Reluctant Agent 2

The same story here about a company with different departments.

Daddy is the chief executive, the general manager (GM). Mum is the chief operating officer, and the children are the various departments, finance, human resources, sales and marketing, product development and who is the little baby? It is the secretarial department. If not told, does not have anything to do. If no phone call, not even need to open mouth. If office has no bosses, it is their heaven!

The GM wants a new computer system with ICT capability. The firm invested a huge sum of money in the new IT system to capture performance and client satisfaction. So, all the departments must comply to betterment of the company's KPI, ie increase in two Rs - revenue and reputation.

Then, two weeks down the line the Finance Department accused the Sales and Marketing that sales registered are not reflective of the stock level that there is in the store. How can sales be captured when there is no stock to sell!?

Human Resources claimed that due to compliance, the new IT system is infringing the Data Protection Act. The product development said the IT system is not user friendly as they cannot alter the entries and product features have a lot of variables.

In this respect, the secretarial department kept quiet, as they do not need to do anything! They were happy with or without the new IT system.

Hence, the GM asked the COO: "How to sort this?"

The COO replied: "we key in what is necessary, and not key in everything!"

GM exclaimed: "Great idea!" And, turned too all, "You all listen up! We just record what is required! GOD gives us brain to think!"

"Have you forgotten your brain? You all got brain to think? Eh? You all are paid to think!"

So the various departments start to think! Then it was soon peace and everyone was happy. They just key in what they thought was enough. When it went into disagreements, they just omitted the entry. Forgive and forget, isn't that what is best for everyone?

Two months have passed, and one day the GM said, I want a report on how many new products are developed for budget planning to conquer a new market for the luxury segment!

The managers look at the GM in blank. Then, they turned to ask for help from the COO. This COO must have good ideas! Or else, how can he be sitting on the GM's right hand?

Then, the pretty secretary said: "Boss, isn't there an IT system that you can check?"

The COO turned to the GM and said, "We could not enter most of the data, so there is no way we can tell you what you want now! Give us two weeks, and we will come out with a totally amazing proposal for this new market! I know the market for this segment and our product development department has already tested multiple prototypes!"

Confidently, the COO looked into the eyes of GM and said, "In fact, we need to change the IT system, it is too complicated to operate!"

From his look, the GM knew he did not mean it seriously, he only wanted more freedom and less work!

So, the whole chapter re-visited again.

Reflection

Again, people resist to change. They will give all sort of excuse not to change. They can even compromise the quality or ethics of their life to resist change. That is how difficult is to kick the habit of not smoking!

A wise manager would have to get the priority right. Think more in line with human than machines.