Mark Howell wrote a post referred to a HBS Working Knowledge article by Jim Heskett “Is There Too Little Know Why” In Business?” that discusses two recent books “Know-How“, by Ram Charan, which is really a ‘know why’ book that I posted about previously here and another book “Purpose“, by Nikos Mourkogiannis. These books talk about the importance of know-why in motivating and inspiring organisations to greatness. As Mourkogiannis puts it,
“Let others play with ’strategy’ and ‘tactics’ and ‘management.’ Purpose is the game of champions.”
According to this theory, truly transformational purpose can be found in:
- Discovery: The challenge of adventure and innovation characterized by dot-com entrepreneurs willing to work 24/7 in search of the new or unknown.
- Excellence: Where high standards are not compromised for short-term performance (as with Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett).
- Altruism: Where the primary purpose is to serve (customers, employees, etc.) first and assume that profit will follow (as at Nordstrom).
- Heroism: Typically involving grand plans to change entire industries or even the way we live (Bill Gates and Microsoft).
I recently read a book similar to the one’s mentioned above, Peter Block’s “The Answer to How is Yes” that makes a strong argument for asking ‘know-why’ questions before ‘know-how’ questions, know-why must always come before ‘know-how’. Peter Block in the book makes his point as follows:
“Now, this is not an argument against the question How? Rather it is an argument that there are more important questions, and How? should be asked later rather than sooner. We are at times so eager to get practical right away that we set limits on ourselves. We become imprisoned in our belief that we don’t know how and therefore need to keep asking the question. Also, in our search for tools, we become what we seek: a tool. We reduce ourselves to being pragmatic and utilitarian.”
Jim Heskett then goes on in the article to ask the following interesting questions:
Purpose is powerful when it comes to attracting and inspiring employees, centering a company’s activities, or guiding strategic change. Executives talk about and seek these things for their companies all the time. But how much purpose do we find even at the top of a typical organization? Can we aspire to a strong sense of “know why” even if our organization is not out to change the world? In terms described here, how strong is purpose in your organization? Is there too little “know why” in business? If so, why? What do you think?
Personally I think there is too much ‘know-how’ and not enough ‘know-why’ in business for the following reasons:
- There is too much noise, such as media hype, weak internal communication and political considerations, which distract an organisation from what really matters.
- Management is more comfortable talking about deadlines, costs and risks than talking about accountability, values and purpose.
- Organisations are more focused on implementing the latest management fad, best practice and management tool than focusing on what the organisation really wants to create.
In a nutshell, our organisations are over-managed and under-led…..!
Technorati Tags: Leadership, Communication, Execution, Values, Management, Vision, Business, Purpose, Book
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Great post. Thank you. Meaning, purpose… I work in positive psychology, and Martin Seligman, often called the “father” of positive psychology, said that meaning is one the three pathways to happiness – one of the three methods to achieve deep, longstanding happiness [the other two are pleasure(maybe not as longstanding) and engagement(being involved in life and the middle of the pack in terms of deep happiness)].
Also, if you look at the book “Success Built to Last,” in which (I think) 600 leaders were interviewed, one of the three components of successful leadership is meaning. It’s all around us.
I like this post because I like meaning being distilled into these four descriptions. All four of those reasons resonate as true. Thanks.
When will they learn that all management fads have a limited life! There are no “silver bullets” and no substitutes for good smart work. Worse yet is when some consultant tries to evangelize the workforce into believing in some “new religion” replete with its own rituals, icons, and Bibles. It’s all intended to convince the masses that their attitudes about pay cuts, grueling schedules and idiot managers are wrongminded. God forbid (the real one)that anyone ever gets on the wrong side of one of these “prophets” by having an original thought or daring to question the doctrine. Remember the Spanish inquisition? What an insult to the intelligence of employees and good managers.
Successful organizations innovate. They are honest with their workforce and respect divergent opinions. They do not need to use goofy gimmicks and play games with employees’ psyches.
In fact, there is really only one thing that all successful organizations have in common – they are successful.
I think it depends on the level of enterprise we are talking about. I am sure that there are many people in mundane jobs who couldn’t care less ‘why’ and simply need to know how in order to function.