a governor.”  Sometimes, cultural clashes seem to have these same titanic properties.

    Cultural Governance

    This pundit has a somewhat different opinion on ESG than typically featured in the media.  This framework is only a set of standards that responsible firms have been using for years.  We addressed this issue in June 2005 in the piece, The Corporate Bar is Raised! which is a chapter in our 2011 book, Essays on Business and Information II: Maximizing Organizational Performance.

    The final paragraph in the piece states, “The linkage between robust embracement of strong governance and shareholder rights coupled with transparency and dispatch when things go badly will provide strong positive sustainability.  The corporate bar is raised, but isn’t this where it should have been all along?”  How is this any different than current ESG models?

    Governance sets a framework as well as an ethical methodology for advancing competing positions.  In one sense collaboration is the ultimate goal as the intent of the whole is to maximize success.  Governance models that are not aligned with that goal are sub-optimal.

    R B C

    There is a great deal of discussion about Energy Transformation today.  It is not only a political football but many consulting and technology company are pushing their products and solutions.  No doubt some of dubious value.  All parties have an agenda!

    The word transformation suggests that the current Condition or environment demands changes in Behavior.  The result of these changes drives new Relationships (RBC) among economic actors.

    It is one thing to move from wood and dung as fuel to the coal that powered steamships and now other fossil fuels that power almost everything as well as the feedstocks for almost everything the modern world uses and social transformations.  There are major differences between the two Differential Pressures.

    Energy Transformation is heavily dependent on hard infrastructure.  The ability to economically replace gas stations with plug in sites, the time it takes to ‘refuel’ a mobile machine, and so forth and so one.  This is a decades long process and not something that can be done on a simplistic political timeline.

    Social Transformation is not easy either.  However, the process mostly requires changing collective mindfulness.  This process can unfold rather quickly.

    For example, events of Pearl Harbor, 9/11 as well as the adoption of ‘Smart phones,’ political party positions, weather events, etc. can transform thoughts in weeks, months and even days.  In this sense it is easier to accomplish.

    Fin

    Change happens when all parties feel like there is something in it for them.  Where exogenous or endogenous, new Conditions can drive better Behaviors and thus new Relationships.  However, individuals need to know the value they will derive.  A failure to communicate need not be fait accompli.

    Do You Know if You Are Communicating with Your Friends, Colleagues and Others?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more information regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author is a member of Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give us a shout.

  • Who Let the Dogs Out?

    Who Let the Dogs Out?

    Our often called, ‘Best Friend’ has and continues to teach us all manner of life lessons.  While the Dog Days of Summer will soon be upon those who live in the northern hemisphere, not all dogs choose to stay on the porch.

    Most dogs are action oriented.  Throw a ball or a stick and some will retrieve it, seemingly endlessly.  In this they set a high bar for consistent behavior.  Their relationship with the thrower changes when the conditions or situation gets both parties off the porch.

    Often attributed to comedian Steve Harvey and others, “Dogs don’t bark at parked cars” has taken on a wide range of meanings.  The one that stands out is Leadership!

    Action oriented dogs will address issues of the day, i.e., car movement.  They are not interested in hunks of metal (dead weight) accomplishing nothing.  It makes no sense to bother with an inanimate object, unless the goal is to get inside it so you can hang you head out the window once it is on the highway.

    Focus is on the doable, not the abstract.

    Enter the Human

    Archelogy suggests that dogs were domesticated between 20-40,000 years ago.  They have been our companions, confidants and supporters longer than any other non-humans.

    Today, dogs lead in all manner of endeavors, as pets, service and support partners, drug and explosive identification and even becoming a ‘go human interest videos’ on social media including LinkedIn.

    One can argue that the bond between dog and humans is unique.  They seem to have a rare ingrained sense of our emotions.  Likewise, our bond with them is often even stronger than it is with our family members.  Indeed, they are often referred to as ‘family.’

    For some dog fun, take a look at this short video.  Puts the car-dog-human relationship into perspective.

    It is hard to imagine life without dogs in it.  This pundit sees this phenomena almost everyday when the dog walkers go by, often with 3-5 dogs.  Our lives are better because thousands of years ago they chose to adopt us.

    R B C

    We have long been a proponent of the Relationship, Behavior, Conditions (situation) model for human and cross cultural interactions.  More on this can be found on our website.

    The point of this blog is that this model is not limited to human to human interactions.  It has broad use between all manner of cultures.  Even canine to human!

    Leadership

    “If you ain’t the lead dog, the view never changes.”  A familiar statement regarding sled dog teams.  Moreover, dogs and wolves are collaborative pack animals and each pack has an Alpha Male (canine or human).

