I will read it when I feel I can motivate the buy to my manager =);
LEI's shipping for the book outside the US is as much as the book
itself: 40$! two books for 47$. It seem hard to get it in another way.

The company I work for (large telecom) was started in 1918, GM in 1908.
I don't think that say so much though, the company wisdom is probably
not that old. =)
From what I've heard it seems that the wisdom is about 10 years, pretty
scary.

Also, global factors which you cannot influence probably affects more
than management.

Otherwise I think you are spot on.
People finally uniting when the world (read company) is under attack is
a popular Hollywood theme =)

Emil


--- In leandevelopment@yahoogroups.com, Robin Dymond <robin.dymond@...>
wrote:
>
> Very funny reference.
>
> I think if you read shook's managing to learn you see something
different
> than the impression the blog gives.
>
> Many in Germany in the 20th century thought differently than the
management,
> as the people in Iran do today. Organizations control behavior mostly
> through some sort of carrot/stick incentive and modeled behaviors.
Perhaps
> organizations like GM should not be expected to go on perpetually?
What
> economic organizations have lasted as long?
>
> Most large organizations tend to dysfunction unless they had to
weather a
> regular series of crises that caused them to regularly re-examine and
change
> their approach. My experience in large profitable companies is that
the
> people who have started and climbed the ladder to become executives in
thode
> companies are often very focused on the politics and personal ambition
while
> remaining a very long way from their real customers. They are
excellent at
> fighting internal turf battles, and their energy goes there, while
improving
> the organization for the benefit of the customer is not on the agenda,
or
> delegated to others. A crises such as our current one reveal their
inability
> to react effectively, leaving the organization in a perilous state.
However
> they do start to focus more on what really matters.
>
> An author perhaps more suited to the scandanaivian sensibility is
Peter
> Senge, author of the fifth disciple.
>
> Cheers,
> Robin.
>
> On Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 4:07 PM, ejmull ejmull@... wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks so much Mary. I hope the list was prioritized since that was
a
> > big batch ;-)
> >
> > Robin, I agree with John Shook. I have asked myself the same
question
> > several times without coming up with an answer I can trust. Is it a
> > trait of the human race that when grouped together and being forced
to
> > walk off a cliff nobody in the group can see the escape route?
Common
> > sence seem not so common in large organizations.
> > Is this a bad side of swarming theory? Is it personal turf
protection or
> > about the huge amount of wishful thinking that people seem to have
> > hard-wired?
> >
> > For me as a Swede I react on shook's focus on putting responsibility
on
> > the shoulders of the CEO. I think we have a more distributed sence
of
> > responsibility in our management culture.
> >
> > I guess it is much about:
> >
> > Great managers selects a Great workforce and takes Great decisions
which
> > creates a Great culture which breeds Great managers... (and loop)
> >
> > You could probably see this as a value flow with a huge risk of
> > variation at each step because the process is made of human actions.
If
> > one of the steps changes from Great to Poor then you are in a lot of
> > trouble because it takes a long time to recover even if you manage
to
> > break the bad spiral.
> >
> > Could we not automate the process to get it more predictable? Oh
cr*p, a
> > company named Cyberdyne Systems have the patent for that.
> >
> > Regards
> > Emil
> >
> > --- In leandevelopment@yahoogroups.com
<leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com>,
> > "Mary Poppendieck" mary@
> > wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > My favorite management writer is Jeffry Pfeffer. Two of his books
that
> > I
> > > really like were co-authored with Robert Sutton. These are:
> > >
> > > The Knowing-Doing Gap (2000)
> > >
> > > Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths, & Total Nonsense (2006)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > He also co-authored the book Hidden Value (2000) with Charles
O'Reily,
> > which
> > > discusses the practices you find in well-managed companies.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Pfeffer's latest book, What were They Thinking? (2007), is also
> > delightful.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I also have a couple of his earlier books - Managing with Power
(1994)
> > and
> > > The Human Equation (1996) -these have his foundation ideas behind
> > managing
> > > and compensating people.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Another favorite management writer is John Shook, especially his
book
> > > Managing to Learn (2008). His blog is at
http://www.lean.org/shook/
> > (you may
> > > need to register).
