THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
415 781 5700
rodwelch@pacbell.net


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: June 25, 1999 05:37 PM Thursday; Rod Welch

Fortune magazine article on why CEOs fail - bad execution.

1...Summary/Objective
2...Execution Main Cause of CEOs Failing, Not Strategy and Vision
...............Executives fail when they fail to execute!
3...Intel, Microsoft Success Falsely Attributed to Vision, Strategy
4...Innovation Monopoly Buys Off Mistakes, Creates False Knowledge
5...Media Competition: False Knowledge Drifts Away from Fundamentals
6..."Execution" entails three (3) key questions...
7...Failure to execute is not caused by being dumb or evil.
8...Subordinates Impact CEOs Ability to Execute
9...Feedback Essential for Execution; Jack Welch at GE
10...Execute Sound Management Practices Consistently
11...New Reality of 21st Century Escalates Risk of Mistakes, Failure
12...Limited Time, Information Overload Overwhelm Span of Attention
13...Chief Operating Officer (COO) Needs Communication Metrics
14...Intelligence Takes Time Money to Avoid Mistakes Discover Opportunity
15...Penny Wise Pound Foolish Avoids Working Intelligently to Save Time
16...Good Management Avoided to Save Time, Money, Penny Wise Pound Foolish
.................So let it be written, so let it be done!
17...Alignment Adds Value to Written Analysis
18...Tracking assignments, following up, analysis, are critical for CEO
19...Execution is boring, a Grind, But Essential for Success
20...CEOs hungry for battlefield details, called "intelligence" in
........"Connecting developments" and spotting patterns" are part of
21...Preference to Avoid Details, Work by Summary Causes Failure
22...Rudderless Ship Reaches Destination Only After Arduous Journey
23...Overwhelming Tendency Bad Management, Information Feels Good Human
24...Attitude Prevents Executives Exercising Common Communication Skills
.......................I.don't feel like it!
.............................laziness
25...Psychological trauma deters execution because alignment reveals a
26...Crises Spawn Leaders Who Cannot Execute to Avoid Future Crisis


..............
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CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
New Realities of 21st Century
Problem Handling, Conflict, Stress
Failure CEO - Poor Execution
Imploding on Information Highway
PC Market Dominated by Microsoft,Intel, i.e., Wintel
Innovation Monopoly Buys-off Mistakes
Drifting Off Course, Avoid Align People Shared Meaning
Execute CEOs Fail to Use Good Management Practice Capture Organizatio
Bad Management Overwhelming Tendency People Just Want to Work on Tec
Executives Succeed Writing Analysis Communications Meetings Calls to

