My Leg Is Broke, Call My Dentist
The title of this piece is a situational disconnect. Why is he telling us such an obviously stupid thing?
It is ridiculous on its face. So why do so many companies do it? Why, when there are systemic deficiencies that are degrading your critically dependent business relationships, do you ignore those deficiencies and resort to cosmetic patches? Do you hope that with a brighter smile people will ignore your pronounced limp?
What is in the chemistry of the executive suite that generates such non-solutions?
The usual answer is that there is a mental block in a key executive position. Someone who has great or decisive influence over what is to be done is refusing to be realistic. The theater associated with executive denial is extremely expensive.
If a consultant is called in, the recalcitrant executive will usually inform the consultant of his agenda in terms that tells the consultant what the conclusion must be that the recommendation must fit that executives agenda. Most consultants, wanting more to be paid than to be effective, get the message and more time and money is wasted going nowhere.
Very typically, musical chairs is the game du jour. Divisions and departments are consolidated and regrouped. Reporting lines are rearranged. New faces are in old places as new hires come in and are called turn around specialists, but are not allowed to do anything substantive that might work.
Everybody in the executive suite knows whats wrong, but everyone lacks the ability to deal with saying it straight out and being cashiered.
There are resources that are enablers of redress before it is simply too late. There are communicative techniques for these outside enablers to deal effectively with most of these situations. What is driving the recalcitrant executive can be side tracked, and progress can be accomplished. In appearance it almost resembles a management cabal, but in the end it more frequently works than not. Directed outside influences are effective tools in these situations.
A crisis counselor can show you how to access this technique. It is just one more on the many things that crisis specialists deal with in the normal course.