DramaticDilemmas_sli..

“What I offer here is no formula, no theory, not even
a set of propositions so much as a framework by
which to think about...”
(Mintzberg: Managing, 206)
Dramatic Dilemmas:
Drama-based Decision Support
Baracskai, Dörfler, Stierand, Szendrey, Velencei
to do or not to do – that is the question
We have seen similar decision
dilemmas in with many decision
takers – can we make a
classification?
First in a post-experiential postMBA education then in decision
support.
Why using dramas?

Be patient till the last.
CEO – strategic thinking sometimes
precedes, sometimes follows the action
The essence of planning is
achieving goals. In contrast the
essence of strategic thinking is
a fuzzy picture of the future –
which is also likely to change
during the implementation.
We must realize that
continuous strategic thinking is
independent of both time and
space.
CIO – don’t wait for the smart strategist
The revolutions announced
by “smart strategies” from
above and the “technocratic
process reforms” from the
side are outdated.
Innovative organizations
typically concentrate on the
changes from below.
It is time for innovations
from wherever.
CKO – strategic thinking can only be
loosely described
The desire for making the
business processes
deterministic indicates the lack
of systemic thinking.
Real system thinking also
includes the possibility of living
together with chaotic
processes.
We must realize that the
process of strategic thinking
requires a different
management approach.
CHO - strategic thinking may only get
citizenship in the right atmosphere
(Re-)Setting the atmosphere
is always about rethinking
human relationships.
We must also pay attention
to mavericks whose strength
is thinking differently.
In many ways the mavericks
need anti-leaders…
new paradigm – we are all prisoners of
get away from sharks
our paradigms
– or become one
adjust capacity
Any decision takers can
only see reality through
their own paradigms and
can describe it only with
the concepts they use in
their thinking.
Everyone will see
differently the reality of
the innovation and its
contradictions.
the innovation
might succeed
Taylor
Eric Schmidt
Circe de Solei igazgatója
2008 év managere (világ)
megy az űrbe
be the only one
new context – new concepts call for new
context(s)
Pitching innovative ideas
requires the new concepts
to be put into a context that
get the attention then and
there.
Is a stable(?) web of
concepts available?
Einstein is most scientists’
hero for his intellectual
courage.
new validation – innovation does not
need planning but validation
Any innovation is based on
creativity and any creativity
means new knowledge.
Whether the new
knowledge is allowed into
the community is decided in
a discussion.
If it is allowed than it gets
validated then and there.
new identity – it is easier to copy than to
develop one, but “do I know who I am”?
Decision takers strongly
lean towards accepting into
their organizations identities
with transparent and
followable rules.
How do I know who I am
until I see what I wear?
Who wants to be told what
to do? Is more freedom
better?
4×4
DREAM BIG
(CEO)
DON'T WAIT
FOR A SMART
STRATEGY
(CIO)
ACCEPT
DIFFERENT
STRUCTURES
(CKO)
2. ORIGINAL VS. 3. MEASURABLE VS.
IMITATION
IMMEASURABLE
CREATE
INNOVATIVE
ECOLOGY
(CHO)
4. REPLACEABLE
VS.
IRREPLACEABLE
new
paradigm
1. RISKY VS.
UNTHINKABLE
new
context
5.
RESPONSIBILITY
VS.
INTELLECTUAL
INTEGRITY
6. COMPLETE
VS.
INCOMPLETE
7. FACTS VS.
INTERPRETATION
8. CONSUMEIDIOT VS.
NETOCRAT
new
validatio
n
9. HOPE VS.
POSSIBILITY
10. PRE-FILTER
VS. POST-FILTER
11. COOL VS.
RETRO
12. FRENETIC
CHASING VS.
URGENCY
new
identity
13. GLOBAL VS.
LOCAL
14. MASSES VS.
TRIBES
15. INTEGRATED
VS.
DIFFERENTIATED
16. RESOURCE VS.
HUMAN BEING
Drama: Romeo and Juliet
JULIET
…What's in a name? that which we call a
rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.
FRIAR LAURENCE
Come, come with me, and we will make short work;
For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone
Till holy church incorporate two in one.
dramatic dilemma:
RISKY VS UNTHINKABLE
If an original innovation
seeks answer to a question
we could not even ask
before – then we are
looking at business through
a different window.
In any one moment into one
direction you can only look
through one single window
– but you can change the
universe you are in…
the gods must
be crazy…
old concept 1: Vision Statement by the
Planning Department
To make things secure: give
the leader instructions so
tight and prescriptive that
(s)he cannot make a
mistake.
The role of the leader
becomes to jitter for no
changes (surprises) in the
future – at least until the
implementation is concluded
old concept 2: Vision Statement based
on Causal Relation
We like causal relations as
they promise a world for
which we can prepare –
where the rules can be
known and there are also
rules according to which
the known rules change.
We are happy to deny the
existence of more
complex relationships and
processes.
trigger concept: sensemaking
How we make sense of the
world is useful to us only.
To make it potentially useful
to others they must be
convincing, sensible and
trustworthy.
If the maverick makes sense
differently than anyone else
– how can this be shared?
new concept 1: The Third Eye of the
(New) Alchemists
Gold and the Philosopher’s
Stone (something valuable
from nothing or valueless).
I proudly presented my
original ideas to the leaders
of the bank:


Have there been any banks
who did something like this
before?
No – yours will be the first!
new concept 2: Black Swan
All basketball players are tall
but not all tall people are
basketball players.
Being unique in different
ways – business as unusual.
Why the CEO is not
interested in the ROI for
creating a Corporate
University?
Uljana Semjonova: 214cm, 140kg
the big picture
“I am here so that your left brain would remain silent.”


we do not trust precise forecasts
we only believe in pictures painted with broad strokes of brush
if the witches would have not professed…
MACBETH: Speak, if you can: what are you?
First Witch: All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane
of Glamis!
Second Witch: All hail, Macbeth,
task accomplisher
hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!
vs. decision taker
Third Witch: All hail, Macbeth,
search, potency
thou shalt be king hereafter!
BANQUO: Good sir, why do you start; and seem
to fear. Things that do sound so fair?
The wise never fails and thus the
mediocre feels foolish and
superfluous.
probable vs.
unthinkable
Extremistan,
big picture
accessorizing
vs. thinking
model, “if… then”
coaching
knowledge
facts
skills
EVALUATION EVENT
(subsidiary)
(focal)
data mining instructor
intuition
PRACTICE ACTION
(subsidiary)
(focal)
negotiation
trainer
support
accessories
EXPLANATION HUNCH
(subsidiary)
(focal)
DOCTUS
COACH
consultant
we can learn the rules of measurement but not the perception
we can learn the rules of grammar but not the convincing speech
we can learn the rules of logic but not the hunch
validating
credulous or believer



If we cannot learn
then we also cannot
learn that we cannot
learn.

“When men stop believing in God,
it isn't that they then believe in
nothing: they believe in
everything.” (Eco)
letting or not letting the fashion in
is not up to a sophisticated
validation
in the ’90s many leaders thought
that strategic thinking was easy,
the implementation was the hard
part
we may cut ourselves with
Occam’s razor - complexify
yourself
scope of validity
ex post validity


“By the time you know where you ought to
go, it’s too late to go there.” (Handy)
“… more refined views as to the uniformity
of nature would have been useful to the
chicken” (Russell)
mostly we live in Mediocristan

but strategy just does not belong here
the model of unthinkable conception


conception: wide scope but weak (dull)
accessories: narrow scope but strong
(sharp)
nobody can seriously think to foresee the
changes of the scope of validity

we can only look for internal consistency
alchemist
novum
recognition
guru
concept
sense making
coach
conception
contextualization
strategist
decision
dialog
strat. partner
different pictures
learning
learning
paradigm
concept
concept-reading
conception
validation
adaptation
as many GURU novum-recognitions, as many concepts
as many COACH concept-readings, as many conceptions
as many STRATEGIST & PARTNER conception-awarenesses, as many
adaptations or learnings
so why dramas after all?
They are not too real - not the real
dilemmas of the decision taker, so
the anxiety can be avoided.
They are sufficiently real - not
artificial case studies, so the
decision taker can relate to it.
They are artistic – over-emphasized
characteristics and characters and
all is resolved in a catharsis.
thank you for participating
Don’t forget your blue
cards, if interested.
We are happy to continue in
the foyer or coffee shop.