2112 -
2112 -    ..
2113 - Summary/Objective
2114 -
211401 - Follow up ref SDS 51 0966, ref SDS 42 0001.
211402 -
211403 - Fortune notes that executives fail who fail to execute. ref SDS 0 0460
211404 - The authors then get down to business and state the hard fact that
211405 - CEOs falter when they fail to manage critical details. ref SDS 0 2350
211406 - Jack Welch at GE is cited as a model of CEOs who analyse, follow up
211407 - and get feedback on details by writing.  CEOs are urged to start
211408 - writing what needs to be done, by whom and when. ref SDS 0 1024  These
211409 - prescriptions for success are supported by Communication Metrics to
211410 - deliver intelligence on the Internet. ref SDS 0 5934
211412 -  ..
211413 - CEO replacement has increased in the 90s, attributed in the New World
211414 - Order... paper to higher risk from information overload that limits
211415 - time for understanding.  The article does not address limited time and
211416 - span of attention. ref SDS 0 9671
211418 -  ..
211419 - The article says CEO failure to execute is due to personal preference,
211420 - called "psyche." ref SDS 0 4914  Again, limited time is not discussed.
211422 -  ..
211423 - Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a new role to help CEOs manage
211424 - details. ref SDS 0 8183  Might be a place to introduce Communication
211425 - Metrics.
211426 -
211427 -    [On 990718 sent Morris letter linked to this record. ref SDS 55
211428 -    5251]
211429 -
211431 -  ..
2115 -
2116 -
2117 - Progress
2118 -
211801 - Execution Main Cause of CEOs Failing, Not Strategy and Vision
211802 -
211803 - Follow up ref SDS 3 8467.
211804 -
211805 - Article in Fortune magazine published 990621, beginning on page 69...
211806 -
211807 -                          Why CEOs Fail
211808 -
211809 - ...reports research the past 10 years shows that "beyond doubt" the
211810 - main reason CEOs fail is...
211811 -
211812 -                     b a d    e x e c u t i o n
211813 -
211814 - ...shown at ref OF 2 1911 and ref OF 2 0290 -- some executives don't
211815 - feel like making the effort to use good management practice.  They
211816 - strive to devise a "strategy" that enables bad management to succeed,
211817 - because it is easier. see below on "laziness." ref SDS 0 4914
211818 -
211819 -    [On 001102 people want technology that enables bad management to
211820 -    succeed, not to make good management faster and easier. ref SDS 68
211821 -    RF7M
211823 -     ..
211824 -    [On 020204 report on cause of collapse of Enron into bankruptcy was
211825 -    attributed to failure of CEOs to execute. ref SDS 72 776J
211827 -  ..
211828 - The key task CEOs fail to execute that causes failure is taking notes
211829 - for organizational memory to build and manage accurate understandings
211830 - of communication that "connects the dots" for understanding cause and
211831 - effect, as explained previously in the record on 950803. ref SDS 27
211832 - 2040 and on 951121. ref SDS 3 8467  Morris disclosed on 990525 that
211833 - engineers leave this task to executives and managers, ref SDS 51 0966,
211834 - but we learn today that organizational fail because executives don't
211835 - execute.  Andy Grove, CEO of Intel, says writing copious notes removes
211836 - ambiguity of mental maps that otherwise cause mistakes, see, below.
211837 - ref SDS 0 1024  However, some CEO's object to this practice, see again
211838 - "laziness" discussed below. ref SDS 0 4914
211839 -
211840 -     [On 020504 study shows professional standards for communication
211841 -     practices and requirements on good management specified in FAR,
211842 -     ISO, Health Care, Covey, Drucker, law, contract notice provisions,
211843 -     and 2,000 years of literacy for contemporaneous documentation for
211844 -     alignment and feedback to work intelligently, quickly, and
211845 -     accurately are ignored in government, business, health care, every
211846 -     sector. ref SDS 73 NS6F
211848 -      ..
211849 -     [On 040312 2nd law thermodynamics entropy devolves order into
211850 -     disorder and failure without adding energy to connects the dots of
211851 -     cause and effect that drives the power of knowledge. under the
211852 -     locality principle. ref SDS 76 YH4G
211854 -      ..
211855 -     [On 040505 Paris peace conference in 1919 heads of state began
211856 -     holding meetings hoping to avoid keeping records, but found that
211857 -     progress degraded to entropy because the top people in the world
211858 -     could not remember enough to perform daily work; eventually
211859 -     leadership yielded to fear of accountability for failure to get
211860 -     things done, and so a record of organizational memory was prepared
211861 -     and this change in practice yielded results that expedited
211862 -     progress. ref SDS 79 MQ49
211864 -      ..
211865 -     [On 040620 Knowledge Management professional event to present new
211866 -     practice of thinking about opportunities is more important than
211867 -     taking action. ref SDS 80 H35F
211869 -  ..
211870 - Peter Drucker anticipated the results of Fortune's study, in his
211871 - book...
211872 -
211873 -
211874 -                    The Practice of Management
211875 -
211876 -
211877 - ...on page 70, published in 1954, reprinted 1969.  On 931130 review
211878 - shows consistent execution of sound management practice, is needed for
211879 - long-term success. ref SDS 12 1504
211881 -  ..
211882 - Information overload prevents consistency due to limited time,
211883 - reviewed on 921205. ref SDS 9 6013
211885 -  ..
211886 - Fortune's article seem to support forecasts in the article on...
211887 -
211888 -
211889 -               New World Order Needs Old Time Religion
211890 -
211891 -
211892 - ...published in 1995, that increased mobility of people, goods and
211893 - information, called...
211895 -                           ..
211896 -                          globalization
211898 -      ..
211899 - ... and the...
211900 -
211901 -                       Information Highway
211902 -
211903 -
211904 - ...adds complexity that increases the risk of error. ref OF 2 2385
211906 -  ..
211907 - Fortune's report that CEOs are being replaced faster, when execution
211908 - falters, reflects a New World Order that causes management to implode
211909 - on itself in a morass of errors, conflict and loss. ref OF 6 8303
211911 -  ..
211912 - A long list of high profile executives who have failed the past 10
211913 - years includes...
211914 -
211915 -    Roger Smith           Robert Stemple       Eckhard Pfeiffer
211916 -    General Motors        General Motors       Compaq Computer
211917 -
211918 -    Robert Horton         John Akers           Ronald Allen
211919 -    British Petroleum     IBM                  Delta Air Lines
211921 -     ..
211922 -    Robert Allen          Kay Whitmore         William Agee
211923 -    AT&T                  Kodak                Morrison/Knudson
211925 -     ..
211926 -    Paul Lego             Gilbert Amelio       Michael Spindler
211927 -    Westinghouse          Apple Computer       Apple Computer
211929 -     ..
211930 -    Dean Buntrock         William Smithburg
211931 -    Waste Management      Quaker Oats
211932 -
211934 -  ..
211935 - The authors say their report on CEO failure is "news" because experts
211936 - and publications in recent years have given greater attention to...
211937 -
211938 -
211939 -                             vision
211940 -
211941 - ...and
211943 -                             ..
211944 -                            strategy
211945 -
211947 -      ..
211948 - ... as keys to CEO success, rather than execution. ref OF 2 8160
211950 -  ..
211951 - There is at least irony, and perhaps something seriously amiss, when a
211952 - major publication takes time to announce that, guess what...
211953 -
211954 -
211955 -               Executives fail when they fail to execute!
211956 -
211958 -  ..
211959 - Isn't this a bedrock fundamental?
211961 -  ..
211962 - Why is an article needed to remind of the Protestant work ethic?
211964 -  ..
211965 - Why is it a suprise that CEOs have to do their chores, like everyone
211966 - else?
211968 -  ..
211969 - What, however, is the key "chore" that the boss is not executing?
211971 -  ..
211972 - Andy Grove, CEO of Intel, points out that taking copious notes from
211973 - meetings and calls removes ambiguity of mental maps. ref SDS 43 3668
211974 - He says it isn't easy and it isn't fun, but it is essential to
211975 - execute, otherwise ambiguity causes mistakes. ref SDS 43 3101  SDS
211976 - technology makes it easier and more fun to remove ambiguity by adding
211977 - alignment, organization and summary to manage context, producing
211978 - useful "intelligence." ref OF 5 0582
211980 -  ..
211981 - Below, Fortune concurs that generating useful "intelligence" is the
211982 - secrete to effective execution by CEOs. ref SDS 0 1024
211984 -  ..
211985 - So it is that eternal verities require eternal vigilance.
211987 -  ..
211988 - Why isn't the boss doing his chores? ref SDS 0 4914
211989 - ..
211990 - How did we lose our way?
211991 -
211992 -     [On 991007 paradigm shift for the millineum... the biggest risk in
211993 -     all forms of enterprise is communication. ref SDS 60 7920]
211994 -
211995 -
211997 -  ..
211998 - Intel, Microsoft Success Falsely Attributed to Vision, Strategy
211999 - Innovation Monopoly Buys Off Mistakes, Creates False Knowledge
