Enmeshed in management fads?
The non-merit dominos are toppling
Hi There – Brian here
In an end-of year purge I’ve been throwing away old books and clothing that I wouldn’t read or wear today.
Things have moved on and they’re not so relevant today.
It made me think about how businesses, industry associations and government programs get drawn into popular management fads and trends.
An online search reveals that many management fads were popular back in the day.
Examples include balanced scorecard, business process reengineering, emotional intelligence, design thinking, six sigma, knowledge management, learning organization, management by objectives (MBO), matrix organization and total quality management (TQM).
My sense is that most of these introduced useful ideas and sometimes profoundly changed organizations. Generally, it was for the better, although not always!
The appeal has a lot to do with how fads offer a simple and prescriptive approach that promises better performance and success.
The problem is that fads typically fail to deliver on their promises as the systems at play are complex, not simple.
They are also packaged as one size fits all, which is not the lived reality in thebusiness community.
Managers and leaders get assailed by the proponents of popular ideas. They can even be criticized or ‘cancelled’ if they are perceived as not being ‘on-board’.
I certainly remember how the quality management merchants of years past had the zeal of lay preachers. Questioning their doctrine invited a sermon!
Questioning didn’t mean that quality wasn’t important. It just wasn’t the only thing that was important or not the most important thing right now for every organization.
Eventually, fads get outed by reality, as they excel at raising hopes rather than delivering results.
You could argue that the DEI movement has similar attributes to a management fad.
It offers useful and worthy ideas and good intent. But it’s not a silver bullet for organizational or program success, regardless of the claims made by advocates.
2024 has revealed how reality is starting to bite for DEI and, like dominos falling, more businesses are re-focusing onto the fundamentals.
The largest retailer and private employer in the US, Walmart, has 1.6 million employees and recently joined other major businesses to announce the roll back of their DEI policies.
They are choosing to focus on their customers and merit-based hiring.
It takes courage and leadership for major firms to publicly roll back DEI policies. These are not decisions that are taken lightly!
One thing that won’t change is that people who can think differently will be coveted by organizations that want to achieve outstanding results in the knowledge economy.
It means that opportunities will abound for talented people from all walks of life.
The good news is that the ability to think differently is not tied to race, gender, sexual orientation or cultural background.
What are your thoughts?
This is my last newsletter for 2024, and I will return in January 2025. I have highly valued your support, feedback and ideas during the year and look forward to 2025 with curiosity and optimism.
My best wishes to you and your loved ones for an enjoyable festive season and New Year.
Until next year.
Insights from others…
“Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.” - Jack Kerouac
“Humans have a strong desire to be part of a group. That desire makes us susceptible to fads, fashions, and idea contagions.” - Michael Mauboussin
“I am grateful for what I am and have. My Thanksgiving is perpetual.” –Henry David Thoreau
“I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time when men and women seem to open their hearts freely, and so I say, God bless Christmas!” – Charles Dickens