When years ago I started my Master of Philosophy of Management & Organization I had a rocky three months. Everything I believed in I questioned.
Having studied Business Administration, International Management and Strategic Marketing I had always been taught that everything is makeable. Not explicitely but it was implied. And that seems logical because that is wat management sciences are about. Trying to control the uncontrollable. Becoming masters of our own and our organization's destiny.
In order to become a master there always seem to be a list to follow or an X number of steps toward greatness. I never saw those lists as gospel as I am one of the most critical people I (and lots of other people) know. At least I was until I met all these philosophers. They were even more critical than I was. So compared to them I found myself to be a believer in makeability. Confronted with other insights and thought I had a bit of a crisis and discarded my naieve belief that everything is makeable. Makeability is an illusion. It was the answer I gave my students when they asked why change programs failed, big plans didn't work out or mergers resulted in a desillusion of its own.
It is a fata morgana everyone seems to be chasing though. Just now I read this blogpost "125 tips for buildiging an Irresistible brand". No doubt that these are great suggestions but the sheer number also illustrates how hard it is to make that irresistible brand. The critiqueless comments and the popularity of this particular blog illustrates that people want to believe in makeability and are hungry for lists.
After my baptism into the church of disbelief of makeability I for some time didn't know how to do deal with that. Eventually it came to me. As long as you know and accept that things aren't makeable you just give all that you can to influence actions and contexts. And you accept that you cannot influence everything. And be critical of lists and develop your own approach that you improve upon based on your experience and adapt based on different contexts. Just do not stay trapped in a critiqueless illusion of makeability.
But that is just my point of view on this topic. What is yours?
