Them and Us

As a Nation we still live with hangups from our feudal past. We carry over the attitude as of one subservient to his lord and master. No more so than in the workplace. We wait idle until instructed to do something, then do it to the barest limit of what was told, then wait for notice of task completed and further instructions. No initiative, no ownership just a drone working to direction. The escape excuse being, only carrying out orders, therefore not my fault, no blame can be apportioned and certainly no risk of being accused of using ones own mind. An attitude compounded and reinforced by our later day masters, our managers. As they adopt the imperious tone and attitude, brook no discussion as only they have the deities overview. Any comment from the minions can only be a ploy to sabotage and disrupt an otherwise good plan.

This was brought home to me several years ago when a German nephew was stationed here whilst a new line was brought into production. He was quite taken aback by the prevalent and hostile 'them and us' response from the English workers. So very different from the experiences he had in Germany where everyone, from manager, to Foreman, the shop steward, to tool setter, all took responsibility for sorting out a problem. All remained focused until a mutually agreed solution was found. No matter where the solution originated from, their only concern was that a solutions was found so this problem that impacted on the team was sorted. Sorted by the whole team, that included every single member of the team, none disassociating from it, until the problem was resolved. Maybe not always the fastest solution initially but paying dividends in the long run.

That is what we need now as a Nation. Finally putting aside this 'them and us'. This expectation that it is someone else's job to sort things out, arrange and put in place those expectations we have about daily life. No. This is where I think the 'Big Society' is getting it so wrong. It perpetuates this outmoded concept. The high flying intellectual is dependant on the skills of the craftsman to realise the concept as they both are on the finance man to underwrite the proposition and see it through to producing a profit. Each is interdependent on the other and it behoves neither to say this contribution is greater or more significant than an another. They all are. In my 'Small Society' we all have to shoulder the burden. Speak up and announce a need, discuss with others that need and the obstacles in obtaining it, take the initiative to suggest different tactics to achieve it, be proactive until a delivery path is found and finally to feed back appreciation for a job well done. To be actively part of the solution finding mechanisms not just a sideline identifier of a problem. Not just in the workplace but in all dealings with each other, wherever we are reliant on others to achieve our goals. So now over to you mate for your contribution.