Changing one’s management lifestyle calls for a paradigm shift. Many of you may remember William Deming. Mr. Deming had a theory of management (lead management) and went to the big three U.S. automakers with a plan for changing their manner of doing business. Rather than maintain an archaic hierarchal system of management, Deming developed a theory that provided workers with a vested interest in what they were producing. His system of management called for collaboration, team-building, problem-solving, managerial coaching by example, and positive encouragement and reinforcement of employees. He felt that a shift in the management style would give the American automakers a needed edge in dealing with foreign competition from Europe and Japan. The CEO’s of American automakers couldn’t catch a vision of his way of doing business. They couldn’t grasp the implications of this change in thinking.

With that in mind, he took his theory to the competitors. Our automotive competitors from Japan utilized William Deming’s collaborative management style and began producing vehicles that were significantly superior in quality to American counterparts. Because the workers were granted a vested interested in corporate goals and were positively reinforced for their efforts, the workers were motivated to produce a quality product. When workers are coerced within a hierarchal management scheme, employees tend to do just enough to meet the minimum standards. Excellence in quality fails, because the workers feel alienated from management and an adversarial relationship develops. Resentment breeds, and workers perform just enough to earn a paycheck.

People’s need for validation, support, and respect must be meet in order for motivation to increase. Lecturing, moralizing, dictating, coercing, and being punitive do not work. And yet many managers continue to operate on a system of principles that are of little value. It’s a form of tunnel vision that is self-defeating. The theory of bossing people to get a desired result is archaic and nonproductive. Most leaders boss-manage because they don’t know any better, or because they are insecure about their competency. Managers who are insecure about their job abilities tend to overcompensate by trying to prove to others how ruthless they can be in the pursuit of excellence. A quality manager can admit mistakes, role model appropriate professional behavior for employees, and connect with his employees.

Those who demonstrate creativity and courage are likely to be “paradigm shifters.” They seek information, knowledge, and truth wherever it may be found. They are not afraid to look within every corner to find new ways of accomplishing tasks. They are visionaries with energy. They feel fulfilled in their personal and professional endeavors. They look forward to new and risky challenges. They are great listeners. In fact they listen more than they talk. Vulnerability is not a sign of weakness, but represents an opening to new ways of thinking and feeling. They are not afraid to take responsibility for their mistakes. We need more managerial leaders who have the courage to follow the principles that help their businesses to produce a quality product because the needs of their employees are being met.

James P. Krehbiel, Ed.S., LPC, CCBT is an author, freelance writer, and cognitive-behavioral therapist practicing in Scottsdale, Arizona. He recently released Stepping Out of the Bubble: Reflections on the Pilgrimage of Counseling Therapy available at http://www.booklocker.com/books/2242.html. James can be reached though his website at http://www.krehbielcounseling.com.

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