Michael makes a very good point when he says, regarding the use of
challenge to increase creativity,
The management mischief that I'm working to avoid ...is that I seldom meet
the manager who espouses and uses these challenges to security and old
thinking in ways that create the same conditions for themselves.
If you believe in them, fine - use them so that they apply first and
foremost to yourself. Then that will affect others is just a natural
condition. If you believe in them for others and not yourself - because
of course you are already transformed and perfect - then of course you'll
do them. It's just that the justification for what "they" need is only
that - a justification of your own character structure.
== end quote ==
On the other hand, when he then says the alternative is
The challenge of thinking, of continuous awareness, of generative
cognition - which few managers who are addicted to "challenge" and
"creating uncertainty" demonstrate - is what can keep learning, change and
adaptation alive.
== end quote ==
I think this is simply another form of the same. I do not see how, if you
think, remain aware, and so forth, you will not create within yourself and
perhaps within others, a sense of challenge and uncertainty. After all,
the more we think, the more we are aware of what we do not know.
I suspect Michael espouses the voluntary approach, and that is fine. I
also find that with the right kind of facilitation -- or whtever you want
to call it -- you can help people begin to create these conditions for
themselves. I agree that using 'creation of uncertainty' as a management
technique is silly, destructive, and useless. However, helping people
learn to challenge their thinking results in precisely the creation of
uncertainty, and with it, undoubtedly, some anxiety.
--Rol Fessenden LL Bean, Inc. 76234.3636@compuserve.com
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>