you are fully right: trust and respect are essential.

Our capacity to predict the future is moderate. We make budgets, complex calculations of profitability. They are necessary references to avoid the wrong choices but we have to admit that the figures are seldom confirmed.
What is needed is a vision in a common project. The company must be dedicated to common goals, make it possible for all to understand where they go, to make decisions and to act with a broad autonomy and delegation.

This requests trust and respect. A decision might not be the best. Not only success but also failure and doubts have to be shared among all.

Last but not least.: avoid absolutely to engage into “unfiltered conflicts” if there is no trust. It is a deadly game.

Yours friendly
Michel

Thanks for sharing another inspiring and recognizable blog this week . I thought this time to share a real life story, in which I was fully involved.

It immediately reminded me of the time that I worked on the integration of the firm I was working for at that time (we had been taken over), during 14 months. We had separate teams for the ‘split’ of our firm into several parts. There was a huge lack of trust between these teams… They had a huge problem with their vulnerability, of lowering their guard and of what would happen once that their work would end… The guy managing the team could not cope with it and was playing games all the time, and trying to increase and prolong his power.

To the outside world there was a ‘great’ artificial harmony as you so beautifully called it. Neutrality full stop. There was no commitment to the separation team, and vice versa, although as the integration team we should have better worked together with them because they owned a lot of useful information, and vice versa here as well. Only through huge fights on a regular basis forced us to work together, because we could not work without one another. We could not make it toward our internal clients to settle for mediocrity. There were the business lines and support functions and relied on separation and integration. Nevertheless it cost us double the energy and a lot of time was lost with these internal wars…

We did not apply any of your Value Building Behaviours… I have to admit, anger and stupidity blinded us too much, and indeed they were inadequate behaviours, resulting in all the symptoms you described.

Hope you will enjoy my little story, have a great week et bonne soirée de Paris.

Ivo