Values and Decision Making

You may remember when Shell got into trouble with the Securities Exchange Commission in USA. Very senior members of the Committee of Managing Directors eventually left the Company. This was a good example of where personal values make difficult decision making easier. I mean that if the players knew that the reserves were being mis-represented they should have owned up no matter what the consequences. That way the damage would have been limited rather than the somewhat unlimited damage (cost) that eventually resulted. Yesterday a colleague was having difficulty with the guidance being received from the Boss. We discussed the issue and I offered to tell the Boss (as I have better English). My colleague came back a few minutes later saying that he really was not happy with the Policy from the Boss and He resolved to telephone him. I complimented my Colleague on His re-consideration that was based on His personal values combined with knowledge and experience within the organisation.

PAS 55 Revision

PAS 55 on Asset Management (Part 1 and 2) is currently under revision and the new version is due to publish in June/July 2008.

There was a PAS 55 survey conducted during 2007 to inform and assist regarding the revision of the document. The survey was conducted as an internal exercise (with purchasers and users of the PAS) and  the results from the survey are being circulated externally. However, these results are being taken into consideration when reviewing the current content of the PAS.

Further information on PAS 55 can be found on BSI’s website as well as on the website of The Institute of Asset Management who are sponsoring the current revision of the document.

Introduction

Hi,

Understanding Business Management Process……what is that all about? 

Have you sat through presentations that tell a plausible story but you do not really understand the ”topic specific” language being used. For example does Management really mean Leadership, in some languages there is only one word for these two quite different things. 

Imagine you are asked what training is required for you or your people. What IT support do you need? What documentation is required? What drives the Budget preparation process? How much Maintenance do I need to do in order to meet the production plan. What does the Public Affairs department do?  The answers to these questions are much easier when you, and the people asking the questions, have a common view on the correct way to arrive at the answer. You know what needs to be done first to provide the data for the next stage. No more Carts before Horses.  

This blog is the result of my wanting to understand what people were telling me in many various presentations over the years. I used to get irritated by some solution being offered and not being able to see how it fitted in with the previous ‘truth’  offered in an earlier presentation/book/magazine/website/radio/TV programme.

So with an enquiring mind about 15 years I found some ISO 9000 Material that seemed to be an indesputable ‘truth’; or at least it seemed good enough for my purposes,  and I latched on to it…testing it against the next set of ‘truth’ that I was offered.

Jim