I heard a small corporate story which I would like to share. Once upon a time in a renowned organization an old CEO was to retire and a new, young and dynamic one was to take charge. The outgoing CEO was old, matured and well experienced. The new one was very young and dynamic. While leaving the organization, the old one shared his experiences, expertise, challenges and achievements with the new one. The new incoming CEO asked the old outgoing CEO for some Guru Mantra. The old one prepared two envelopes for the new one, sealed them and labeled them as ‘Crisis One’ and ‘Crisis Two’. The old one, while handing over the envelops to the new one said, “Whenever you face a critical management crisis for the first time, open the first envelope, and for any other similar and further critical management crisis, open the second envelope, and both these envelopes will help you in any kind of a management crisis, and trust me, this is the testimony of my decades of corporate experience”. The new lad took both the envelops very happily, and they both departed wishing good luck on each other’s journey.
I think this is how the whole situation works. The old problems go and the new problems crop up. The old situations disappear and new situations surface. The old solutions become redundant and we have to create and innovate new solutions. The old values go and new values unfold. I think this is the game of life. The life is a great change and challenge, and we all must participate in this change. The change is good and the change is great. Let's all be a part of this great change!!
“All these 50 years of conscious brooding have brought me no nearer to the question - what are light quants? Every Tom Dick Harry thinks he knows. But he is mistaken.” ~ Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
Times went on, as time doesn’t wait for anybody. The young CEO faced a very bad management crisis for the first time. The sales were very poor, targets under achieved, market share fallen, and all the people in his team were highly demoralized. The management was very angry on the whole situation. The young and dynamic CEO was in a deep trouble. For the very first time he remembered his old friend and he could also recollect the two envelopes that he had given him while departing.
The new guy felt little relieved and thought of taking the help of the first envelope. He opened the first envelope which was sealed and labeled as ‘Crisis One’. The Guru Mantra that was written in the letter was, “Blame the predecessor and blame the whole past”.
The new CEO was very happy and quickly thought of implementing the advice. He called a meeting of his entire team, took them in confidence and shared the new winning strategy. They all started blaming the earlier CEO and his team for all the failures.
They all blamed the earlier CEO and his team for their faults in planning, forecasting, strategies, and leadership. He now got a chance and he could somehow survive from the worst management crisis. The management of the organization has given him and his team one more opportunity.
Somehow, time runs out fast. Just opening and closing our eyes it has already traveled miles. And we always say, “Time is Gold, don’t fritter it away”. This I think is absolutely true for anybody and in any situation. The honeymoon days are over. How long can you blame the other and the past? The CEO and his team faced another deep and worst ever management crisis. Another deep trouble unfolded.
And this time the management was very unhappy. The management was very angry and annoyed with the new CEO and his entire team. This appeared to be the last chance. Now a days a second chance is always a last chance. The new mantra is, the first chance is enough and there is no second chance. Not having any other option, the CEO opened the second envelope which was sealed and labeled as ‘Crisis Two’. The Guru Mantra that was written in the second letter said, “Prepare two similar envelops for the new incoming CEO”.
All management is about ‘What to do?’. Its all about action, execution and doing things right. Its about effectively using three biggest resources of every enterprise - Men, Money, and Materials.
All strategy is about ‘When to do?’ and ‘How to do?’. Strategy is planning and designing processes that help achieve the overall long-term aims and goals of an organization.
Leadership is to find out the ‘Who to do?’ aspect in an organization. Leadership means to lead, motivate and guide individuals and teams in an organization to achieve the desired goals.
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