212000 - Media Competition: False Knowledge Drifts Away from Fundamentals
212001 -
212002 - The New World Order... paper explains how an entire nation looses
212003 - faith in fundamentals, gradually drifting off course, searching for
212004 - the elusive elixir of success. ref OF 6 5827
212006 -  ..
212007 - Why are vision and strategy valued more greatly than execution?
212009 -  ..
212010 - Recent successes in the PC computer industry cause writers and TV
212011 - hosts to cite "vision" and "strategy," rather than execution, as the
212012 - key to success.  Offering a "secret" of success, that avoids the hard
212013 - work of execution, sells books and air time on TV.  False publicity,
212014 - repeated over and over, builds belief that vision and strategy are
212015 - more important to success than execution.  It is boring and no fun to
212016 - cite Drucker urging that consistent use of good work practices is the
212017 - only lasting competitive advantage. ref SDS 12 1504  Drucker is "old
212018 - news."  Selling books and TV air time needs "new" news of a short-cut
212019 - that can be explained in 25 words or 30 seconds.  Vision and strategy
212020 - fit the bill.  POIMS explains "short-cuts" are appealing but fatal.
212021 - ref OF 5 1054
212023 -  ..
212024 - The prospect that short-term monopoly innovations can buy-off bad
212025 - management, as Drucker notes for a little while, imbues CEOs with the
212026 - hope that hitting a "home run" on "vision" and "strategy" permits
212027 - leaving the details to subordinates, because generous margins, i.e.,
212028 - sunshine profits, will pay for mistakes from continual bumbling due to
212029 - poor execution.  False hope that vision and strategy can produce an
212030 - innovative monopoly are occasionally realized in a robust economy,
212031 - under the law of averages, similar to winning a lottery ticket.  Intel
212032 - and Microsoft won the lottery in the 1980s, some argue by accident.
212033 - (see review of PC industry on 960612. ref SDS 33 2222)
212035 -  ..
212036 - Only very few innovations, and the rare confluence of market forces,
212037 - that no one controls, can provide, what Warren Buffett calls, a big
212038 - enough "moat," to buy-off poor execution for any length of time.
212040 -  ..
212041 - Therefore, the best bet for "success" is to focus on execution, as
212042 - recommended by Drucker, ref SDS 12 1504, and supported by Fortune's
212043 - article.
212044 -
212046 -  ..
212047 - "Execution" entails three (3) key questions...
212048 -
212049 -    1.  What duty, task or function is the biggest cause of failure,
212050 -        when it is not performed well, i.e., executed?
212051 -
212052 -        The authors eventually say it is communication.  Successful
212053 -        CEOs grab a pen and start writing, ref OF 2 4030, in order to
212054 -        understand meetings that enables command and control the
212055 -        record. ref SDS 0 1024  Andy Grove at Intel makes the same
212056 -        point in his book reviewed on 980307. ref SDS 43 3668
212058 -         ..
212059 -    2.  What is the most common cause of inability to execute that
212060 -        duty, task or function?
212062 -         ..
212063 -        The authors only minimally mention time, which is an error in
212064 -        their understanding of the problem, ref SDS 0 9671, and they
212065 -        cite "psyche" of CEOs. ref SDS 0 4914
212067 -         ..
212068 -    3.  What can be done to eliminate or overcome obstacles to
212069 -        execution?
212071 -         ..
212072 -        Adding an assistant, in this case, a Chief Operating Officer
212073 -        (COO) is cited as one way to address the increased demands on a
212074 -        CEOs time. ref SDS 0 8183   Authors point out that CEOs are
212075 -        reluctant to give up command and control of the record, and so
212076 -        the only solution is for the CEO to work harder, i.e., to grab
212077 -        a pen and start writing. ref SDS 0 1024  There are 4 or 5 guys
212078 -        who can muster up the courage to do this.  What is the solution
212079 -        for everyone else.
212081 -  ..
212082 - For example, Compaq's chairman discloses that the CEO's vision was
212083 - fine, but the CEO was fired because of execution. ref OF 2 1872
212085 -  ..
212086 - This is a little vague....
212087 -
212088 -        Was the CEO fired because he did not execute the vision?
212089 -
212090 - ...or...
212091 -
212092 -        Was the CEO fired because "execution" was different from how
212093 -        others wanted to execute the vision?
212095 -  ..
212096 - Regardless, one duty of an executive is set a vision.
212098 -  ..
212099 - If a CEO fails to set an adequate vision, that is "bad execution" of
212100 - an executive function.
212102 -  ..
212103 - The authors say CEOs fail because...
212104 -
212105 -    1.  Strategy so flawed that it's doomed,
212106 -    2.  Refuse to confront reality in their markets
212107 -    3.  Antagonize the board
212108 -
212109 -
212110 - ...and acknowledge that often there is more than one reason that
212111 - brings down a CEO. ref OF 2 4900
212113 -      ..
212114 -     Refusing to recognize changing reality in markets is similar to
212115 -     Grove's worry about...
212116 -
212117 -
212118 -                     strategic inflection points
212119 -
212120 -
212121 -     ...reviewed on 980307. ref SDS 42 6148
212123 -      ..
212124 -     Failure to recognize market trends in time is described as...
212125 -
212126 -
212127 -                         disruptive technology
212128 -
212129 -
212130 -     ...by Clay Christensen, reviewed on 990527. ref SDS 52 5258
212131 -
212133 -  ..
212134 - Failure to execute is not caused by being dumb or evil.
212135 - ref OF 2 1040
212136 -
212137 - Executives who fail are described as...
212138 -
212139 -               highly intelligent
212140 -               articulate
212141 -               dedicated
212142 -               accomplished
212143 -               worked hard, made sacrifices,
212144 -               performed terrifically for years
212146 -          ..
212147 - ... ref OF 2 1040
212149 -  ..
212150 - This list of favorable attributes, correlates to Clay Christensen's
212151 - explanation in his book...
212152 -
212153 -
212154 -                    The Innovator's Dilemma
212155 -
212156 -
212157 -    ...reviewed on 990527.  Not merely the CEO, but an entire company,
212158 -    and even an industry, fail as a result of using good management,
212159 -    with one exception. ref SDS 52 5258  Failure is attributed to
212160 -    sole-reliance on "good management" for sustaining technologies, but
212161 -    not investing a portion of sunshine profits to investigate through
212162 -    trial and error, i.e., experimentation, "disruptive technologies,"
212163 -    which later replace existing products and services too quickly for
212164 -    a company or industry to become competitive in time to survive.
212166 -     ..
212167 -    This is not news.  "Tunnel vision" and hubris spawn an "official
212168 -    view of reality" that prevents execution of the duty to be alert
212169 -    and to experiment with new ideas and methods, as urged by Grove in
212170 -    his book. ref SDS 42 3416
212171 -
212173 -  ..
212174 - Subordinates Impact CEOs Ability to Execute
212175 -
212176 - In para 15 or so, on page 2 of the article, the authors say...
212177 -
212178 -    So how do CEOs blow it?  More than any other way, by failure to put
212179 -    the right people in the right jobs - and the related failure to fix
212180 -    people problems in time. ref OF 2 5625
212182 -  ..
212183 - Finger pointing begs the question.  It is akin to saying...
212184 -
212185 -       Don't bother providing tools, policies and procedures.  Don't
212186 -       worry about continual learning, rewards, planning, ergonomics
212187 -       and teamwork.
212189 -        ..
212190 -       Just hire smart people, who are will work longer hours to solve
212191 -       information overload and limited span of attention.
212193 -  ..
212194 - On 950426 an executive training expert proposed hiring smarter people
212195 - to avoid mistakes due to Information Overload, rather than helping
212196 - people work smarter. ref SDS 24 2394
212198 -  ..
212199 - CEOs should be asking...
212200 -
212201 -       What strengths and weaknesses do subordinates have?
212202 -
212203 -       What can be done to benefit from strengths, and support
212204 -       weaknesses?
212206 -        ..
212207 -       What forces will prevent supporting weaknesses, and these
212208 -       fatal, relative to benefits?
212210 -  ..
212211 - For example, if the main problem CEOs have is poor subordinates, why
212212 - is it any less reasonable to expect that subordinates performed poorly
212213 - because their subordinates didn't get the job done?
212214 -
212215 -         [On 990718 subordinates don't have time for details either.
212216 -         ref SDS 55 5251]
212218 -  ..
212219 - Why not set out the actual work that is defective which causes reduced
212220 - earnings?
212222 -  ..
212223 - Until and unless this question is answered, changing personnel is
212224 - merely musical chairs to satisfy egos, an exercise in polishing the
212225 - brass, and rearranging the chairs on the deck, as the Titanic sinks
212226 - into the sea.
212227 -
212228 -
212229 -
212230 -
212231 -
212232 -
2123 -