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Finally, I like Peter Scholtes books, especially The Leader's
Handbook
> > > (1997), but also The Team Handbook (2003). This book is in its 3rd
> > edition,
> > > it was originally published in 1988.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Mary Poppendieck
> > >
> > > 952-934-7998
> > >
> > > <http://www.poppendieck.com> www.poppendieck.com
> > >
> > > Author of: Lean Software Development & Implementing Lean Software
> > > Development
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > From:
leandevelopment@yahoogroups.com<leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com>
> > >
[mailto:leandevelopment@yahoogroups.com<leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.co\
m>]
> > On Behalf Of ejmull
> > > Sent: Friday, July 03, 2009 1:07 PM
> > > To: leandevelopment@yahoogroups.com
<leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > Subject: Management value proposition was Re: [leandevelopment]
Re:
> > FW:
> > > Sailing a Straight Course in a Time of Variances
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi guys, I know there are one billion books on management but do
you
> > > have some tips on books related to management models and/or
efficient
> > > teamwork/team leadership?
> > >
> > > Regards
> > >
> > > Emil
> > >
> > > --- In
leandevelopment@yahoogroups.com<leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com>
> > >
<mailto:leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com<leandevelopment%2540yahoogroup\
s.com>>
> > , Chakravarthy R
> > > chakravarthy.rajagopalan@ wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Thanks Robin, Mary , George for your replies.
> > > >
> > > > Regards,
> > > > Chak.
> > > >
> > > > On Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 10:57 PM, Mary Poppendieck mary@:
> >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi Chak,
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Since you are in India, I would not expect that an American
model
> > of
> > > > > self-organized teams would be the only model of leadership
that
> > you
> > > might
> > > > > consider. Here are some additional successful models (and
these
> > are
> > > not the
> > > > > only ones):
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > 1) The open source model. In this model, the kernel of
capability
> > is
> > > > > tightly controlled and managed by a core - often self-managed
> > > - group. In
> > > > > this model, the main role of management is to figure out how
to
> > > create an
> > > > > environment in which people are motivated to contribute to the
> > > commons. The
> > > > > best managers are the ones who know how to organize volunteer
> > > efforts.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > 2) The military model. In this model, small units have
appointed
> > > > > leaders who know that "you can't manage men into battle, you
> > > have to lead
> > > > > them". Good small unit leaders are deeply committed to the
> > > people in the
> > > > > unit, to keeping them safe, to sharing the purpose of the
mission,
> > > etc. The
> > > > > senior leaders communicate "command intend" and the small
> > > unit leaders -
> > > > > often in consultation with the members of the unit- make local
> > > decisions to
> > > > > achieve the command intent.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > 3) The reciprocity model. In this model, people contribute
their
> > > > > best efforts to the company because they feel the company will
> > take
> > > care of
> > > > > them over time and help them reach their personal goals. When
this
> > > model is
> > > > > operative, people respond to a line manager who works to
develop
> > the
> > > full
> > > > > potential of every employee. Not a good model for India,
because
> > > this model
> > > > > is based on long term, reciprocating relationships.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > In every case, good leadership means figuring out what
motivates
> > > front-line
> > > > > people to contribute their best efforts, and aligning those
> > efforts
> > > (and
> > > > > associated motivation) with the short and long term good of
the
> > > larger
> > > > > organization or community. This is not always going to mean
> > > self-organizing
> > > > > teams, which are mainly a reaction to bad management practices
> > > (practices
> > > > > which do not respect the workers).
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Mary Poppendieck
> > > > >
> > > > > 952-934-7998
> > > > >
> > > > > www.poppendieck.com
> > > > >
> > > > > Author of: Lean Software Development & Implementing Lean
Software
> > > > > Development
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > *From:*
leandevelopment@yahoogroups.com<leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com>
> > >
<mailto:leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com<leandevelopment%2540yahoogroup\
s.com>>
> > [mailto:
> > > > > leandevelopment@yahoogroups.com
<leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com>
> > >
<mailto:leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com<leandevelopment%2540yahoogroup\
s.com>>
> > ] *On Behalf Of *Robin
> > Dymond
> > > > > *Sent:* Friday, July 03, 2009 11:45 AM
> > > > > *To:*
leandevelopment@yahoogroups.com<leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com>
> > >
<mailto:leandevelopment%40yahoogroups.com<leandevelopment%2540yahoogroup\
s.com>
> > >
> >
> > > > > *Subject:* Management value proposition was Re:
[leandevelopment]
> > > Re: FW:
> > > > > Sailing a Straight Course in a Time of Variances
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi Chak,
> > > > >
> > > > > These are great questions. George has pointed you to some
great
> > > resources
> > > > > from Esther Derby on self organizing teams, Esther is an
authority
> > > in this
> > > > > space so I recommend you start there.
