Comments on: “How Our Generals Got So Mediocre” http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/05/17/how-our-generals-got-so-mediocre/ any technology distinguishable from magic is not sufficiently advanced Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:57:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Rob Hyndman http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/05/17/how-our-generals-got-so-mediocre/#comment-78818 Rob Hyndman Sat, 19 May 2007 00:23:33 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/05/17/how-our-generals-got-so-mediocre/#comment-78818 A fascinating comment, Mark. One of the very interesting takeaways for me from the article by Lt. Col. Paul Yingling was the notion that these organizations could never accept the promotion of someone to a position several grades above their rank - far too disruptive an event - even though disruption would be the point. Disruption presumably being a critical component of teaching the adaptability needed in the post-industrial age? A fascinating comment, Mark. One of the very interesting takeaways for me from the article by Lt. Col. Paul Yingling was the notion that these organizations could never accept the promotion of someone to a position several grades above their rank - far too disruptive an event - even though disruption would be the point. Disruption presumably being a critical component of teaching the adaptability needed in the post-industrial age?

]]> By: Mark Federman http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/05/17/how-our-generals-got-so-mediocre/#comment-78816 Mark Federman Fri, 18 May 2007 13:39:12 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/05/17/how-our-generals-got-so-mediocre/#comment-78816 Not a side note, Rob - this is precisely how Bell, and many other organizations, both large and small, behave. Moreover, it is precisely how the modern organization has been designed and constructed, as first described 100 years ago by people like Frederick Taylor, Max Weber, and Henri Fayol. These are the Bureaucratic, Administratively controlled, Hierarchical - or BAH - organizations. The problem is that they were created to serve the industrial age, and we are no longer in the industrial age. I would suggest that this is not human nature, but rather socialized and acculturated behaviour that has been with us for so long (arguably for about 400 years or so) that it feels like human nature. What is needed, in my (not so humble) opinion is a <a href="http://whatisthemessage.blogspot.com/search/label/Valence Theory of Organization">new theory of organization</a> and a shift in organizational and management thinking in order to be consistent with the 21st century. Not-so-coincidentally, that happens to be the topic of my research. :) Not a side note, Rob - this is precisely how Bell, and many other organizations, both large and small, behave. Moreover, it is precisely how the modern organization has been designed and constructed, as first described 100 years ago by people like Frederick Taylor, Max Weber, and Henri Fayol. These are the Bureaucratic, Administratively controlled, Hierarchical - or BAH - organizations. The problem is that they were created to serve the industrial age, and we are no longer in the industrial age.

I would suggest that this is not human nature, but rather socialized and acculturated behaviour that has been with us for so long (arguably for about 400 years or so) that it feels like human nature.

What is needed, in my (not so humble) opinion is a new theory of organization and a shift in organizational and management thinking in order to be consistent with the 21st century. Not-so-coincidentally, that happens to be the topic of my research. :)

]]> By: Rob Hyndman http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/05/17/how-our-generals-got-so-mediocre/#comment-78814 Rob Hyndman Thu, 17 May 2007 23:14:39 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/05/17/how-our-generals-got-so-mediocre/#comment-78814 Agree, David. Human nature, but very troubling. The <a href="http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2007/05/2635198">article</a> by Lt. Col. Paul Yingling is superb, by the way. Agree, David. Human nature, but very troubling. The article by Lt. Col. Paul Yingling is superb, by the way.

]]> By: David Canton http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/05/17/how-our-generals-got-so-mediocre/#comment-78813 David Canton Thu, 17 May 2007 21:34:48 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/05/17/how-our-generals-got-so-mediocre/#comment-78813 That may be true in many bureaucracies (government or business) where process, conformity and consistency are in effect rewarded more than innovation. That's why large companies that need to be shaken up bring in outside CEO's. Even they can have a hard time turning things around. (Someone in an old traditional organization recently told me they have long standing employees that they would be better off paying to stay home so they don't get in the way of progress.) The wrinkle in the military of course is that its hard to bring in outside management. That may be true in many bureaucracies (government or business) where process, conformity and consistency are in effect rewarded more than innovation.

That’s why large companies that need to be shaken up bring in outside CEO’s. Even they can have a hard time turning things around. (Someone in an old traditional organization recently told me they have long standing employees that they would be better off paying to stay home so they don’t get in the way of progress.)

The wrinkle in the military of course is that its hard to bring in outside management.

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