SUBJECTS
Conventional Management Practices
Feedback Debugs Management Improves Listening
Business Intelligence
Business Metrics
Action Items

3907 -
390801 -  ..
390802 - Feedback Essential for Execution; Jack Welch at GE
390803 - Execute Sound Management Practices Consistently
390804 -
390805 - Authors list "execution" tasks of CEOs, that turns out to be similar
390806 - to Stephen Covey's seven habits of effective people, reviewed on
390807 - 921205. ref SDS 9 4080  The article specifically lists writing, action
390808 - items and follow up. ref SDS 0 1024  Like Covey, the article fails to
390809 - explain the challenge of consistent performance under limited time and
390810 - limited span of attention. ref SDS 9 6013
390811 -
390812 -    1.  Performance forecasts for 2 years out, and plans for changes
390813 -        within that time frame. ref OF 2 3168
390815 -         ..
390816 -        This is the TQM/ISO requirement for "business metrics" and
390817 -        planning for continual improvement, as reviewed on 950721....
390818 -        ref SDS 26 2846
390820 -         ..
390821 -        Cost and schedule control are traditional extensions of
390822 -        accounting which Drucker cites as the best management system
390823 -        available to executives. see on 980101. ref SDS 41 1368
390825 -         ..
390826 -        On 950202 communication is stronger metric of future results.
390827 -        ref SDS 19 0333  Writing is discussed below. ref SDS 0 1024
390829 -         ..
390830 -        Jack Welch at GE provides written feedback that is seen as
390831 -        helpful, ref OF 2 8200, so here is another leader who has time
390832 -        for intelligence to maintain alignment of communication as the
390833 -        predicate to action, consistent with Andy Grove's observation
390834 -        that copious notes are needed to avoid ambiguity of mental
390835 -        maps, ref SDS 43 3668, but Welch likely does not support this
390836 -        process for anyone else at GE, as seems to be the case at
390837 -        Intel. ref SDS 43 4485
390839 -         ..
390840 -        Feedback is specified in Kaiser's Healthwise Handbook, reviewed
390841 -        today. ref SDS 53 4752  But execution is not supported due to
390842 -        limited time. ref SDS 53 0889 and ref SDS 53 2652
390844 -         ..
390845 -    2.  Focus on basics... "feel connected to the flow of information
390846 -        about your company and markets." ref OF 2 3570, by ...
390848 -         ..
390849 -        At last, authors identify the crux of "execution."
390850 -
390851 -        a.  direct interaction with customers and front-line employees.
390852 -
390853 -        b.  following through on all major commitments from direct
390854 -            reports?
390856 -             ..
390857 -            Action items are process for follow up.
390858 -               ..
390859 -               NWO... paper explains process. ref OF 6 6156
390861 -             ..
390862 -            This execution issue is mentioned again as a crucial
390863 -            personal work habit, to follow up. ref OF 2 2009
390865 -             ..
390866 -            Meeting commitments and getting things done is cited again
390867 -            at the end of the article, as central to the question of
390868 -            "execution." ref OF 2 3230
390870 -             ..
390871 -            How to accomplish this requirement is at ref SDS 0 1024
390873 -             ..
390874 -        c.  listen to the inner voice telling whether these things are
390875 -            going well or badly? ref OF 2 3570
390877 -         ..
390878 -        What causes these factors of success to fail?
390879 -            ..
390880 -            Authors say it is a failing of personal psychy, CEOs
390881 -            what others to follow up. ref SDS 0 4914
390883 -         ..
390884 -    3.  Seek out bad news - if you are not getting any, you have a
390885 -        problem. ref OF 2 1404
390887 -         ..
390888 -        Lack of bad news means lack of communication due primarily to
390889 -        fear of subordinates to speak out, to ask questions.
390891 -         ..
390892 -        Andy Grove urges managers not to be wimps, ref SDS 42 1091, but
390893 -        this is whistling past the graveyard.  CEOs have an affirmative
390894 -        duty to dig out of the organization at all levels, problems and
390895 -        concerns, and to permit managers experience disappointment as
390896 -        well as success, so they are seasoned to exercise courage in
390897 -        the face of uncertainty.
390899 -         ..
390900 -    4.  The board should be evaluating the CEO, not setting strategy.
390901 -        ref OF 2 5168
390903 -         ..
390904 -    5.  Are top people leaving the firm? ref OF 2 2050
390906 -  ..
390907 - Other execution factors of success are explained in the narrative,
390908 - and cite Welch at GE as the model to be emulated....
390909 -
390910 -        Use processes to drive decisions, not delay them.
390911 -
390912 -        Focus on initiatives that are clear, specific, and few,
390914 -         ..
390915 -        Don't launch a new initiative until those in progress are
390916 -        embedded in the company's DNA. ref OF 2 0432
390918 -         ..
390919 -        Employees complain about changing vision statements, quality,
390920 -        empowerment, leadership, all of which beget process and
390921 -        apparatus.
390923 -         ..
390924 -        Welch has introduced only five major initiatives in 18 years as
390925 -        CEO (the most recent is e-commerce).
390926 -
390927 -           So, what's a major initiative?
390928 -
390929 -           Has Welch supported 100 minor initiatives to experiment
390930 -           through trial and error in order to discover 5 that
390931 -           justified company-wide application? How else would anyone
390932 -           discover what will work, but by trial, as Andy Grove
390933 -           recommends in his book reviewed on 980307. ref SDS 42 3416
390934 -
390935 -
390936 -
390937 -
3910 -

