Comment and Question: Tom, thank you for sending me your book. (Transformational Change). The title of Chapter 1 “Burned Out – Still Shining” says it all. My people are “burned-out” yet still working. As you have suggested, it is helpful to think that it is not me that is causing this problem but condemning the Industrial Age business model it is not something our people will readily understand. Why did the Industrial Age business model “burn-out” and how can I explain it in a simple way that my people will understand and what will reignite their spirits? B. J.

Answer: B. J. There are many reasons but the main cause was the lack of “direction.” Using the following metaphor of ships at sea might make sense to your people. There are thousands of ships at the bottom of the ocean for lack of a compass. It did not matter how fast they were going. They did not “arrive” at a “life supporting” destination. Some did arrive at that desolate island called “customer neglect.” The Industrial Age business model was not equipped with a “directional” compass. It had a “speedometer” but nothing that would signal the need to turn around or change course. Linear and incremental “magnitude” was all that mattered. When the company was in “control” as measured by the magnitude of “efficiency,” there was no need to be concerned about the “direction.” Others were headed “toward the setting sun” but stopped short of the destination as the focus on “magnitude” was exhausting for the people. This allowed the company to “drift” off course while new measures of “magnitude” (IT technology) were installed. When the journey toward the “low cost” destination continued, they once again headed in the wrong direction when storm clouds blocked out the “sun.”

With new technology on board, some companies are “still shining” with the hope that the correct destination will someday appear – but not knowing that they are “still going” in the wrong direction.

Directional control is the absolute key to Leadership. Magnitude control is the domain of Management.

How can your reignite the “spirit” of the journey? Simulate it with your people to reestablish the legitimacy of the destination and the direction that must be taken. As you can see from the attached pictures, the Transformational Sales and Leadership Simulation is designed to ignite that spirit.

May your direction be focused on your customers and the destination be fulfilling for your people.