Disruptive Thought Patterns
The true disruptive element of any form of disruptive technology is HUMAN THOUGHT! The technology itself is just an effect, whereas thought is its cause. This cause and effect relationship is the most fundamental law of the universe. Then, why do we celebrate technology and dismiss thought as no-real-work?
It was said that Henry Ford had the following quote from the eighteenth-century English painter Sir Joshua Reynolds hanging on his office wall: “There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.”
Paradigm shifts―as identified by the American physicist and philosopher Thomas Kuhn―do not impose themselves upon us out of the blue, but are the product of an individual thinker.
The Wright brothers did not stumble over the secret of controlled flight, but they discovered it with their systematic thought processes.
Mark Twain said, “Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work.” In paraphrasing this quote, I’d like to say that technology is good, technology is impressive; but it is the human thought patterns that do the work.
General George Patton, US Army once said: “If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” This applies most notably to the executives who state that their businesses all have one and the same purpose―making money. Yet, none of them actually print any legal tender. Is every business in direct competition with every other business?
Executives also claim to have the exact same goal―growing bottom line results. As a result, every executive seems to pursue the same strategy, promoted by the same big three consulting firms, of cutting cost. Has anyone ever thought of a goal of DEVELOPING the business system’s capability and capacity? How about a strategy of improving business process quality because that cannot fail to increase product quality?
When taking the pains of employing the “real labor of thinking” you’ll discover that increasing quality will lower cost, increase employee engagement, and … increases profitability. Don’t take it from me; study Dr. W. Edwards Deming; the American who taught the Japanese about Quality.
#RootCauseTheBook
#CEOadventure
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeLeadership
#ExecutiveDevelopment
#ExecutiveCoaching