Valley Crossing Exercise

Organization : Two or more people who work together in a structured way to achieve a specific goal or set  of goals

Goal : the purpose that an oranization strives to achieve. Goals are fundamental elements of organizations.

Manager : People responsible for directing the efforts aimed at helping organizations achieve their goals

Management is the practice of consciously and continually shaping organizations. All organizations have people who are responsible for helping them achieve goals. these people are Managers. They may be more obvious in some organizations than in others, but without effective management, organizations are likely to founder. Management process, is sequence of steps with which we run organizations successfully. These steps involved are seen in below figure

                            

Planning implies that managers thing through their goals and actions in advance and that their actions are based on some method, plan, or logic rather than on a hunch. Plans give the organizations its objectives and set up the best procedures for reaching them. Organizing is the process of arranging and allocating work, authority and resources among an organization's members so they can achieve the organization's goals.Leading involves directing, influencing and motivating employees to perform essential tasks. Relationships and time are crucial to leading activities. Finally, the manager must be sure the actions of the organization's members do in moving the organization toward its stated goals. This is the Controlling.

Lets understand Management process in more simpler way by referring to Valley crossing Exercise.

How to Design Organizations ??

Organizations are designed based on objectives, goals and targets. A preconceive notion is present in most of people that organizations are designed according to people and their mentality and ability. But in real, it is never done in such a way. Remember, Never design organization as per peoples ability. Design Organization first and accommodate people later.

Below figure depicts that three persons carrying rod or log and crossing valley.

Goal : To cross valley safely from one side to other side

Team strength : 3 members

                         

Structuring Task:

Managers will structure task such that it is executed in easier way. They are solution designers. We, NITIE MBA Students, are pursuing M.B.A to learn solving difficult problems not simpler ones. Many out side are there to solve simpler ones. This Task is structured in such a way that

• Every one is at equally risky position at all times.
• Communication and feedback across 3 members are instantaneous
• Interdependence among 3 members is crucial
• Distance between two persons are >1 foot step length and <2 foot steps length
• Maximize Excellence
• Maximize Profitability

Below figure gives positions of all players at each crossing position. Person in red color may give impression that he is completely unsafe and Person in green color is totally safe. But structuring of task is done in such way that every one are at equal risk. Being human, we mostly tend to think and believe things which are visible to eyes. For suppose, when we ask 3 members to select any position among these 3, he is gonna select middle position as he feel he is at safer side. He is in preconceive notion that first position may be risky as he is leading team and he might fallen first in valley and being in last position is also too risky since his team mates might leave him after they cross valley :P. Despite equally created opportunities, Humans still select based on their own choice.

                                        

To avoid above problem, Executives need training which is done by HR Team. This is very crucial part, since Executives are people who gonna execute the task. No matter how complex are decisions or budget issues at high level managers, finally it has to be done by low level executives. Hence proper training is mandatory in Business world. Why would IT Giants such as TCS, Infosys and Cognizant invests billions of money to set up Training and Development centers for newly joined employees. All they need to learn is working culture and work discipline.

Below video shows how Valley Crossing Exercise is Executed perfectly by NITIE students.

                           

Lessons Learnt : 

In any organization, design of work flow, structuring of work, training executives, team work, communication between executives and feedback across them, interdependence and good motivation to do work are equally important. Even if one factor goes bad, whole damn thing will collapse. Goals and objectives are to be designed by high level managers and this work is delegated to low level managers through middle level managers.  As this work is assigned to low level executives by low level manager, they should be motivated highly and proper competency should be given in prior to them. It is very important to note that in an organization every one is equally responsible for organization's success or failure. We are not suppose to blame teamwork. Indeed we should eliminate loopholes in earlier stages and strive organization towards goals and objectives.