ARE YOU OUT OF CONTROL WITH OVER-CONTROL?

It isn't that easy to get the point set right on the continuum of control.
In his book (Passion for Excellence) that just does not lose relevance,
Tom Peters talks about the combination of loose/tight that high achieving have.
The winning combination is to be tight on "what" and loose on "how".

I see too many companies doing the reverse.
Their strategy has no sharp edge.
The focus is not clear at all levels of the organization.
There is both a conceptual and operational lack of alignment.
But there are checklists galore.
Behaviors are spelled out down to the last twitch of an eyebrow.
There is constant measurement of too many things.

I used to see a lot of "tell n sell" in companies.
I thought it wasted the potential of engagement--meaning with the work not with being happy on an assessment.
Now I am seeing "command and control" again.

My assumption is the top leaders are scared.
They can't get their own hands around "what" needs to happen--other than Wall Street numbers.
So they focus on the "how"
That is not the executive leaders job.
Let your people figure out how.  Or get new people.
You can not checklist you company to extraordinary results.
You smother ingenuity, commitment and satisfaction in the work.

Re-read Tom Peters.