SUBJECTS
Communication Main Factor of Success, Management Productivity
Aligning Communications to Maintain Shared Meaning from Meetings, Cal
New World Order Human Mind Building World for Which it is Not Well Su
New Realities 21st Century, Prepare
Time Not Enough to Think
New Realities

5308 -
530901 -  ..
530902 - New Reality of 21st Century Escalates Risk of Mistakes, Failure
530903 - Limited Time, Information Overload Overwhelm Span of Attention
530904 -
530905 - Fortune fails to review limited time and span of attention that impair
530906 - execution by CEOs, due to information overload.
530907 -
530908 - At the end of the 20th century work load and information are expanding
530909 - -- managers get 70 to 200 emails, make 4 - 10 phone calls a day,
530910 - attend meetings all day -- cause information overload.
530912 -  ..
530913 - New realities impacting CEOs are listed on 980307 reviewing Andy
530914 - Grove's book...
530915 -
530916 -                     Only the Paranoid Survive
530917 -
530918 -
530919 - ..., which says time is key management factor. ref SDS 43 3151
530921 -  ..
530922 - These conditions leave no time to think, as reported in the record on
530923 - 970910. ref SDS 39 3479 Lack of "thinking", i.e., intelligence, causes
530924 - problems, even among the best and brightest, as reported by Robert
530925 - MacNamera, reviewed on 950417, ref SDS 23 9604
530927 -  ..
530928 - Limited time greases the slippery slope of pshcyology that uses a
530929 - legitimate desire to save time by expediting for an excuse not to
530930 - perform essential analysis, per below. ref SDS 0 1056
530932 -  ..
530933 - On 930112 Writers Forum explains impact of too information on CEOs.
530934 - ref SDS 10 2088
530936 -  ..
530937 - On 980101 Peter Drucker noted that productivity of "knowledge worker"
530938 - is down, since 1929. ref SDS 41 4042
530939 - ..
530940 - Time is mentioned only once in the Fortune article, nearly a
530941 - passing anomaly. ref OF 2 4785  Yet, Drucker and Grove say time as a
530942 - critical controlling factor of CEO success, reviewed on 980307.
530943 - ref SDS 43 1722
530944 -    ..
530945 -    The new reality of the 21st century is that nobody has time
530946 -    to follow common rules of "execution," as noted by Morris on
530947 -    990525. ref SDS 51 0966
530949 -     ..
530950 -    Problem of limited time was cited for medical practice on 990625.
530951 -    ref SDS 53 1978
530953 -  ..
530954 - The CEO does not have enough time to visit with the Board, attend the
530955 - charity ball, the little league baseball game, the political fund
530956 - raiser, and with customers and front-line employees.  The CEO figures
530957 - the front-line employees can visit with customers, but they cannot
530958 - attend the Board meeting, because the Board wants the CEO to attend,
530959 - rather than visit with front-line-customers and key employees. The CEO
530960 - hopes the front-line employees can visit with their front-line people
530961 - to make up for limited time the CEO has to visit with them.
530962 -
530963 -
530964 -
530965 -
530966 -
5310 -

SUBJECTS
Grove Andy Replaced by Craig Barrett as CEO Advanced from President
COO New Role Allocate Time for Organizational Memory So CEO Has Time
Conventional Management Practices
Span of Control
COO Manages Details of Operations
COO Executes Preparation Communication Manager for CEO
COO Expands Span of Attention for CEO, Comm Manager Role
Time Not Enough, Work Faster with Technology
Command Control of Record Context Organizational Memory Line Numbers
COO Aide Leadership Associate Prepares People Before Meeting and Dev
Span of Control Increased by Communication Metrics
COO Eliminated at Intel by Craig Barrett When He Advanced in May 199

6914 -
691501 -  ..
691502 - Chief Operating Officer (COO) Needs Communication Metrics
691503 -
691504 - Fortune's article recognizes that CEOs often don't have enough time to
691505 - experiment with new methods that leverage their time, and the time of
691506 - subordinates having difficulty getting things done.
691508 -  ..
691509 - The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a new role being tried to provide
691510 - high level support for CEO functions. ref OF 2 4140  This might be
691511 - another name for executive aide using SDS, illustrated by the record
691512 - on 911205 working with the Deputy Director at DNRC. ref SDS 5 8402
691514 -  ..
691515 - COO works closely with the Controller and Chief Information Officer
691516 - (CIO) to organize the record for finding critical details in time for
691517 - people to be prepared for effective communications in meetings,
691518 - calls, and documents, cited in the Fortune article today on practices
691519 - of successful CEOs, per below.
691521 -  ..
691522 - Scribe was a management aide in ancient times when writing became a
691523 - new technique to help executives track details.  Today, new technology
691524 - to track a larger number of details needs a new kind of scribe, as
691525 - reviewed on 960413. ref SDS 30 8848
691527 -  ..
691528 - As well, many executives don't feel comfortable being questioned to
691529 - provide critical feedback that helps people perform the work quickly
691530 - and accurately (see problem of "psyche" below. ref SDS 0 4914).
691531 -
691532 -    [On 990707 discussed demonstrating Communication Metrics for
691533 -    the COO role as part of the NSF project. ref SDS 54 8118]
691535 -     ..
691536 -    [On 010725 DNRC recommends COO implement SDS. ref SDS 70 YZ4M
691538 -  ..
691539 - Executives have little time, and some simply don't like, to
691540 - review the record to prepare for meetings and phone calls. They
691541 - like to show up and start talking and listening, then go to the
691542 - next meeting and do the same thing, because the human mind is
691543 - wired to take immediate action through the senses of sight and
691544 - sound, as explained in the NWO paper. ref OF 6 6824
691546 -  ..
691547 - Authors report many top CEOs are successful without COOs, and shun
691548 - support in order to maintain control.  An example is Craig Barrett at
691549 - Intel. ref OF 2 3230  Barrett was the COO for Andy Grove from 1993
691550 - when Grove held the CEO position at Intel, but discontinued this
691551 - support when he advanced to CEO in 1998. ref OF 1 0001
691553 -  ..
691554 - Eliminating intelligence support for good management seems short
691555 - sighted, based on Grove's analysis of new realities, reported on
691556 - 980307. ref SDS 43 3151
691557 -
691558 -        [On 000822 Barrett reports Intel mistakes were due to bad
691559 -        management "dropping the ball," rather than bad luck.
691560 -        ref SDS 67 019R
691562 -  ..
691563 - Should the President eliminate the NSA, the CIA, his secretary, his
691564 - driver, so he has "control." The issue is how work needs to be done,
691565 - and getting it done correctly on time, within the time available.
691567 -  ..
691568 - The authors say nothing about the value of preparation for
691569 - meetings and phone calls.  How time do people spend reviewing
691570 - so they can ask probative questions on material issues?  This
691571 - takes a system that can yield information on which to formulate
691572 - questions, and it takes time to use the system and organize the
691573 - information for efficient presentation.
691575 -  ..
691576 - This takes time, tools and expertise, i.e., Communication
691577 - Metrics.
691579 -  ..
691580 - The record on 970910 reports that executives don't have time to
691581 - "think." ref SDS 39 3479  This new reality of the Information Highway,
691582 - reviewed on 980307, ref SDS 43 3151, leaves little time to analyse
691583 - meetings and phone calls for actions that do not seem obvious at the
691584 - moment, nor is there time to discover tasks forgotten due to
691585 - complexities of attending multiple meetings.
691587 -  ..
691588 - Communication Metrics might be applied at the COO position to
691589 - expand span of attention in order to discover overlooked and
691590 - forgotten commitments.
691592 -  ..
691593 - COO role offers commercial application for Communication Metrics,
691594 - which supports NSF proposal.
691595 -
691596 -
691597 -
691598 -
691599 -
691600 -
6917 -