> > > > >
> > > > > Let's talk about the manager value proposition for a moment.
> > > > >
> > > > > Jack Welch, CEO of GE would regularly assign Vice Presidents
to
> > > various
> > > > > plants and facilities to make improvements. He was very clear
> > about
> > > one
> > > > > thing with all of them - make yourself redundant. If you are
still
> > > doing the
> > > > > same job in two years I will fire you. He saw management's
role as
> > > system's
> > > > > thinkers who could go in, analyze the system, find the urgent
> > things
> > > that
> > > > > needed fixing and work within the organization to fix them.
This
> > > philosophy
> > > > > fed the growth of Six Sigma in GE, because it gave a toolset
that
> > > could be
> > > > > used across plants/products/markets by managers to analyze a
> > > manufacturing
> > > > > system, find issues and make improvements.
> > > > >
> > > > > I view a manager's most effective role as someone who is
> > continually
> > > > > looking for opportunities to improve the system in which
people
> > work
> > > so that
> > > > > it is more effective for the manager, their co-workers, and
the
> > > customer.
> > > > > Just as the teams should continually learn about the tools and
> > > business
> > > > > domain to deliver a quality product, an effective manager will
> > also
> > > be
> > > > > reaching for ideas/tools that make them more effective in
> > improving
> > > the
> > > > > system. In this again we see GE's leadership. GE setup GE
> > University
> > > with
> > > > > tough courses that challenged managers with new ideas (like
Six
> > > Sigma). They
> > > > > were expected to apply these ideas in their organizations.
Most of
> > > us aren't
> > > > > lucky enough to have a corporate learning agenda, so it is up
to
> > us
> > > to find
> > > > > our own ways to learn and apply that knowledge.
> > > > >
> > > > > *In the past 17 years, GE has increased its market value from
$12
> > > billion
> > > > > to some $280 billion. For all that time of stupendous
enrichment,
> > > the
> > > > > management training centre at Croton-on-Hudson (known as
> > > Crotonville) has
> > > > > been central to the company's vaunted management system. The
> > > three-week
> > > > > development course for high-fliers is so important in GE's
scheme
> > of
> > > things
> > > > > that CEO Jack Welch (who is even more vaunted than the system)
> > goes
> > > to
> > > > > Crotonville every month to teach its 700-odd students.*
> > > > >
> > > > >
http://www.thinkingmanagers.com/management/management-training.php
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > When we watch the Olympics or a master artist perform on stage
it
> > is
> > > > > amazing to see what they have accomplished. Athletes often put
> > their
> > > lives
> > > > > and careers on hold to perfect that one skill, usually with
little
> > > reward
> > > > > other than the satisfaction of the process of training and
> > > improving. Even
> > > > > if they set a world record, how long will it stand before
someone
> > > else
> > > > > breaks it?
> > > > >
> > > > > What is the perfect company? Can we make one? Think of all the
> > > moving parts
> > > > > required to deliver a non-trivial software product to market.
What
> > > would the
> > > > > perfect company look like to its customers, its employees,
> > > shareholders? If
> > > > > we take the customer as the first stakeholder, then I am sure
they
> > > would
> > > > > have opinions on what the perfect company would be. Applying
Lean
> > > thinking
> > > > > to the process from a customer request to request fulfilled
gives
> > us
> > > a long
> > > > > list of work we need to do to become better at what we do.
Asking
> > > the same
> > > > > question of the people who work there will also provide a long
> > list
> > > of
> > > > > things we can improve. These are not trivial things on the
> > surface,
> > > but core
> > > > > issues that impact the activity of work. Consider the athlete.
