| GEORGE: This is not good. World's are colliding! | | | | the team's purpose and not his/her own, the |
| George is getting upset! [Inside Jerry's apartment -- | | | | difference can and will be a huge advantage. |
| Jerry sits on the couch listening to George.] | | | | But with that aside, what are some of the areas as |
| GEORGE: Ah you have no idea of the magnitude of | | | | in the Seinfeld episode) where, when the two worlds |
| this thing. If she is allowed to infiltrate this world, then | | | | come together, what we see today will cease to |
| George Costanza as you know him, Ceases to Exist! | | | | exist? |
| You see, right now, I have Relationship George, but | | | | Well obviously there are many. But to me the one |
| there is also Independent George. That's the George | | | | characteristic where there can be no difference is |
| you know, the George you grew up with -- Movie | | | | Values: Organisational values and Individual values |
| George, Coffee shop George, Liar George, Bawdy | | | | must be on the same level. |
| George. | | | | I have seen, and no doubt you have too, people try |
| JERRY: I, I love that George. | | | | to fudge it; they try to ignore it. They try and |
| GEORGE: Me Too! And he's Dying Jerry! If | | | | overcome it with smoke and mirrors. |
| Relationship George walks through this door, he will | | | | They think that even though one individual comes |
| Kill Independent George! A George, divided against | | | | into the organisation with a set of values that is in |
| itself, Cannot Stand! [Elaine enters] | | | | total conflict to those of the team, because of some |
| GEORGE: You're Killing Independent George! You | | | | 'magical intervention' everything will work itself out |
| know that, don't you? | | | | and it will all be OK. |
| I know it has been a while since Seinfeld has been on | | | | Not. |
| the TV at least originally); however, for me that was | | | | It just will not work and someone will have to lose -- |
| one of the best episodes. But what has this got to | | | | either by compromising their values or by having to |
| do with you and the Culture/Environment within your | | | | go their separate way. |
| organisation/team? | | | | So conflicting values bring either compromise the |
| Well, along the lines of what George had to say: A | | | | beginning of the end) or loss. There is nothing |
| Culture, divided against itself, cannot stand! However | | | | beneficial in either one of these outcomes. |
| there are times when differences within an | | | | What I am talking about here is not all one-way |
| organisation can be of huge benefit: | | | | traffic. The organisational values are not always the |
| 1. People, Personality, Experience and Skills | | | | be-all and end-all so that every individual who joins |
| You don't want everyone to be the same. The | | | | the team must have values that fit with the team. |
| differences at this level can make for a great team | | | | There has to be a combination of both sets of |
| and a great organisation, as long as this difference is | | | | values. |
| headed in the same direction with a common goal | | | | There has to be synergy between individual values |
| and a common purpose. | | | | and organisational values. There has to be an ongoing |
| 2. Ideas and Philosophies | | | | evaluation to ensure that values remain in synergy. |
| Once again this difference must be directed, and | | | | There has to be the knowledge of what values are |
| dealt with in a certain way. Each individual must know | | | | present and which ones are missing. There has to be |
| that these differences will only be advantageous as | | | | an opportunity to evaluate the relevance, benefit and |
| long as they don't hang onto their ideas etc, 'just | | | | significance of the values that the organisation or |
| because it is theirs'. They will defend themselves, | | | | team are guided by. |
| their ideas and philosophies but only up to the point | | | | You need to know the values of new individuals |
| when they realise someone else has a better idea, | | | | joining the team and have an ongoing understanding |
| philosophy or direction. | | | | of the values of the team members who have been |
| Once again at these levels and many others), | | | | with you for a while. You have to know where there |
| differences and the conflict that sometimes follows | | | | will be synergy or conflict between the values of |
| can be a great thing for any organisation or team. | | | | organisation and the individual. There needs to be a |
| But there has to be an understanding behind it that | | | | strategy on how you can introduce the new values |
| allows it to be beneficial to all. | | | | from the individual to the team. |
| And that understanding is that everyone is not here | | | | For the team to benefit from individual difference |
| for his or her own agenda, but they will fight for | | | | and for the individual to benefit from the team, their |
| what they believe is right for the overall good of the | | | | needs to be synergy of values on the three levels:o |
| team or organisation. So, with this type of | | | | Organisationalo Leadershipo Individual |
| understanding and the preparedness of each individual | | | | And as long as these are in place ... |
| to take on the belief and responsibility to work for | | | | |