SUBJECTS
Review Questions
Communication Main Factor of Success, Management Productivity
Aligning Communications to Maintain Shared Meaning from Meetings, Cal
Command & Control Determines Meaning and Impact of Events, SDS Meet
Meetings Arguing About Prior Understandings
Organizational Memory Who What When Where Why How Capturing Reporting
Good Management Define Intelligence Memory Organization Analysis Alig
Fortune CEOs Grab Pen Capture Organizational Memory Continual Learnin
Intelligence Cost More for Proactive Management Avoid Mistakes Discov
Penny Wise Pound Foolish Avoids Front-end Investment, FBI Example
Fortune Article Time CEOs Don't Have Enough Time to Use Good Managem

A913 -
A91401 -  ..
A91402 - Intelligence Takes Time Money to Avoid Mistakes Discover Opportunity
A91403 - Penny Wise Pound Foolish Avoids Working Intelligently to Save Time
A91404 - Good Management Avoided to Save Time, Money, Penny Wise Pound Foolish
A91405 -
A91406 - Capturing organizational memory, cited in the Fortune article,
A91407 - ref OF 2 4030, and planning what should be done, by whom, and when, is
A91408 - the secret of success that CEOs fail to "execute," per above,
A91409 - ref SDS 0 796N, who protest instead that good management using
A91410 - intelligence is overkill and too expensive, reported on 890324,
A91411 - ref SDS 1 2940, and later on 911123, ref SDS 4 1331, because they can
A91412 - get by on image and status, as reported on 920402, ref SDS 8 0344, and
A91413 - on style, as reported on 960103. ref SDS 28 8409
A91415 -  ..
A91416 - Fortune says successful CEOs review understandings with everyone
A91417 - before meetings close.  They send reminders to follow up. ref OF 2
A91418 - 4030  NWO explains the secret is to strengthen long term components of
A91419 - communication -- understanding and follow up. ref OF 6 3279
A91420 -
A91421 -    [On 020204 report on cause of collapse of Enron into bankruptcy was
A91422 -    attributed to failure of CEOs to execute. ref SDS 72 776J
A91424 -     ..
A91425 -    [On 041130 medical management health care fears accountability
A91426 -    prefers working by conversation and avoid written confirmation of
A91427 -    work plan, and resist review by Tumor Board. ref SDS 81 YR8F
A91429 -  ..
A91430 - On 911123 Morris reported SDS supports this "secret of success," but
A91431 - most executives don't work this way. ref SDS 4 0477  They feel there
A91432 - is not enough time to use good management practices to succeed, and so
A91433 - adopt "feel good" management that says an ounce of prevention costs
A91434 - more than a pound of cure. ref SDS 4 1331
A91436 -  ..
A91437 - On 911121 ignorance, fear and denial prevent executives from using
A91438 - good management. ref SDS 3 8467. On 921205 Covey cites 7 secretes of
A91439 - effective management that calls for writing out memory of events to
A91440 - verify understandings, ref SDS 9 2231, and review shows everybody
A91441 - knows 7 steps of good management practice, ref SDS 9 6013, but time is
A91442 - the enemy of using using good practices consistently. ref SDS 9 4803
A91444 -  ..
A91445 - Scope of services and deliverables for Com Metrics helps executives
A91446 - use good management consistently. ref SDS 34 2644
A91448 -     ..
A91449 -    Reasons CEOs fail to execute this seemingly simple task is reviewed
A91450 -    below. ref SDS 0 4914
A91452 -  ..
A91453 - On 980307 Andy Grove's book, "Only the Paranoid Survive," says he
A91454 - prepares copious notes to avoid mental mistakes that cause delay and
A91455 - extra cost; this improves management and earnings. ref SDS 43 3668
A91456 -
A91457 -    [On 991222 paper on Enterprise Management explains technology aimed
A91458 -    at "Intelligence Collection" captures and organizes daily dialog.
A91459 -    ref SDS 64 8064]
A91461 -     ..
A91462 -    [On 010420 Jeff Conklin cites demand for capturing organizational
A91463 -    memory. ref SDS 69 MU7O
A91465 -  ..
A91466 - This CEO practice recognizes that communication is a predicate to
A91467 - action, and that writing things down and sending follow up, maintains
A91468 - alignment with objectives and commitments under the ancient rule
A91469 - credited to Ramses II...
A91471 -  ..
A91472 -                 So let it be written, so let it be done!
A91473 -
A91474 -
A91475 -     ...as set out in the NSF proposal. ref OF 7 5561
A91476 -
A91477 -        Communication - what is being talked and written about today -
A91478 -        is the predicate to what will be done tomorrow, next week, next
A91479 -        month and next year?  Therefore, alignment of communication
A91480 -        with objectives and commitments, is the most direct gauge of
A91481 -        future results. The article does not say a thing about aligning
A91482 -        communications.
A91484 -   ..
A91485 -  [On 990731 Bingo game adds intellignece to meetings. ref SDS 56 0001]
A91487 -  ..
A91488 - Execution is described as a "habit", which is another form of saying
A91489 - good work practices. ref OF 2 2009
A91491 -  ..
A91492 - Good work habits by the CEO are emulated by employees, and this drives
A91493 - execution. ref OF 2 2009
A91495 -  ..
A91496 - CEOs who "grab a pen and start writing" accomplish alignment under the
A91497 - POIMS process called "Command and Control" of the record. ref OF 5
A91498 - 1113  Personally preparing a timely, accurate account of
A91499 - understandings enables CEOs to...
A91500 -
A91501 -
A91502 -                       know what is going on
A91503 -
A91504 -
A91505 -    ...which enables success. see below ref SDS 0 5934
A91507 -  ..
A91508 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says that capturing the record in order
A91509 - to "know what is going on," provides effective business,,,
A91510 -
A91511 -
A91512 -                           intelligence
A91513 -
A91514 -
A91515 -    ...in a report published on 970328. ref DRP 1 6172
A91517 -  ..
A91518 - This practice supports the POIMS theory of "thinking through writing"
A91519 - ...if you cannot write it down, you don't understand it. ref OF 5 3742
A91521 -  ..
A91522 - "Understanding" derived from "intelligence" is also explained in
A91523 - POIMS. ref OF 5 0582
A91524 -
A91525 -    [On 990802 privacy is concern about Common Admin. ref SDS 57 1628]
A91527 -  ..
A91528 - Critical role of executive "intelligence" is seen from the following
A91529 - record...
A91530 -
A91531 -    1.  On 940114 article reports meetings are least productive
A91532 -        management process. ref SDS 14 2290
A91533 -        ..
A91534 -    2.  On 950228 Morris was frustrated about poor productivity
A91535 -        in meetings. ref SDS 20 1994
A91536 -        ..
A91537 -    3.  On 960205 article reports managers waste 70% of day in
A91538 -        meetings. ref SDS 29 5222
A91540 -         ..
A91541 -    4.  On 960518 meetings unproductive because meaning varies between
A91542 -        people and for each person over time. ref SDS 32 3734
A91544 -         ..
A91545 -    5.  On 980815 US foreign policy failing because "intelligence"
A91546 -        relies on pictures, lacks analysis that yields "understanding."
A91547 -        ref SDS 46 6424
A91549 -         ..
A91550 -    6.  On 990225 timely, accurate business records of meetings was
A91551 -        cited as benefit of Com Metrics. ref SDS 47 6956
A91553 -         ..
A91554 -    7.  [On 990731 Bingo game adds intellignece to meetings.
A91555 -        ref SDS 56 0001]
A91557 -         ..
A91558 -    8.  [On 991221 article reports doctor/patient communication omits
A91559 -        critical information for making decisions. ref SDS 63 0001]
A91560 -
A91562 -  ..
A91563 - Alignment Adds Value to Written Analysis
A91564 -
A91565 - SDS technology that links chronologies of cause and effect provides
A91566 - essential alignment that keeps the team on course, as explained by
A91567 - Morris on 950303. ref SDS 21 3497
A91568 -
A91570 -  ..
A91571 - Alignment reduces time wasted in meetings and calls arguing about who
A91572 - said what to whom the last time.
A91574 -  ..
A91575 - Phone calls and email, driven by stream of conscious communication
A91576 - methods used for meetings, also, require proactive efforts to build
A91577 - and maintain shared meaning.
A91578 - ..
A91579 - Feedback to ensure accuracy is reviewed above. ref SDS 0 2350
A91580 -
A91581 -       [On 990706 discussed with Morris. ref SDS 54 4410]
A91582 -
A91584 -  ..
A91585 - Tracking assignments, following up, analysis, are critical for CEO
A91586 - "execution." ref OF 2 4380
A91587 -
A91589 -  ..
A91590 - Execution is boring, a Grind, But Essential for Success
A91591 -
A91592 - The authors say capturing the record, tracking assignments, following
A91593 - up and analysis is difficult, boring, a grind, but essential for CEOs
A91594 - to succeed.  Resistance, failure and refusal to execute that leads to
A91595 - failure is reviewed below. ref SDS 0 4914
A91597 -  ..
A91598 - The urgency of fixing small mistake that are boring and unappealing
A91599 - for executives to consider, is seen from...
A91600 -
A91601 -
A91602 -                       Aristotle's Rule
A91603 -
A91604 -
A91605 - ...in the NWO paper. ref OF 6 JV3G
A91607 -  ..
A91608 - On 990425 executives encounter a lot of errors, but small errors do
A91609 - not get attention, due to focus on big problems. ref SDS 49 9544
A91611 -  ..
A91612 - CEOs can set a viable vision, and formulate effective strategies, but
A91613 - failure to "execute," to grab a pen and start writing, brings them
A91614 - down. ref OF 2 1316
A91615 -
A91616 -      Andy Grove, CEO at Intel, makes the same point - writing up the
A91617 -      record to avoid ambiguity of mental maps is not easy and it is
A91618 -      not fun, but it must be done to succeed. ref SDS 43 3101
A91620 -  ..
A91621 - Why executives do not execute, is  below. ref SDS 0 4914
A91623 -  ..
A91624 - SDS integrates time and information management to enable people to do
A91625 - this difficult work faster and better.
A91626 -
A91628 -  ..
A91629 - CEOs hungry for battlefield details, called "intelligence" in
A91630 - POIMS, that impact earnings. ref OF 5 0582
A91631 -
A91632 -            Welch at GE is cited as someone willing to work on details
A91633 -            in order to ensure adequate understanding of the "big
A91634 -            picture." ref OF 2 1044
A91635 -
A91636 -        "Battlefield" fits the military model of adding "intelligence"
A91637 -        to management, cited by General Hatch in the report on 970328
A91638 -        issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ref DRP 1 6172
A91640 -         ..
A91641 -        The goal of this battlefield drive for "intelligence" is
A91642 -        described by a CEO...
A91643 -
A91644 -
A91645 -                      to know in total what's going on.
A91646 -
A91647 -
A91648 -        ...at ref OF 2 3230  This reflects the importance of command
A91649 -        and control of the record cited in POIMS. ref OF 5 1113
A91650 -           ..
A91651 -           SDS applied through Communication Metrics accomplishes
A91652 -           this goal, as explained in POIMS. ref OF 5 2050
A91654 -         ..
A91655 -        "Connecting developments" and spotting patterns" are part of
A91656 -        the superior CEO profile. ref OF 2 1856
A91658 -         ..
A91659 -        These aspects of mental "intelligence" are supported SDS.
A91661 -  ..
A91662 - The article does a disservice to readers by failing to cite problems
A91663 - of limited time, and limited span of attention due to information
A91664 - overload, reviewed on 980307. ref SDS 43 2189  On 980412 CBS 60
A91665 - Minutes reported on information overload. ref SDS 45 8956
A91667 -  ..
A91668 - CEOs have freedom to generate the intelligence they feel they need,
A91669 - ref SDS 43 8488, but subordinates have less freedom to accomplish this
A91670 - essential ingredient of leadership.
A91672 -  ..
A91673 - COO and/or a Communication Manager, using SDS solve this problem,
A91674 - reviewed above. ref SDS 0 8183
A91675 -
A91676 -
A91677 -
A91678 -
A917 -

