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Tr th #3:The more our colleaguesneed scrutiny, the less willingwe are to provide it.

Underneath this unwillingness to providescrutiny or others is that youre too hard ortoo so . I youre too hard, youre apatheticabout the success o others and are unwill-ing to take the time to provide learning toyour colleagues. I youre too so , you havea discom ort with con ronting and ear thatthe recipient will not welcome your counsel.

In either case, the admonishment here isthat organizational success is a shared result,requiring o both the weak and the strong theduciary responsibility o providing con-structive eedback to one another.

Tr th #4:The more you resist scrutiny, themore at risk you become.

Scrutiny imposes boundaries, clari esexpectations, provides the parameters withinwhich we need to unction to be success ulin a given organization and identi es theboundaries beyond which we are at greaterrisk. In application, scrutiny unctions like aence does or a beloved pet. Te admonish-ment here is that even though you can prob-ably dig under or jump over your scrutiny

ences, youll do so at signi cantly greater risk o becoming road kill!

Tr th #5:The more you resist scrutiny, themore comfortable you will be.

Implicit in the imposition o scrutiny isthe expectation o change. Scrutiny revealswhat isnt that should be and what is thatshouldnt be. Scrutiny illuminates that whichis out o alignment and demands action to re-establish alignment. Te admonishment hereis that you cannot subordinate scrutiny to themaintenance o com ort; instead, subordinatecom ort to the maintenance o scrutiny.

Remember, not only is considerablediscom ort attendant to each o the aboveve truths, but each o the above ve truths

also implies the need or change, in responseto which you should expect to encounterboth resistance and resentment. Neutralizingthe emotionalism attendant to these dual

concepts will require commitment, courageand a willingness to subordinate com ort tothe pain o meaning ul, substantive growth. Aew thoughts that may help you manage thegrowing pains are ofered below.

Th D al D lCom ort cannot be the yardstick by which

we measure success--whether personally or organizationally. Com ort simply isnt

how we as pro essionals get to the top o our game, and its not how we lead ourorganizations to peak per ormance.Indeed, the more we mature, themore we realize that it is the very antithesis o com ort thatproduces success.

An openness to scrutiny,better yet a welcoming o it,along with a willingness tochange despite the attendantdiscom orts, afords a state o being that ew pro essionalsand ew organizations enjoy with any degree o longevity:the state o alignment. Consis-tent scrutiny produces consistentalignment. Te act o consistentscrutiny orces into your line o

sight that which is out o align-menta state o awareness that isa necessary precursor to re-align-ment eforts.

Although the tedium required toattain alignment is indeed extreme,that tedium is temporary, and thebene ts o being in a state o alignment more than ofsetthe requisite organizationalendurance.

In conclusion, my peti-tion is that you be a willing,alert participant in an ongoingduel with the dual concepts o scrutiny and change. Yes, itsconsistent with human natureto resist scrutiny and change, butresist your resistance! Because in

your submission to constant scrutiny, inyour submission to change, is your bestyouyour best organizationyourbest results.

About the Author: Francie M. Daltonis the ounder and president o Dalton

Alliances Inc., a business consulting frm providing a ull range o services in the

communication, management and behavioral sciences. For more

in ormation, call 410-715-0484or visit

www.daltonalliances.com

www.ifps.org | www.fluidpowerjournal.com Jan ary/F br ary 2007 | 11

Pro essional Development