Nothing New

“You are aware, Julie, that when I sell my house and move to an apartment I won’t have much room for my personal library.”

“That will be especially true if your apartment is just a room in what we used to call The Old Folks Home.”

“That’s not what I am planning, but in any case, I’m sorting my books and discarding those that are out of date.  One leadership book published in 1989—a twinkling of an eye ago on my time scale—contained the same advice one would read in a book published yesterday.  It seems that in leadership, there’s (almost) nothing new under the sun.”

“Curmudge, I anticipate that you are going to tell me that ‘everything one needs to know he learns in kindergarten.’ “

“That comes later, Julie.  Before we leave the old book, I must share this note that I found in it.  A survey in the 1970’s revealed that 7% of one’s success is determined by his knowledge, 12% by his skills, and 81% by his attitude.”

“Obviously the survey didn’t include physicians in cognitive or procedural specialties.”

“Let’s focus on attitude.  One can be a command-and-control manager who lives by ‘meeting the numbers’ or ‘getting the product out the door,’ or he can be a leader who adheres to the Lean principle of ‘respect for people’ or the teachings of Servant Leadership.    It’s the person’s decision, as in our posting on Choices.”

“So Curmudge, what about all of those books on management and leadership that don’t seem to change much over the years?  A lot of people have established businesses and had successful careers writing and teaching how to lead and manage.”

“That’s second order stuff, Julie.  Their teachings are full of how-to-do-it details and reminders that aren’t very helpful unless one has made the essential choice of respecting people.”

“You mean details like time management, goal setting, motivation, delegation, and using Lean tools without a Lean culture?”

“That’s the idea.  Simply going through the motions takes one’s Lean journey nowhere.”                      

“I think I’ve got it, Curmudge.  But where does one obtain guidance in making the all-important choices?”

“At your mother’s knee, in church, at kindergarten…”

“…or by an epiphany later in life.  How do you like that word, Curmudge?”

Kaizen Curmudgeon