The more I studied, thought about, and wrote about the scope of collective wisdom maximization, the more did I realize that it is simply congruent with the whole realm of so called "management". But then arises the question - so exactly what is 'management'?
Management
A plethora of quotes and definitions is available since time immemorial that attempt to capture the gist of the concept of "management". From "getting things done" to "resources to results". Sometimes used as a pejorative by comparing with "leadership" and sometimes exalted as something different from mere mediocrity.
Yet the one that I have learnt decades ago in my educational programme and held firm in my belief since, is that management means simply "making intentions real". Overgeneralization perhaps - helpful nonetheless! It stretches the expanse of the term "management" beyond just things and resources. That's where it appeals to me more than the other popular definitions.
The scope of management is another obscure aspect that is often discussed only with reference to some context. Hence the word management is often juxtaposed to some other word such as marketing, operations etc.
On this backdrop, when I think of management, I find four areas of "intentions", that truly define "management" and capture the scope of the term in its entirety. These are four domains based on the intentions.
Intention 1: Maintaining the Status Quo
This is a much more important area than often deemed and discussed. The whole spirit of standardization is primarily that of maintaining stability, consistency, and constancy before attempting any further improvement. Standardization, once established, is often taken for granted - just assumed. Yet inevitably, deterioration follows. The law of entropy kicks in. Standard processes are maintained, de-bugged and improved too at operational levels. However, ineffective meetings, irregular meetings, important reports being disregarded (in spite of sufficient clarity of objectives at the time of commencement of the routine or recurring schedule of the meeting) or reports, inaction and indecision because of sheer laxity , and sheer lack of compliance or adherence to the standard process commonplace scenarios too that disrupt the decorum established by standardization now and then.
Why?
The answer is simple. It is a human tendency to slip straight into a relaxation mode or sleep mode once the moment of fight or flight is gone. After an intense problem-solving session on the shop-floor, i.e., something urgent-and-important (which is not rare!), it is common to see managers slipping straight into complete relaxation. That is not abnormal and, in fact, is essential too. What is truly undesirable is not getting back to the not-urgent-but-important tasks on hand.
What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Operating in Stephen Covey's quadrant 2 (or that in Eisenhower matrix implied in the quote above) - not-urgent-but-important is the first area of management and a sign of managerial prowess.
Intention 2: Accomplishing a Step Change
The word Kaikaku is not as popular as Kaizen. The phrase "project management" is. Both imply a significant step-change. (Kaikaku implies a radical change.) No matter how one describes it, such changes are often initiated since they cannot be accomplished merely through Kaizen philosophy. For want of a relatively faster, often in spite of being riskier, and significant change, one must embark on a step-change. Step change or a project of some type is another key area in the scope of management.
Not all projects require systematized project management like not all continuous improvement is based on systematized Kaizen philosophy. However, step-changes are necessary in some or the other form.
Step-changes are a little more risky than both, i.e., maintaining the status-quo and achieving progress through small steps or Kaizen.
Step-changes, because of sheer abruptness and the larger magnitude are invariably irreversible. Being proactive is much more important in this area of management than it is in any other, simply because the consequences of failure can be much more expensive than they usually are in other areas.
Intention 3: Accomplishing Continuous Improvement
For a healthy business, continuous improvement is not only desirable, it is essential - often vital. There are two distinct features of the continuous improvement process that make it different from a step-change as accomplished through project management.
1) Continuous improvement is achieved through small, incremental steps which are normally low-risk and reversible; and
2) Continuous improvement is not confined to the control exercised by a few specialists, but, on the contrary, is best achieved through motivating, encouraging and empowering all in the team.
Risk management can be a slightly lower priority and the key benefit of continuous improvement process is that of cultural enrichment. Low risk and small, incremental steps together often lead to slower improvement as compared to a successful project that does not suffer from scope creeps, delays and cost overruns (which seldom is the case), but the two key advantages the continuous improvement philosophy provides are that the improvement can be holistic due to the participation of many if not all, and even more importantly being 'right the first time'. With these advantages, it is not uncommon to actually see the continuously improving businesses doing a lot better than the ones which habitually spend money on large projects in vain.
The whole concept of agility in change lifecycle modelling has gained the ground precisely because of this. As was famously said by John Wooden,
If you do not have the time to do it right, when will you have the time to do it over?
Intention 4: Controlling The Void - the deterioration
The last, often ignored, and the area derived by elimination of the rest is the void - the area that lacks management but needs it! Directly linked to discipline and imagination or, more precisely, lack of them. No matter how well the discipline is inculcated into the teams, it is sooner or later dropped somewhere, by someone, letting the risk precipitate into a problem - sometimes even a disaster. The risks are mapped but not monitored. Contingencies are planned but not effectively. What arises are simply problems. The problems that need to be minimized, and subsequently prevented.
This - minimization of unforeseen problems, solving them and then preventing them from recurring in the future - is the last but quite an important domain of the scope of 'management' activities.
Transformational programmes and portfolios are often seen as typical scope of management but they are essentially made of some of the domains mentioned above.
Collective wisdom maximization is applicable to all four areas and basically aims at continuously increasing value, creating which, is the prime objective of any management activity.
(A note on the term CollwisMax - CollwisMax is simply my coinage for collective wisdom maximization, created with the experience and belief that ultimately what leads to any success, that is not accidental, is the application of collective wisdom of the team and the collective wisdom accessible to the team. All the articles in this series are aimed at building up the strength of collective wisdom like the strands of a rope building the strength of that rope.)
- Nilesh Pandit
January 12, 2023