If
> > > you
> > > > > thought of yourself as a coach, and everyone who reported to
you
> > as
> > > athletes
> > > > > looking to experience the satisfaction of the process of
training
> > > and
> > > > > improving, how would that change your perspective? How would
it
> > > change
> > > > > theirs? How do we measure our improvement?
> > > > >
> > > > > The specific steps you take to become a great manager are the
same
> > > things
> > > > > one would do to be good at anything, learn, practice, reflect
on
> > the
> > > > > improvements, what is working, what isn't, repeat. Lean,
Scrum,
> > XP,
> > > are all
> > > > > inspirational sources of learning about what works. None of
these
> > > methods
> > > > > are comprehensive, so the learning never really stops. :) I
just
> > > took Luke
> > > > > Hohmann's course on Innovation Games. Luke has built some very
> > > useful tools
> > > > > for collaboration on product vision and process. These are
> > > complementary to
> > > > > Agile ideas, teamwork collaboration. However they are not
specific
> > > to Agile,
> > > > > for example they are regularly used by a company that
manufactures
> > > > > airconditioning (HVAC) systems.
> > > > >
> > > > > cheers,
> > > > > Robin.
> > > > >
> > > > > On Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 10:44 AM, George Dinwiddie lists@
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Chakravarthy R wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Hi Robin,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > As a newbie to this entire philosophy, i still dont get one
> > thing.
> > > How
> > > > > > exactly does an Agile Manager train his team to be self
managing
> > ?
> > > > >
> > > > > One way is http://estherderby.com/workshops/secrets.htm
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > How
> > > > > > does he know this self managing team is in line with the
quality
> > > > > > standards and other objectives of the company ?
> > > > >
> > > > > Can you not see the quality being produced? And what other
> > > objectives
> > > > > do you mean? Are these not observable?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > How exactly does an
> > > > > > Agile manager strike a balance between a 'free for all'
> > delegation
> > > on
> > > > > > the one hand, and command and control autocracy on the other
?
> > If
> > > he
> > > > > > delegates to these self managing teams then what exactly
does he
> > > do with
> > > > > > his time, and justify his presence in the company ? If he
only
> > > coaches
> > > > > > these teams, then what does he do after they have been
coached
> > and
> > > ready
> > > > > > to carry on ?
> > > > >
> > > > > There's still management to do other than telling other people
how
> > > to do
> > > > > their work. Esther Derby's blog has a bunch of stuff on this.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > I had asked the same question in a different way and got a
lot
> > of
> > > > > > specific steps, but even if this question is naive, could
you
> > > please
> > > > > > point me to some resources on how to be hands off and yet be
> > hands
> > > on ?
> > > > > > Okay so the manager can build an atmosphere of agile and
lean .
> > He
> > > sees
> > > > > > the big picture and teaches his people to do so. . However
the
> > > bottom
> > > > > > line is that if this team fails, he is accountable to his
> > seniors.
> > > So he
> > > > > > needs to keep an eye without being intrusive. How does he do
it
> > ?
> > > > >
> > > > > Maybe
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> >
http://www.estherderby.com/weblog/2009/06/when-to-stand-back-when-to-ste\
\
> > \
> >
<http://www.estherderby.com/weblog/2009/06/when-to-stand-back-when-to-st\
e>
> > >
> >
<http://www.estherderby.com/weblog/2009/06/when-to-stand-back-when-to-st\
\
> >
ep-i<http://www.estherderby.com/weblog/2009/06/when-to-stand-back-when-t\
o-step-i>
> > > n.html>
> > > p-in.html
> > > > > will be of help.
> > > > >
> > > > > - George
> > > > > --
> > > > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > > > > * George Dinwiddie * http://blog.gdinwiddie.com
> > > > > Software Development http://www.idiacomputing.com
> > > > > Consultant and Coach http://www.agilemaryland.org
> > > > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > ------------------------------------
> > > > >
> > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Robin Dymond, CST
> > > > > Managing Partner, Innovel, LLC.
> > > > > www.innovel.net
> > > > > www.scrumtraining.com
> > > > > (804) 239-4329
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Robin Dymond, CST
> Managing Partner, Innovel, LLC.
> www.innovel.net
> www.scrumtraining.com
> (804) 239-4329
>