TRANSITIONAL Foundation BUILDING
A. Transitional Foundation Building Phase
Developmental Objectives: Make processes and structures more rational and transparent. Identify future market opportunities for high growth and expansion.
Typical Number of People Involved in Decision Making: 8 to 25
Expertise Profile of Personnel: Some high expertise, some low
Important Customer Class: Same as the previous growth phase
Characteristics of Customer Demands: Same as the previous growth phase
B. Management Style of Ideal Leader: Collaborating Engineer
C. Mode of Operation: Retooling
Product Strategy: Same as the previous growth phase
Preconditions for Using Retooling Mode -
a) Sufficient business momentum to sustain a transitional period of restructuring, b) Valid product and business concepts that retain their effectiveness after being organized in a more systematic manner.
Organizational Structure: Functionally Segmented Team
Typical Themes: Simplify. Fix it, even if it is not broken. Build for the future. Buy your shoes a size too big.
Cultural Priorities: Make work transparent and rational. Seek opinions. Fact-finding research. Open discussion. Meetings.
Important Controls: A broad range of controls with emphasis on organizational hierarchy, formal rules and plans.
Typical Impact of Control Levers - Retooling Mode
Personal Control Levers, subtotal: 30%
0% - Hands-on Doing and Spending
20% - Direct Supervision
10% - Vision and Mission
Organizational: Hard Control Levers, subtotal: 40%
10% - Specific Goals and Objectives
15% - Organizational Hierarchy
15% - Formal Plans and Processes
Organizational: Soft Control Levers, subtotal: 30%
10% - Expertise of Personnel
10% - Cultural Priorities and Game Rules
10% - Formal Evaluation and Feedback
100%
Ideal Management Style: Collaborating Engineer (Mr. Spock, assisted by Nelson Mandela)
This management style can be thought of as a composite mix of two of the four decision-making and problem-solving approaches.
Dominant Approach: Mr. Spock
Elements that exemplify Spock's decision-making and problem-solving approach:
<> Data-driven management
<> Precision
<> Focus on logic and robust analysis
<> Seeks optimal solutions based on the facts
Start Trek fans will know that Spock was not the official “Engineer” on the Enterprise. That role was held by Montgomery Scott (Scotty). But Spock’s persistent focus on pursuing the logical course of action that is consistent with the data qualifies him to be the image of this approach to decision making and problem solving.
Quote:
"Insufficient facts always invite danger, Captain."
Backup Approach: Nelson Mandela
Elements that exemplify Mandela's decision-making and problem-solving approach:
<> Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become what they could be.
<> Genuine dialogue is the only path forward to meaningful collaboration and this will not happen in a climate of disrespect.
Mandela’s contributions as a statesman and negotiator make him a good representation of the Collaborating approach.
An excerpt from Bloomberg News:
Though he only served as South Africa’s president for five years, Nelson Mandela is a classic case study of how one can lead without formal authority. Over the 27 years he was imprisoned, he exerted influence. Over his five-year presidency, he exerted influence. In the decade and a half following his retirement from politics, Mandela’s influence grew as a global humanitarian and philanthropist. Admittedly, his influence was enlarged by virtue of the presidency, but positions and titles don’t define great leaders, great leaders define and leverage the power of their positions to have a positive impact.
The capacity to integrate, motivate, and mobilize others to bring a common aspiration to life is what leadership is all about, not holding positions of formal authority.
… The instinct to collaborate is a hallmark of effective 21st century leadership; it is an instinct with which Mandela operated.
... Like most great leaders, Mandela knew how to listen and leverage the insights of others. He also understood the power of courageously choosing to forgive those who have wronged you and humbly seeking reconciliation with those you (and your organization) have wronged.
This mix of approaches describes the ideal leaders for this phase.
