Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/06/25 01:14 am

Dear Joseph,

What a great example - and, as you point out, sometimes even the best performance may not win you the desired outcome.

Many thanks,

Timothy

Joseph Mullin, MBA Principal - date: 2011/06/21 02:38 am

Timothy,
I think mine was on the same project it was a win fail result.
I was a Sr. Test Engineer hired to increase the throughput of a test facility. I was accomplishing that task when I was called to report to another project that was behind schedule and out of control with other issues threatening it.
My manager introduced me as his efficiency expert.
I quickly learned what all the problems were.
Organized a work team of technicians
Ordered all the equipment and supplies needed to get the job done efficiently.
Trying to rein in engineers is like herding cats but with the help from my managers we accomplished it.
Had to become liaison between facility and safety managers who wanted to end the project right then and there.
Regained focus on SOW and started from a 4 week deficit with less than 3 weeks to critical milestone.
At a week and a half into the process a major failure occurred. The cooling system had to be drained disassembled cleaned reassembled and recharged. Set back 4 days. Long hours and a competent crew made the work fast and accurate.
When the milestone hit we were 3 days ahead of schedule. Made a great demonstration of the product but still lost the contract.
I was proud of what I had accomplished and praised my crew for a gallant effort. I was baffled that we lost the contract as our product worked better than the competitors.
Everyone on the project lost their jobs, such is the life in defense contracting.

Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/06/10 08:39 am

Dear Phadke,

Many thanks for your kind comment. I like your use of the word MANTRA. I find it useful to have a link word or acronym that reminds me of things I should be doing.

Best wishes,

Timothy

Phadke Subdohkumar Narayan - date: 2011/06/10 12:50 am

Namaste Dr. Timothy Sir,

Thanks a lot for this 5 "Mantra's".

All the five points that you expressed are the need of the time. I hope, billions of Net users reading each & every post of yours and taking their own lesson for their business & for their country.

I thank you for keeping my email ID in trust circle.

I appreciate.

Sincerely I remain,

Phadke S. N.

Phadke Subdohkumar Narayan - date: 2011/06/10 12:48 am

Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/06/07 01:47 pm

Dear Drew,

You're right: legitimacy is increasingly a problem for many types of organisations - whether in business, politics or even the not-for-profit sector. No one sector has a monopoly on moral behaviour - or its opposite.

Even as individuals, we face the same dilemmas - both in our employment and personal lives. I've known people, who rail against what they see as organisational excesses or misdirected behaviour but engage in personal habits that show little regard for their own physical health or long-term safety.

The congruence of organisational and personal misbehaviour is, I suppose, to be expected. After all, organisations are just congregations of individuals.

Best wishes,

Timothy

Drew Stevenson - date: 2011/06/07 09:46 am

Hi Timothy,

I like the "legitimacy" factor. As consummers we are so bombarded by advertising and spin that the legitimacy of a venture/product/service is often taken for granted.
Add to this a world where values can and do change quickly its not always clear that we are following our moral compass, witness advances in technology, climate change. Businesses can find themselves producing products which are no longer relevent, or the production of which is environmentally reprehensible - all things which can rapidly erode the legitimacy of an enterprize.
The knee-jerk reaction is often to redouble effort instead of trying to re-align - staff often feel, even if they dont see, the lack of a legitimate purpose and that's a slippery slope.