This post was inspired by something Helen Blunden shared via Twitter this morning which led me to post on my employers Yammer presence.
In times of budgetary constraints and as many of our executives and
their project teams work to find efficiencies and eliminate waste from
the systems and processes we use to deliver services to our customers;
this is a timely reminder.
"The Berkeley Lineman" - http://www.internettime.com/2013/01/the-berkeley-lineman/
As with the Berkeley Lineman, all organisations have front line staff who know the real game and are frequently ahead of the game. They all continue to deliver services; at times despite all the plans, projects and intents of those who seek to 'improve' the way they do the work they do.
Over the years they have learned the ultimate survival technique... keep on keeping on and most importantly stay focused on your customer; this too will pass.
I quote the section from Jay Cross's post that really hit home for me...
"The Berkeley Lineman’s story didn’t surprise me. I have been mulling
it over for a dozen years. As usual, I was taking in the 60,000 foot
view. (Down, boy!) I haven’t taken time to connect the dots for my
readers. Let me point out that:
The Lineman’s in a bind because
the industrial revolution is over but lots of people are still playing
by its obsolete rules (like the Lineman’s number-crunching, misguided
bosses). Networks are begetting networks, denser connections make for
faster cycle times, the rate of progress speeds up, effectiveness trumps
efficiency, and a surfeit of variables causes uncertainty and
instability.
Everybody wants a simpler, less confusing, and
more just world. The way to get there is to go back to treating people
like people. Dump the vestiges of the by-gone era. Skip micromanagement.
Follow your heart. Revere your values. Do what’s right. Change the
world.
Some people probably think their company’s moving too
fast. Actually, the company’s too slow. The Lineman’s ahead of his
employer. He has his priorities right: satisfy the customer and have a
good time doing it. The company must change its ways to enable its
Linemen to flourish."
My vent and frustration to my colleagues was this;
"The 21st century is NOW - not tomorrow,
not next year, NOT WHEN WE HAVE SOLVED THE LATEST BUDGETARY CRISIS - yes
I am shouting. I shout for all out 'linemen' who remain unheard and/or
misunderstood.
I also know that of the 80,000 or so living
people who work for [our organisation],
there are only 1202 of us [on Yammer]."
Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
Loosely quoted from Margaret Mead
