Beached Whale. Daren Martin
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A HOUSE DIVIDED
Whether you’re an entrepreneur who owns a company or an
executive or leader who works in one, you can hear the culture
in the words people use. Listen to how many times the following
phrases are used around your company…
When I frequently hear these phrases around a company, I can
be certain the company is beached. They describe a company
where playing politics is the key to success. They describe a
company where ideas are weighed based on who has the
power and authority to squish them, instead of on the merits
of the idea. They reflect a company where different parts
of the company are “at war” for resources and attention.
Stepping on toes
Choose your battles
Don’t buck the system
Do you want to die
on that hill?
They…
The powers that be
Dead in the water
Don’t rock the boat
UNBEACH
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Examine what is at the heart of this “we are at war with each
other” or “what’s the point?” mentality within your company
and address it.
Look at the management structure and philosophy and consider
how it exacerbates this “house divided against itself” philosophy.
Find the origination and heart of this thinking and put a stake
through it—with malice.
Wage War on division and commit to creating a company of
progressive thinkers who love what they do and do what
they love—be the change.
COME TOGETHER,
RIGHT NOW
BEACHED
THE
THEM
THEY
31
PRONOUN PERIL
In Beached Whale companies, other departments and parts of
the company are referred to as “The,” and management is
referred to as “They.”
Customers, vendors, and consultants are viewed as outside
entities instead of as partners and important parts of
the team. This indicates a total disconnect.
“ THE IT department… ”
“ THEY don’t want us to do it that way… ”
“ THE audit group told us we couldn’t… ”
“ THE customers don’t… ”
UNBEACH
“ Words are currency! ” —Tammy Kling
33
There is power in words.
Words become the culture individuals and teams revolve around.
What words are you using?
Insist on using the words “Our” instead of “The” when referring to
other parts of the company including customers and vendors.
“ OUR IT department… ”
“ OUR management team doesn’t want
us to do it that way… ”
“ OUR audit partners told us we couldn’t…”
“ OUR customers don’t… ”
OUR
BEACHED
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BUNKERED SILOS
In BW (Beached Whale) Companies, silos are everywhere, and
they are well protected. Teams talk about other departments and
functions with disdain, and they bemoan how ineffective they are
or how difficult they are to work with. The left hand clearly has no
idea what the right hand is doing. In fact, the two hands are often
working at cross-purposes with each other.
The business is not viewed as an interconnected enterprise but as a
bunch of bits and pieces cobbled together. Success is measured locally
by what our group did, not by the success of the overall outcome.
This is relational death within an organization, a family, or an
individual life. Any individual has many moving cells, parts, and
organs that make up the whole, yet one is just as important and
necessary as the other to function. Healthy companies, individuals,
and relationships are in synch holistically. They function as one.
UNBEACH
37
Enterprise, Enterprise, Enterprise!
Communicate and collaborate so team members view the company
authentically as one entity and not a series of castles. Recognize
that every part is interdependent on the other parts. Create
opportunities for parts and pieces of the company to interact
and collaborate with other parts.
Eliminate all “us/them” talk and attitudes and insist on a strong
collective “we.” View the company as one team that wins or loses
together rather than multiple teams working at odds with each other.
Our wins are your wins. Your losses are ours too.
Healthy companies have a culture of synchronicity.
ELIMINATE