I have been reading different inputs on the Internet, and when doing this have noticed how closely related some of these are to the content of the book and will link these into a series of blogs going forward.
Last week, when on LinkedIn, there was an article by Frank Zijlstra from Experienced Digital Transformation, Netherlands.
What he inserted was the “The Iceberg of Ignorance,” which got excellent commentary from various readers.
These comments varied from saying some executives don’t need or want to know about the problems on the floor, and they should be sorted out at operational level. Another recurring comment is that this is because of poor communication structures. Then, of course, there were many suggestions on how to sort this out.
My book, The Plant Manager, first positions the executive in relation to the plant and what all the different roles are. This is a point seldom fully understood or missed and starts to form the “Iceberg of Ignorance” depicted above.
The book then goes into an overview of where the responsibilities for identifying and sorting out the problems that are in a structure from management to the shop floor, the tools to use, and how to develop this culture.
To get away from the submerged part of the Iceberg labeled “Problems hidden from senior management,” the book spells out the fundamental tools like reporting of showstoppers and KPI’s, and reviews with senior management.
The book discusses leadership, how to lead upward when things start going wrong, when to solicit help, and, at the same time, managing perceptions of what’s going on. This brings clarity as well down to the “100% Problems known to staff,” why this is, and how to manage this positively.
It’s all there in the book which answers most of the comments made around this post on LinkedIn. It’s now apparent that CEOs should read this book as well.
If you don't have a copy yet, both Kindle and paperback version are available here.
Until next week…
EJ
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