SUBJECTS
Devil in Details, 20 80 Cuts Executives Off from Details
Psychologically Burdensome Metrics Accountability Lack of Crisis
Psychological Buffer of Communication Manager needed when Technology
Psychologically Demanding Complexity of Management in SDS Records
Hubris Impedes Personal Metrics
Wiggle Room Avoid Commitment in Face of Uncertainty
Feedback Metrics Missing from Communication Conceals Errors
Crisis Management, Action, Feels Better than Proactive Discovery
Not Enough Time to Analyse and Understand (Traceability)
Slippery Slope to Ignore Good Practices, Use Feel Good Management
Big Picture/Bottom Line Disconnected from Critical Details
How the Mind Works, Pinker, Steven
Lazy, Lack Discipline Ignorant SDS Enhances Writing Power Intelligenc
Gist 5-10% Most People Remember of Reading Conversation Events

BI16 -
BI1701 -  ..
BI1702 - Preference to Avoid Details, Work by Summary Causes Failure
BI1703 - Rudderless Ship Reaches Destination Only After Arduous Journey
BI1704 - Overwhelming Tendency Bad Management, Information Feels Good Human
BI1705 - Attitude Prevents Executives Exercising Common Communication Skills
BI1706 - The
BI1707 - Fortune article attributes failed execution of good management by
BI1708 - talented CEOs, explained above, ref SDS 0 7344, to psychological
BI1709 - factors. ref OF 2 3901  Good practices by successful CEOs take more
BI1710 - time, ref SDS 0 1024, than bad management that is fast and easy using
BI1711 - conversation, as explained in POIMS. ref OF 5 4079  Morris mentioned
BI1712 - last month that engineers feel that investing time for accuracy is
BI1713 - unnecessary overkill. ref SDS 51 0966
BI1715 -  ..
BI1716 - On 940524 professional article reports that some executives avoid
BI1717 - requirements for executing good management by buying a network for
BI1718 - diverse teams to collaborate creatively without regard to linear
BI1719 - chains of cause and effect. ref SDS 17 VW7T
BI1721 -  ..
BI1722 - Bad management relies on remembering the gist of information rather
BI1723 - than align daily work with objectives, requirements and commitments,
BI1724 - called out by professional standards, reviewed on 950721. ref SDS 26
BI1725 - 1740  Like a rudderless ship, failure to execute good management by
BI1726 - exercising common communication skills means drifting in circles,
BI1727 - reaching a destination only after the most arduous journey, explained
BI1728 - on 950517, ref SDS 25 9442, as information overload compounds meaning
BI1729 - drift into cultural drift where direction constantly evolves according
BI1730 - to prevailing winds, explained on 960518. ref SDS 32 3734
BI1731 -
BI1732 -    [On 990924 "boredom" is a friendly word for laziness that causes
BI1733 -    mistakes in medical practice and everywhere else. ref SDS 58 2066]
BI1735 -     ..
BI1736 -    [On 991217 professional event for knowledge management has no
BI1737 -    inkling about distinction between information and knowledge.
BI1738 -    ref SDS 62 QJ83 and so is drifting like a rudderless ship.
BI1739 -    ref SDS 62 SR3F
BI1741 -     ..
BI1742 -    [On 020504 study shows professional standards for communication
BI1743 -    practices and requirements on good management specified in FAR,
BI1744 -    ISO, Health Care, Covey, Drucker, law, contract notice provisions,
BI1745 -    and 2,000 years of literacy for contemporaneous documentation for
BI1746 -    alignment and feedback to work intelligently, quickly, and
BI1747 -    accurately are ignored in government, business, health care, every
BI1748 -    sector. ref SDS 73 NS6F
BI1750 -     ..
BI1751 -    [On 020820 example of cultural drift, OHS/DKR project comes full
BI1752 -    circle pursuing the opposite of the original destination.
BI1753 -    ref SDS 75 6P7O
BI1755 -     ..
BI1756 -    [On 040505 Paris peace conference in 1919 heads of state began
BI1757 -    holding meetings hoping to avoid keeping records, but found the top
BI1758 -    people in the world could not remember enough to perform daily
BI1759 -    work; eventually leadership yielded to an even stronger fear of
BI1760 -    accountable for failing to get anything done, and so a record of
BI1761 -    organizational memory was prepared and this change in management
BI1762 -    practice yielded results that expedited progress. ref SDS 79 MQ49
BI1764 -     ..
BI1765 -    [On 041130 medical management health care fears accountability
BI1766 -    prefers working by conversation and avoid written confirmation of
BI1767 -    work plan, and resist review by Tumor Board. ref SDS 81 YR8F
BI1769 -  ..
BI1770 - "Psyche" is a form of the common expression...
BI1771 -
BI1772 -
BI1773 -                       I don't feel like it!
BI1774 -
BI1775 -
BI1776 - ...which is an attitude often called...
BI1778 -  ..
BI1779 -                             laziness
BI1780 -
BI1781 -
BI1782 - ...cited on 940628, ref SDS 18 0550, and previously on 940508
BI1783 - reviewing challenges of using empathic design to improve productivity.
BI1784 - ref SDS 16 1926
BI1786 -  ..
BI1787 - A month ago, on 990525 Morris explained that engineers love technology
BI1788 - and don't like to write analysis that "connects the dots" of cause and
BI1789 - effect in order to avoid mistakes; they feel managers and executives
BI1790 - are performing this function, essential for good engineering and good
BI1791 - management. ref SDS 51 0966
BI1792 -
BI1793 -      [On 010908 laziness encourages bad management like fools gold
BI1794 -      that seems fast and easy. ref SDS 71 YF5O
BI1796 -       ..
BI1797 -      [On 020204 report on cause of collapse of Enron into bankruptcy
BI1798 -      was attributed to failure of CEOs to execute. ref SDS 72 776J
BI1800 -       ..
BI1801 -      [On 020504 study shows professional standards for communication
BI1802 -      practices and requirements on good management specified in FAR,
BI1803 -      ISO, Health Care, Covey, Drucker, law, contract notice
BI1804 -      provisions, and 2,000 years of literacy for contemporaneous
BI1805 -      documentation for alignment and feedback to work intelligently,
BI1806 -      quickly, and accurately are ignored in government, business,
BI1807 -      health care, every sector. ref SDS 73 NS6F
BI1809 -       ..
BI1810 -      [On 050824 Advice Nurse persistant reminding surgeon to implement
BI1811 -      requirements in Kaiser's Healthwise Handbook following up patient
BI1812 -      calls to collaborate and coordinate via email on accuracy of
BI1813 -      communication and patient medical history. ref SDS 82 4M7N
BI1815 -  ..
BI1816 - Psyche, also, reflects emotional aversion that limits the capacity of
BI1817 - people to tolerate frustrations from working with details, see below,
BI1818 - ref SDS 0 0796, under the rule...
BI1819 -
BI1820 -
BI1821 -                     The devil is in the details
BI1822 -
BI1823 -
BI1824 - ...discussed in the NWO paper. ref OF 6 9449
BI1825 -
BI1826 -      [On 990928 admin assistant avers detail work. ref SDS 59 3658]
BI1828 -  ..
BI1829 - Fortune does not explore ways to execute better, i.e., to grab a pen
BI1830 - and start writing. ref SDS 0 1024  On 940217 leadership to help CEOs
BI1831 - execute without damaging the psyche was described in POIMS as push,
BI1832 - pull, prod, wait, try again. ref SDS 15 7294
BI1834 -  ..
BI1835 - On 890324 SDS is "overkill," and a "gold platted" system of managing
BI1836 - details. ref SDS 1 6894   On 890513 a Boeing company exec observed
BI1837 - that top executives do whatever they want regardless of policy or
BI1838 - requirements. ref SDS 2 2222  On 911123 this was defined as "Feel
BI1839 - Good" management; executives like to work by conversation because it
BI1840 - seems fast and easy. ref SDS 4 0477  On 990527 strong cultural forces
BI1841 - oppose improving management. ref SDS 52 1233  On 920215 technology to
BI1842 - improve management is counterintuitive. ref SDS 7 5820
BI1843 -
BI1844 -    [On 000420 people who create software to facilitate creating the
BI1845 -    connections that convert information into knowledge, don't like to
BI1846 -    use this method because email is fast and easy. ref SDS 66 4911
BI1848 -  ..
BI1849 - Fear of accountability, fear of second-guessing, the desire for
BI1850 - wriggle room and deniability, reviewed on 980405, ref SDS 44 5065,
BI1851 - are, also, not explored in the Fortune article, as reasons why CEOs do
BI1852 - not grab a pen and start writing. ref SDS 0 1024
BI1853 -
BI1854 -      [On 010908 laziness encourages bad management like fools gold
BI1855 -      that seems fast and easy. ref SDS 71 YF5O
BI1857 -  ..
BI1858 - Fortune notes that CEOs work hard, ref SDS 0 4200, so ignorance, about
BI1859 - the value of "intelligence," must be the cause of failure to execute,
BI1860 - rather than laziness reviewed on 940628. ref SDS 18 0550 Another cause
BI1861 - may be reliance on seminars that urge executives to use the 20 80
BI1862 - method, reviewed on 950426. ref SDS 24 4022
BI1864 -  ..
BI1865 - Hubris that avers feedback, explained in the NWO paper, ref OF 6 2670,
BI1866 - is not cited by Fortune, contrary to executive training reviewed on
BI1867 - 930128 which stresses "attitude" as the source of success. ref SDS 11
BI1868 - 7409  Psyche could be another word for "attitude," which on 990505 was
BI1869 - reported by an airport executive be preventing use of Communication
BI1870 - Metrics. ref SDS 50 4732
BI1872 -  ..
BI1873 - As noted above, the article fails to evaluate the impact of limited
BI1874 - time and span of attention. ref SDS 0 9671
BI1876 -  ..
BI1877 - Limited time greases the slippery slope of excuses for poor execution,
BI1878 - cited in the NWO paper. ref OF 6 7490
BI1880 -  ..
BI1881 - On 950426 executive training teaches that conversation expedites the
BI1882 - work, ref SDS 24 4392, but does not teach that this is inherently
BI1883 - error prone, and so is mainly good for entertainment, i.e., motivation
BI1884 - needed for leadership, per analysis on 950327. ref SDS 22 7777
BI1885 -
BI1886 -     [On 991108 history of alphabet technology sets out weaknesses of
BI1887 -     oral communication solved by literacy. ref SDS 61 4505]
BI1889 -  ..
BI1890 - On 950803 executives desire to "expedite" was reviewed, which is
BI1891 - another excuse for laziness, ref SDS 27 2040, under the "war room"
BI1892 - mentality.
BI1893 -
BI1894 -     [On 990924 explained "war room" mentality that prefers crisis
