Image via WikipediaWe know that success comes from listening and paying attention to customers. And we know that paying attention to what our competitors are doing can uncover potential opportunities and threats.For the same reasons, we also know that we should pay attention to the people inside our organization. But we don’t, not really. Most of the attention we pay them is in the form of instructions, rules, and regulations.
To get things done right, we rely more and more on policies and procedures instead of on our culture and values, on the way we do things here. No wonder we spend so much time and energy neutralizing internal forces while almost ignoring customers and competitors.
When we fail to see our repetitive internal struggles as odd behavior, we have become what Carl Jung called the enemy within.
And we remain the enemy within as long as we deny that we create our obstacles to success.
by James Henry McIntosh
About the Author
James Henry McIntosh is a Chief Nonsense Officer. He advises executives on dealing with nonsense at work in the hope that this will make them, their teams and their organizations more effective. When this gets the better of him, he retreats to writing and public speaking until his confidence returns. He has been repeating this cycle for more than 20 years without seriously hurting anyone. Sign up for free newsletter on http://www.nonsenseatwork.com
