Riding the Blue Train (book by Sayle & Kumar)

Riding the Blue Train: A Leadership Plan for Explosive Growth

B. Sayle & S. Kumar

 A company can’t expect to change its goals and expect to achieve them without changing its people. This is not so much a question of skills as it is of attitudes and behavior. Ways of thinking that were successful in the past may limit the possibility of thinking differently in the future. Many companies conduct themselves under the impression that they are not “broken” and so don’t need fixing. This may be an incorrect assumption, but they can’t or won’t see it.

This book is dedicated to the idea that companies can change themselves from a company in a vicious spiral (red train) to a virtuous cycle (blue train) that unleashes the employees to drive innovation and growth.

 One of the premises of the book is that innovation is a cultural phenomena. Some companies have it and thrive while others do not. The authors suggest that what drives innovative companies is a focus on the individual. – not processes. While processes are not a bad thing, it is not sufficient to support the sort of individual growth required for innovation. The intrinsic motivation of employees can overcome process weakness, but unmotivated employees can’t support a good process.

 

Magical thinking is one key to innovation. A belief that new things are possible. Magical thinking of one of four kinds of thinking found in organizations. Combined with Heroic thinking, Magical thinking allows employees to imagine a different future. Resigned thinkers may accept a different future, but will not act to make it happen. Cynical thinkers will resist change and may discourage others from changing too. Everybody has each of these thinking styles at one time or another, but the styles that dominate control what the person does.

 

 

Magical Thinking Anything is possible There are no limits Think outside of the box	Heroic Thinking I can do anything I am invincible
Resigned Thinking I can’t I’ll see I doubt it Maybe	Cynical Thinking Nobody can It’s impossible There is no possible way

 

Fostering change requires the use of “Five Powers”

Insight

Inspiration

Intentionality

Intentional language

Congruence

 

Insight refers to the power to recognize the underlying dynamic in a situation. Sometimes things are not as they seem, and failure to properly diagnose the situation leads you on the wrong course.

 

Inspiration is the power to induce others to make a special effort. This is not persuasion which is a logical function but inspiration which is an emotional function. It overlaps with motivation, but where motivation may have a carrot-and-sticks aspect, this is an appeal to the person’s “best instincts”.

 

Intentionality refers to the powers of clarity and determination in action. Knowing what is wanted as an outcome and determined persistence in getting it done.

 

Intentional language is the mechanism by which intentionality is spread through an organization. For example, intentional language would not ask whether to do something but ask how. It is insistent language, not language about options.

 

Congruence refers to the relationship between words and action. When the actions of a person match their words, they demonstrate congruence.

 

Expressed in other terms, insight leads to doing the right things and the remaining four powers to doing the right things right. These are things that can be developed by consistent practice – in effect using intentionality to develop better intentionality.

 

One expression of intent arises from alignment. The authors create a metaphor “line of one” to express this concept. Then heart of which is that people get behind a person or idea and work to achieve the goal. They are not just behind them but right behind them. They further observe that alignment could be expressed as A Line Meant. So it is not just the accidental configuration of the organization but the intentional one.

 

Principles of Line of One include:

1. Trust in each other and their good intention.
2. Respect for oneself, fellow workers and external and internal relationships
3. Openness, direct communication and action
4. Accountability by individuals for themselves, and between people
5. Alignment despite disagreement
6. Empowerment through inclusion and freedom
7. Coaching and feedback to insure learning and growth
8. Unity and cooperation in contrast to uniformity and compliance

 

Leadership is a desirable function in any organization, but the authors focus on “breakthrough” leadership. The leaders who transform organizations into stable productive states. Breakthrough leaders are characterized by:

1. Leading by enrollment and engagement
2. Living the vision right now
3. Raising standards
4. Leading, managing and coaching
5. Creating more leaders

 

“The easiest way to predict the future is to create it.”

            Lance Armstrong

 

Changing an organization can be lots of work, but it is not impossible. Much of it can be made predictable. The authors propose a “destination technology” that comprises the following steps.

1. Know where you are
2. Know where you are going
3. Build a new trajectory
4. Make it happen
5. Get feedback
6. Respond flexibly
7. Create a new aspiration

The steps seem simple and obvious, but it may be tempting to skip ahead. Failing to understand the current state may mean that you fail to address important issues in building the trajectory. The other risk is that having created a plan, you stick to the plan too tightly. Remember that the plan is NOT the destination, it is one way to get there. As you learn from execution, you will want/need to adapt the plan to reach the destination. In many cases, it is the final step of creating and gaining engagement with a new aspiration that results in the real change –the preceding steps are just pre-requisites.