Let the Child in us Lead us

“Strategies are okayed in boardrooms that even a child would say are bound to fail. The problem is there is never a child in the Boardroom”

Victor Palmieri, Fortune, February 24 1992


“What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult”

Sigmund Freud

Maybe we need to get in touch with our child-like qualities.

In 2005 there is no doubt organisations are faced with some really stark decisions about how to survive in the private sector and, in the public sector, ensuring good quality services at an affordable cost.

Traditional approaches to solving problems are always our first position. This is fine but 'old approaches' were for an 'old world' where there was more predictability and stability and we all had more time.

The information technology revolution has demanded that we all work at a far quicker pace.

The customer is no longer a 'passive' recipient of services or goods. The customer is now in possession of information about everything and organisations need to be very smart to stay ahead.

I know some of these ideas have detractors. That is fine – life is all about different views and finding common ground.

I like to think I am a “realistic idealist” – how’s that for a good old compromise statement?

It is like swimming close to the side of the pool ….. which is I guess ….. where many managers swim. Close enough to the edge of the pool in case we get out of our depth.

I am not advocating anarchy, I am simply raising the issue of informality versus formality.