Why is it that organisational ineffectiveness is so often ignored?  I love Heffernan’s (2011) book wonderfully titled ‘Wilful Blindness; Why we ignore the obvious at our peril’

Heffernan argues that “the biggest threats and dangers we face are the ones we don't see, not because they're secret or invisible, but because we're wilfully blind”.  

Like the ‘emperor with no clothes’ or the ‘elephant in the room’ everyone knows something is wrong.  To maintain the status quo, however, they pretend or even make themselves believe that it is actually all right, and they do not speak about it. 

On the flip side, a positive ripple effect can be achieved when programmes, processes and systems are developed, which actually work sustainably.  They are effective because have been designed around understood need and dovetailed with existing infrastructure.  The infection of this effectiveness spreads as it touches on other elements of the organisation and enables them because of the strong and scalable foundations that have been laid.

Why is it that when things are 'under new management', so often new management start from scratch?  

I have seen this over and over again in the corporate world.  Marchington (1993) calles this 'Impression Management'; managers wanting to create the impression that they know what they are doing and they are 'in control'.  

Often, what is missing is a humble investigation of what has gone on before.  Very few start by finding out, from those who were there, what has worked well and what has not.  Very few work out how to build on those foundations and restore, rather than 'razing to the ground' and building something entirely new.  

Time given to contemplate how a wealth of experience brought in by 'new management' can dovetail with a wealth of experience held by those already in, will reap great reward.