Page 189 - Make Work Great

Leading Your Crystal

a capital construction project. Your options—and your constraints—
have increased exponentially. Now what?
Probably most apparent is what you don’t do: you don’t just “ask
around” or “start building”! As Figure 8.1 shows, your assignment
has jumped in complexity and now requires more planning and col-
laboration. It’s no longer possible to do it alone, nor will a little advice
from a nearby colleague suffi ce. What you need is a team of experts
to assist you with a plan.
This story may sound far-fetched, but its point is extremely rel-
evant. We work with groups of people not because it’s easy or fun
or because “teamwork” is an idealistic notion. We do it because it’s
required. To successfully navigate the complexity of our early infor-
mation age workplace and produce output from the crystalline net-
work, we convene groups of experts to bring their expertise together.
To succeed, these experts must fi nd ways to reconcile and integrate
the requirements and constraints they understand as individuals

FIGURE 8.1 Corresponding increase between the need for
advice/collaboration and the complexity of an assignment

Increasing complexity of assignment

“Optimize for height “Optimize for height, “Optimize for safety, foot-
and stability” stability, and aesthetic print, regulations, usability,
appeal” aesthetic appeal, etc.”
Performer Performer Performer
• Acts quickly • Reflects, then acts • Plans extensively
• Seeks no counsel • Seeks advice • Engages experts
• Works individually • Works independently • Works collaboratively

172