    Both humans and canines collaborate to accomplish a given task or set of tasks.  Leadership sets the path and assures that the ‘team’ remains focused and all members achieve a level of personal and organizational satisfaction during and after the project is completed.

    Dogs are good role models for all of us.  Their unconditional love and support are legendary.  Since “All dogs go to heaven,” we know that they have our best interests at heart.

    Just a Doggone Minute!  Have You Hugged Your Best Friend Today?

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    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

  • 100

    100

    This edition marks the 100th post in our Critical Mass Blog series.  We have sought to provide thoughtful, unbiased insight into the contemporary business and organizational challenges we all face.  Since our first blog post on November 27, 2017 our world has turned over in ways none expected.  Likely, this trend will continue.

    This series continues a tradition of newsletters, opinion pieces and other on line punditry first begun in 1998 with our New Millennium News.  A bi-monthly email with a subscription base of approximately 7,000 readers.  A huge number at that time.  We estimate that hundreds of thousands or more have benefited from this knowledge transfer.

    Coincidentally, we reach this milestone as we begin the new year–a time of renewal.  We will continue to address critical issues individuals, businesses, agencies and others face as we all navigate an increasingly perilous path.  This series has addressed Human Resource issues including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Teams , the arrival of Smart Technology, International Business, Covid-19, Supply Chain Management, Operational Excellence, Cultural Transformation (including Safety Culture) Sales, Risk Mitigation and of course Leadership.  Today’s organizations must be very good at all of these disciplines!

    Available Tools

    The mission of the Rapid Response Institute (RRI) is to enable our clients with the ability to posture themselves in their market segments so that they can thrive in volatile markets and capitalize on uncertainty, not suffer because of them.  This is especially important for those economic actors in Critical Infrastructure sectors.

    In support of this mission the firm has developed a suite of Intellectual Property (IP) which includes Know How, practical roadmap Books and guidelines as well as Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions among others.  Many readers know that once a process has been standardized with minimal configuration required, the data is the ultimate driver.  This is the heart of most Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions.

    With advances in technology, RRI has taken these once multi-million dollar solutions to a price point as well as Use Case where all organizations can utilize this capability.  Moreover, our advancements in work flow such as epitomized in our Cross Cultural Serious Games, Economic Value Proposition Matrix, and Smart OpEx (Operations Management System) and Risk Simulation Modeling add immediate and significant value to the challenges faced as articulated above.  Other Free Tools are available as well.

    Pulling It All Together

    The method to our madness is–Operations!!  As some are fond of saying with derision, “It’s All About the Benjamins.”  Well, it actually is.  If ‘for-profit’ firms are not profitable, they fail.  No amount of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) will save them if they cannot deliver to paying customers.

    Everything RRI does helps organizations to deliver stakeholder value, compliant with ESG standards.  That is our Bottom Line and we are also pleased that Dr. Shemwell, Managing Director has been an independent advocate for responsible corporate success since 2004.

    FYI, major losses and legal actions do not enhance stakeholder value.  Neither for employees, local communities or equity holders.  Everyone loses when in terrible scenarios such as Deepwater Horizon, internal bias corporate hubris, poor high reliability processes/human factor shortcomings or lack of actual DEI.

    This journey continues.  Stay tuned for the next 100 editions where will continue to provide our thoughts on relevant matters.  Thank you very much for your readership and support.

    How is Your Organization Positioned for the Next Four Years?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    For more on DEI Standards, see the newly released ISO-30415.

    You can contact this author as well.

  • Getting to Diverse and Inclusive Teams

    Getting to Diverse and Inclusive Teams

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Team Models

    There is a tendency to see DEI through the lens of initiatives or often a process semi-outside the daily ‘organizational’ grind.  Does this represent reality?

    Organizations spend countless sums training employees and others they depend on for Operational Excellence performance.  They often trust global Teams to add stakeholder value.

    No less than Microsoft names a software product, Teams.  A tool designed to foster collaboration.

    The Way We Do Business

    Culture is often defined as ‘who we are.’  The approach an organization takes towards its ecosystem.  If this model is an accurate representation, it suggests that when organizations launch initiatives meant to address current social mores, they likely fail or at least do not live up to full potentials.

    Change management, often referred to as transformation often takes on the mantel of ‘you will be changed.’  Contemporarily, take the Covid-19 vaccine or you will be fired!  Not surprisingly, this mandate is resisted and seemingly increasingly with each new warning.