BI1895 -     management. ref SDS 58 2066]
BI1897 -  ..
BI1898 - Andy Grove at Intel says CEOs need diligence to "grab a pen and start
BI1899 - writing," ref SDS 43 3101. On 990527 Morris reports engineers and
BI1900 - middle managers don't like to write. ref SDS 51 0966  On 940628 lack
BI1901 - of faith, rather than "laziness," was seen as the cause. ref SDS 18
BI1902 - 0550  The Fortune article supports this conclusion, since it reports
BI1903 - CEOs are not lazy.  This indicates CEOs are ignorant about the value
BI1904 - intelligence adds to management and earnings.  Fortune's article helps
BI1905 - build faith needed to use "intelligence." ref SDS 18 0098
BI1906 -
BI1907 -     [On 990718 mentioned summary issue to Morris. ref SDS 55 5251]
BI1909 -      ..
BI1910 -     [On 990928 brillian young new hire prefers to avoid detailed
BI1911 -     management. ref SDS 59 3658]
BI1913 -      ..
BI1914 -     [On 991227 medical executive wants communication that is concise
BI1915 -     and to the point. ref SDS 65 9844]
BI1916 -
BI1918 -  ..
BI1919 - CEOs, like most people, don't like to work with details.  Humans are
BI1920 - wired, as Steve Pinker says in his book...
BI1921 -
BI1922 -
BI1923 -                         How the Mind Works
BI1924 -
BI1925 -
BI1926 - ... (see page 90) to grasp the "gist" of events, i.e., the "big
BI1927 - picture," rather than the details (see review on 990329. ref SDS 48
BI1928 - 3723)  On the African savanna, where humanity emerged, this works fine
BI1929 - shopping for dinner.  Focusing on the "big picture" works when there
BI1930 - are only a few critical details:
BI1931 -
BI1932 -          •  Catch the zebra.
BI1933 -          •  Don't get caught by the lion.
BI1935 -  ..
BI1936 - Everything we need to see is in the "big picture" on the savanna.
BI1938 -  ..
BI1939 - Today, however, the environment is more complex beyond the savanna.
BI1941 -  ..
BI1942 - Much of what impacts earnings is not in the immediate picture, i.e.,
BI1943 - span of attention, as shown in the POIMS paper. ref OF 5 6011 Focusing
BI1944 - solely on the "big picture," the impression, the "gist" of things,
BI1945 - overlooks critical specifics on what needs to be done, by whom, when,
BI1946 - how, who pays, how much, as set out in the NWO. ref OF 6 2536
BI1948 -  ..
BI1949 - Managing details in the age of Information Overload is hard work
BI1950 - because relevant and critical details have to be captured, organized,
BI1951 - and analysed so there is a resource to manage future details.
BI1953 -  ..
BI1954 - This part of communication is not fun.  Indeed, Peter Drucker notices
BI1955 - in his book reviewed on 931130...
BI1956 -
BI1957 -
BI1958 -             Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices
BI1959 -
BI1960 -
BI1961 - ...that people have just given up on communication. ref SDS 13 3851
BI1963 -  ..
BI1964 - At the CEO level, most of the details that impact earnings occur
BI1965 - beyond the CEO's span of attention.  Therefore, CEOs tend to focus on
BI1966 - the narrow range of details they "know about" first hand, rather than
BI1967 - invest time to discover the broader range of details that impact
BI1968 - earnings.  This tactic is psychologically justified so CEOs can "feel
BI1969 - good" by focusing on the "big picture" and the "bottom line."
BI1970 -
BI1971 -    [On 040312 "holism" to think about sub-atomic physics below the
BI1972 -    level of human perception is misapplied to excuse laziness and bad
BI1973 -    management ignoring the record to study and understand causation,
BI1974 -    in order to work by conversation focusing on the "big picture" and
BI1975 -    the "bottom line." ref SDS 78 EP8L
BI1976 -
BI1978 -  ..
BI1979 - Andy Grove gives an example of this practice in his book...
BI1980 -
BI1981 -                      Only the Paranoid Survive
BI1982 -
BI1983 - ...where he takes exception to CEOs who readily invest time in the
BI1984 - details of a merger, because the CEO is familiar with the information,
BI1985 - having largely generated the key details. ref SDS 42 4316
BI1987 -  ..
BI1988 - Grove, further, notes Intel founder, Gordon Moore, developed a
BI1989 - stunningly effective method for empowering everybody to adopt changes
BI1990 - essential for enabling Intel to succeed by replacing people failed to
BI1991 - exhibit a positive attitude about new realities that require people to
BI1992 - improve. ref SDS 43 1660
BI1993 -
BI1994 -     [On 020730 Morris Jones reported that Intel complemented negative
BI1995 -     incentives of empowering people with the right attitude by paying
BI1996 -     for using good management practice to enter the record of
BI1997 -     organizational memory in the sales department. ref SDS 74 IZ8J
BI1998 -
BI2000 -  ..
BI2002 -  ..
BI2003 - Psychological trauma deters execution because alignment reveals a
BI2004 - constant stream of mistakes, when focusing on details, as set out in
BI2005 - the NWO paper. ref OF 6 0468  On 940628 psychological burden of
BI2006 - eternal vigilance was reviewed. ref SDS 18 0089
BI2007 -
BI2008 - On 971007 people become frustrated and angry dealing with pending
BI2009 - action items. ref SDS 40 6229
BI2011 -  ..
BI2012 - It is a deeply visceral feeling that blocks execution, as reported on
BI2013 - 920210. ref SDS 6 1194
BI2015 -  ..
BI2016 - Keeping up with the moving target of truth on the Information Highway
BI2017 - is traumatic, for some, the burden is simply too great, which gives
BI2018 - rise to the notion of "feel good" management cited by Morris on
BI2019 - 911123. ref SDS 4 1331  It is easier not to do the work, and simply
BI2020 - accuse others of not telling the truth, reviewed on 960506. ref SDS 31
BI2021 - 3864
BI2022 - ..
BI2023 - This problem is reviewed in the report by the U.S. Army Corps of
BI2024 - Engineers published on 970328. ref DRP 1 6993
BI2026 -  ..
BI2027 - The COO role, and/or a Communication Manager, using SDS solves this
BI2028 - problem.
BI2029 -
BI2030 -
BI2032 -  ..
BI2033 - Crises Spawn Leaders Who Cannot Execute to Avoid Future Crisis
BI2034 -
BI2035 - Another dimension of psychology is boredom. ref OF 2 4380
BI2036 -
BI2037 - Crisis management is shunned in the literature, but many executives
BI2038 - rise because they handle crises well, indeed thrive in the excitement
BI2039 - of managing complex, fast-paced decisions, which may or may not
BI2040 - eventually work, but seem at the moment to solve big problems.
BI2042 -  ..
BI2043 - Success with crises develops feelings that routine management is slow
BI2044 - and boring, with the result that critical details are not performed,
BI2045 - or are left to others, as noted in the Fortune article. ref OF 2 3901,
BI2046 - and this causes mistakes that lead to future crisis.
BI2047 - ..
BI2048 - Some experts call this a "crisis management" mentality, reported
BI2049 - on 970818. ref SDS 38 3338
BI2050 -
BI2051 -    [On 990924 "crisis" allow executives to avoid good management and
BI2052 -    forgive mistakes in medical practice and everywhere else.
BI2053 -    ref SDS 58 2066]
BI2055 -  ..
BI2056 - People gain visibility and reputation by solving crisis, even when the
BI2057 - solution ultimately fails or results in further problems, because of
BI2058 - the disconnect in time between efforts and impact.  People get
BI2059 - promoted on the basis of reputation for "people skills," "vision" and
BI2060 - "strategic thinking," because they have a good mind.  Yet these very
BI2061 - traits render them ill equipped to execute at the CEO level, absent
BI2062 - support for operations.
BI2063 - ..
BI2064 - Boredom and hubris that block executives from "executing" can
BI2065 - arise from being promoted to positions of senior authority.
BI2066 - ..
BI2067 - Talented people can shine at big meetings by being good talkers
BI2068 - and thinkers, who propose solutions, that appear at the moment, to
BI2069 - relieve immediate crisis.  However, as crisis subsides, when the
BI2070 - meeting ends, they want to leave the scene, leaving to others the
BI2071 - daunting task of working out the details of execution, contrary to
BI2072 - Fortune's article. ref OF 2 4030
BI2074 -  ..
BI2075 - On 990505 manager at SFIA reported that "attitude" needs to change in
BI2076 - order to improve communication. ref SDS 50 4732
BI2078 -  ..
BI2079 - What does "attitude" mean?
BI2081 -  ..
BI2082 - The Fortune article reports CEOs fail to execute because they feel
BI2083 - others should write the notes, set the commitments, do the follow up
BI2084 - and get feedback.  Why have subordinates if they can't help out with
BI2085 - aligning little details, so the boss can focus on the big picture,
BI2086 - goes the arguement? ref OF 2 3901
BI2087 - ..
BI2088 - This overlooks the fact that there are always subtle, secondary
BI2089 - and tertiary details that don't fit the proposed "solution" that
BI2090 - everyone thought sounded good in the meeting.  Some details are
BI2091 - overlooked because the people working on them are too busy or lack
BI2092 - awareness of strategic impacts, since they lack the experience of the
BI2093 - executive and the authority to demand information from the
BI2094 - organization that is needed in order to ensure a consistent,
BI2095 - comprehensive analysis.
BI2097 -  ..
BI2098 - CEOs often say...
BI2099 -
BI2100 -      "Hey, its not hubris; I had to go to another meeting!
BI2101 -
BI2102 -      I did not have time to grab a pen and start writing, as Fortune
BI2103 -      recommends!" ref OF 2 4030
BI2104 - ..
BI2105 - This is no excuse.  Everyone has to go to another meeting.
BI2107 -  ..
BI2108 - As at Intel, the CEO is the only person who can say that understanding
BI2109 - what happened at "this meeting" is necessary in order to do the next
BI2110 - meeting, so that mistakes are not compounded through guess and gossip,
BI2111 - that make information mere noise, and degrades "management systems"
BI2112 - into entropy, as reported on 970707. ref SDS 37 0108  The CEO is the
BI2113 - only person who has the authority to invest time for creating useful
BI2114 - "intelligence." under analysis on 980307. ref SDS 43 8488
BI2116 -  ..
BI2117 - On 970703 leadership was defined as solving this problem. ref SDS 36
BI2118 - 9603
BI2120 -  ..
BI2121 - The COO role, and/or a Communication Manager, using SDS solves this
BI2122 - problem.
BI2123 -
BI2124 -
BI2125 -
BI2126 -
BI22 -