#400  from Innovative Leader Volume 8, Number 4          April 1999

FORUM—from our readers

What a Farce!

The very large company I work for is made up of little, and some not-so-little, fiefdoms.  I say “fiefdoms,” rather than divisions or departments, because there’s very little joint ownership in the big picture, the success of our company.

The company CEO enjoys getting news exposure and spends much of his time involved with national politics.  Meanwhile, the vice presidents who report to him have all the responsibility for running the company.  That’s OK, but the CEO manages his vice presidents to compete for attention and resources.  This competition is far from friendly, and so each vice president does what he or she can to undermine other vice presidents’ progress.

This wonderful attitude filters down through the organization, with unfriendly competition between departments, and between many cliques, and individuals, who repeat this attitude.

An example.  My department director forbids us from helping someone in another department.  “If you’ve got time to help someone, you are wasting our department’s time!”  Sometimes, we do so anyway; but are careful that we’re not found out doing this “terrible” infraction.

Another problem is that he likes to disparage other directors.  I guess that’s OK, since the other directors are reciprocal in their remarks.

In spite of this uncomfortable environment, the company is doing very well.  And, the argument goes, if the company is making lots of money whatever it’s doing, it is doing things right.

But I just have the feeling that what may be good for the company now, probably is not going to be good for it in the long run.  When we eventually get hit with a downturn in profit, it’s going to be difficult to get the company to work efficiently and effectively to adapt and come out ahead.  The leaders wouldn’t even know how to work together for a common goal.  Maybe the executives just don’t care.  They’ve got enough money to be able to easily walk away from this place.  And you can bet there won’t be any tears of nostalgia.

As for the workers, we’ll be in big trouble.

My company has decided to spend a great deal of money and time on experts helping us improve communication and team playing--from department directors (not vice presidents, though) down to us workers.  Any bets on how effective this exercise is going to be?

Anonymous