    As of this writing, the all out war (on decrees) has been declared by the likes of the Navy Seals, Health Care Workers, Law Enforcement and others with the demands from the Feds.  Likely, the result will be a draw at best, with the administration quietly acquiescing.  Too many critical, non-replaceable positions are at risk.  Not to mention votes.

    Governance

    In October 2011, we published our first draft of, Asset/Equipment Integrity Governance: Operations–Enterprise Alignment.  We recognized that traditional organizational Governance models were strictly focused on finance and maleficence therein.  The reality is that revenue is generate by operations and as such governance is critical as well.  Safety Culture, is intangible but now required by most organizations in Critical Infrastructure sectors.

    Flash forward to today and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is the model most organizations use.  Effectively, this expands governance to include a broad range of non-financial commitments.  From this blogger’s perspective, likely DEI will fall under this governance model.  Therefore, moving it from the ‘initiative status’ to the ‘way we do business.’

    Team Building

    This dynamic environment requires workforce upskilling.  The need to constantly assure that individuals have current Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) necessary to meet current challenges.  KSAs now include the ability/necessity to work across cultural/diverse lines.

    When one thinks of a ‘team’ it is not a homogenous collection of like minded and ‘like’ individuals.  Teams are a collection of hopefully, ‘fit for purpose’ individuals who comprise the KSAs needs to accomplish the task(s) at hand.  Teams can mirror the discrete views of its members.

    For example, our early research on the subject assessed the different approaches Japanese nationals took when negotiating with white American males.  In each case, the individual players were deemed to be homogenous.

    Nothing could be further from the truth.  Each individual, in this case all males were of different ages, different education, from different regions of their respective countries, married or not and so forth and so on.

    The reality is that individuals do not negotiate deals.  Teams do.   Members of teams, like juries need to arrive at the same place prior to engaging with other collaborative counterparts.

    Juries need to be arrive at consensus.  Likewise, organizational team members must arrive at a similar place internally prior to going forward.  This not to say that individuals must cave to the will of the majority or the Tyranny of the Minority.  It is to say, a common position that all must accept as part of collaboration or consensus.

    Inclusive?

    There is no doubt that token individuals and in some case high profile figureheads have been put forth to ‘prove’ inclusivity.  Thankfully, those days are fading.

    Teams need to have the input of all members, even contrarians.  Often it is the outlier that has the most insight into a difficult problem.  Differences of opinion need to be resolved and a go forward plan agreed upon.

    Often, individuals do not speak up.  Perhaps they are new to the environment, shy or unsure of themselves.  Whatever the reason their input must be sought and at least given a fair hearing.

    Training can help elicit input from the reticent.  Moreover, they help dominate individuals acknowledge and accept said input.

    How Does Your Organization Assure Real Inclusion?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    For more on DEI Standards, see the newly released ISO-30415.

    You can contact this author as well.

  • Are Your DEI Wheels Spinning?

    Are Your DEI Wheels Spinning?

    Originally published as a LinkedIn article on July 6, 2021, this updated version is reprinted here with the permission of the author.  Links to relevant sources are added.

    Lately, many LinkedIn posts bemoan the state of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The seeming slow take up of great ideas.

    Some argue that DEI initiatives are no more than window dressing or organizational efforts to stave-off litigation. To others, they have the appearance of one more management initiative that if waited out will simply go away like so many others before.

    Fundamentally, DEI initiatives require change. A change of (B)ehaviors in the face of seemingly new situations or influencing (C)onditions (Circumstances, Capabilities, Cultures, Environments). When these two variables evolve, so do exiting (R)elationships. The RBC model is well established in social science and was first used to model Cross-Cultural (international business) Negotiations.

    It is multi-dimensional including a temporal schema capable of addressing numerous aspects of human behavior. Furthermore, it encompasses cultural as well as other situational aspects such as individual backgrounds.

    We tested this model using Japanese and American executives. This culturally diverse group needed to develop a level of trust if negotiation outcomes were to be successful.

    Likewise, successful DEI initiatives require that culturally diverse groups develop a high level of trust among those working together and/or members of teams.

    “Tell Me and I Forget. Teach Me and I Remember. Involve Me and I Learn”

    Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, this quote tells us all we need to know. The so-called Death by PowerPoint lecture long in vogue are often forgettable. Instruction, along with the homework prerequisite and tests are traditional methods. Finally, engaging individuals, teams, departments and even entire organizations can create long standing sustainable knowledge that is the basis for behavioral transformation.

    Paper based serious games or “games whose purpose is other than entertainment” originated in the late 1960-70s. In a nutshell, this is an interactive training solution. Subsequently, online serious games can incorporate actual scenarios designed to immerse players solving real world challenges.

