Whether these teams are involved in the production of automobiles (Volvo being noteworthy) or the printing of newspapers[xii] they are deeply involved in the ongoing measurement of their own processes and outputs. It seems that empowerment of work forces is not just founded on a desire for equitable treatment and the creation of meaningful work opportunities. This empowerment also requires that the workers know what is happening in very concrete terms. Best Practice 5 must be in full operation among those engaged in the STS initiative. Without valid and useful information and without effective tactical (and strategic) planning, effective workplace democracy is only a fable.
While the Inspiring Azure Blue leader tends to create dreams and asks simple questions, the thoughtful leader asks for information and poses hard, analytic questions. While the assertive leader encourages risk-taking and leads the organization toward irreversible, transformational change, the thoughtful leader encourages reflection and leads the organization toward small, incremental changes that can easily be reversed if needed. As Jochens notes[xiii], STS requires a focus on variance—being aware of small changes in the production process that can readily be corrected. An awareness of variance, in turn, requires ongoing gathering of information and a commitment to “just-in-time” testing of reality.
We find Purposeful Tangy Orange leadership playing a critical role in STS operations—especially with a leaning toward tactical planning and a strong dose of Ruby Red. A Thoughtful Golden Yellow perspective is necessary—but not sufficient if the organization is to be agile and adaptive in its confrontation with the VUCA-Plus challenges of mid-21st Century life. We also find that a fair sampling of Azure Blue must be present to not only off-set the Ruby Red push for action, but also to ensure that there are clear goals and purposes to guide the evaluation of variance and production success. Jochens observed that his own STS team identified three clear goals that guided them not only during the design phase, but also during the ongoing operation of their self-managed newspaper production process.[xiv] These three goals were on-time papers to the customer, production of a quality product, and doing the work at or under budget. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all work groups were committed to these time-sensitive, quality-sensitive and budget-sensitive goals!
What Do They Need and To Whom Do We Listen?
The thoughtful (yellow) leader focuses on information and grows impatient when members of an organization ignore reality. For example, a thoughtful leader encourages his organization to be grounded in knowledge and information. She asks: What do we now have? What is distinctive about us? What do our customers need? How will our employees react if we take this action? A thoughtful leader also tends to look for technical expertise and wants people around who know what they are doing. Visionaries often have compelling but impractical dreams precisely because they are not aware of what is feasible. Wheatley describes a thoughtful leader’s perfect setting when she writes of the wave of information spreading broadly in an organization and the rich interweaving of data and interpretation.[xv]
While most thoughtful (yellow) leaders would hope for the blending of reality and action, they have little tolerance for people who tend to act without reflecting on lessons learned from the past. The thoughtful leader also is guided by Best Practice 5 calibration. He looks for substantial documentation and measurement once action is begun, suggesting that only with careful monitoring of new projects will the organization know how successful it is in achieving its goals.
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