    Rather than a video game whereby players engage with electronic decision trees, human-to-human serious games train players/teams to deal with diverse yet real colleagues. Collaborative scenarios direct participants to collectively solve problems while learning how their culturally dissimilar counterparts address the same challenge.

    Scenarios can drive engagement by all players including those who may not be typically involved in decision making processes. This is also a safe, no-harm no-foul environment with little to no individual decision-making risk.

    Transformation

    Any successful ‘change’ initiative must answer the What’s in It for Me? question. Humans may resist change if they do not see personal value from such actions. Moreover, while senior executive leadership is required, heavy handed top down My Way or The Highway may result in direct resistance, and/or a more crowed freeway to the exit ramp.

    For example, the current version of the smart phone was first available circa 2007. According to Statista, approximately 1.38 billion smartphones were sold in 2020. Likewise, over 46 percent of the global population own these devices.

    What does this have to do with DEI? In 2006 cellphones were great and becoming ubiquitous. No one knew they needed a smartphone. Our collective Behavioral transformation was caused because the What’s in it for Me question was answered.

    One component of the Conditions criteria, Capability changed as this technology enabled individuals to drive new behaviors based on Apps that emerged. The resulting transformation in our Relationships is well documented, i.e., the use of text as opposed to voice.

    Sustained transformation requires continued energy. The term ‘initiative’ implies a short-term event and one that will pass.

    Trust must be established and maintained. Over time, sustained energy will result in critical mass, or the (statistically significant) number of individuals engaged and trusting each other. This self-sustaining energy is transformation.

    Reframing DEI Initiatives into the RBC Framework can enable dramatic and rapid transformation. Take advantage of these types of cross-cultural models.

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • Home Base During a Crisis: ‘get up, clean up, and dress up’

    Home Base During a Crisis: ‘get up, clean up, and dress up’

    In the middle of a global pandemic, all of us who can are advised to work from home.  Many of us have worked remotely for a while now.  Whether traveling, dealing with sick children, avoiding traffic or dealing with a natural disaster remote management has become part of our business DNA.

    Yet, this pundit was a bit surprised at some of the social chatter about working from home for extended periods.  After all, I have been working remotely for decades.  Turns out, these fears have a basis in fact.

    It appears there are two culprits at work here.  First is our individual behaviors and secondly, there are serious productivity concerns.

    First Culprit

    A day or two, here and their remote working is fine.  Things can change however; when it becomes a way of life and not everyone is well suited to labor this way.

    While it all sounds good on paper, working as an individual remotely is a difficult thing to do.  Humans are social beings.  Most of us need to interact with others; daily.

    The concept of working in my ‘underwear’ is not sustainable.  Like all aspects of life, a structured process is required.  First of all, ‘get up, clean up, and dress up.’  This is not the weekend where you check the odd email or holiday where you do the same on a beach with an umbrella drink.

    It is your job, the source of your income and often self-worth.  The risks to both of these is high when working remotely.

    While not directly on this topic.  This is one of the best videos on motivation and focus.  Well worth your time to view it.

    Working at home requires discipline as well as your ‘in office’ work ethic.  Challenge will be to sustain this effort.

    Second Culprit

    Some sectors such as Information Technology have encouraged its employees and contractors to work from home on a permanent basis.  This was long ago considered dogma.  Except that sometimes it does not work.

    In 2017, I noticed that IBM was ending its ‘work from home’ policy for many workers.  In their statement at the time, “In many fields, such as software development and digital marketing, the nature of work is changing, which requires new ways of working.  “We are bringing small, self-directed agile teams in these fields together.”  Has anything changed in less than three years?

    Further confirmation of this model can be found with most of the technology innovators and accelerators today.  Often accused of selling real estate these mostly for-profit enterprises claim that working together in a centralized environment encourages collaboration and cross pollination of ideas.

    This is the current common business model for start up organizations around the world.  In the minds of many, it must work and add value to the creative process.

    Another New Normal

    Is this a paradigm shift or just a short term inconvenience?  Reality, probably a bit of both.  E-learning has been growing and this may give that sector a boost.  Software development, the presumed online job, maybe not so much.

    While it is likely that Structural Dynamics are at work the current covid-19 situation.  Our Relationships, Behaviors, Conditions (RBC) model is a useful tool going forward.

    We are changing your blog model for the near future and will be developing this issue in more detail and offering actionable solutions.   In subsequent posts we will develop this further.

    In the meantime, if your challenged by the requirement to work remotely contact us for no cost, no obligation mentoring.

    How is Your Organization Assuring Productivity Remains During the Crisis?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    You can contact the author as well.