Time OUT from overmanagement

Found in the 27th May edition of Management Issues.com
are the following comments:

"One of the most-prevalent trends in many organizations at the moment is the breaking up of the corporate structure into "business units." The Corporate Cynic has an interesting take on this, arguing that far from making things more efficient or productive, all this is doing is creating the perfect breeding conditions for more executives and their assorted hangers-on and cronies.

...enter the "Business Unit Leaders," the new mini-CEO's who are each managing a product, product line or group of customers. Each leader has his or her personal strategy and agenda. They are charged with leading their business units as if they were separate business enterprises.

The Cynic argues that prior to this latest corporate fad, the structure at most companies was easy to define - it was a simple pyramid. This new structure "can now best be described as being made up of three parts with a pyramid at the top. Lying beneath this structure there is a small sphere that is spinning out of control. Under that sphere is a huge elongated rectangle." That's a description that anyone who has spent some time recently in a large corporation will probably identify with at once.

To make matters worse: "the Business Unit Leaders report to the CEOs...Beneath that layer are the AVPs and directors whose allegiance may lie within a function, a business unit or whoever brought them to the company. Within the elongated rectangle at the bottom of the structure lie the salaried and hourly employees. Squeezed between the pyramid and the rectangle is the spinning sphere containing the remaining middle-management."

In other words, a host of individuals whose roles are unclear existing within an ill-defined management structure and operating competing agendas. In short, not an environment conducive to productivity."

Does this sound like any part of an organisation that you are in at present? If so then reading the article and thinking about its content is something YOU can do when you are feeling a little grumpy about what is going on in your work environment.

Looks tranquil - doesn't it?

It probably IS tranquil - but frankly I would NOT want to take the chance!

Believe it or not some of these lovely places in the Northern Territory have salt water crocodiles prowling about protecting THEIR territory!

Litchfield National Park

Litchfield National Park has a number of waterfalls and pools this are just a few one of them!

You do NOT want to be this close to a prehistoric creature!

This was just one of 5 salt water crocodiles that we had the "pleasure" to meet when on a trip to the Adelaide River in the Northern Territory of Australia.

While I have some sympathy for conservation I have to say that I would prefer to meet these creatures as handbags than in person. This little creature was fully five metres long and in competition with the current dominant male in the area that is about the same size but getting on in years!

Tranquility!

This is RED sandstone?

When you actually walk around Uluru, you will occasionally find some of the spots that lend themselves to paintings that are not in the galleries at present. To try and imagine that red sandstone can look like this is nearly impossible unless you see it for yourself.

PHEW - That stinks!

Of course however careful you are in a national park you will occasionally encounter another species of animal life and perhaps rue the day that you do!

I suspect that this water monitor was less than impressed on encountering the by products of the human species near his favourite haven at Lichfield National Park!

Forget the thongs and the drinking bottle - they at least would be picked up and removed by the interlopers who were simply trying to get cool in the pool! Check out the cigarette butt just above the head of this poor lizard and note the caption!

People who smoke should take more care!

Quite a treat to see these up close

The life of desert fauna seems to be filled with spectacular colour!

Textures and Colours of the Desert

Another set of textures and colours

Dwarfed by nature

If you have ever wondered about what it's like to feel yourself dwarfed by nature, then wonder no more - just stand at a chasm like this one and feel totally insignificant!

If builders are in short supply - hire a termite!

Ants are not termites and termites are not always just termites! In this shot you can see what just one sort of termite can build. Clever people have actually taken the structures built by termites and after having moved the colony used the materials in the structure as building blocks for human habitation - apparently it makes for really cool housing - in more senses of the word than one!

You think birds have no brains?

Just on the off chance that you always thought that birds have no brains - you could be right. THESE birds are born with the instinct to find a rock and crack an emu egg as a food source. We were told by the ranger that these are one of two species of birds that use tools as a hunting technique. So the next time you praise your budgie for its tricks - you think about it!

Colours and textures

There are so many subtle colours in the desert that it is almost impossible to bring them all to my readers. Similarly textures simply have to be seen to be believed - so if seeing is believing - BELIEVE!

Serenity

Amazing how serene a scene like this can be. The peace and quiet that is there in the desert can provide the basis for contemplation and religious awe.

Why am I not surprised that the world's major religions seem to have developed in desert environments!

Sunrise at Uluru

I guess your expectation is that it is will almost always filled with cloudless skies and sunshine. Well if you expect this then you will be disappointed. On the days when we were there it was actually quite cloudy a lot of the time and so the patience required to get ANY shot of the Rock in sunlight at dawn or dusk is a crap shoot.

Desert Flora

Occasionally after rain there are an abundance of flowers in the desert and their delicate blooms are all designed to attract the pollinating insects and so perpetuate the species.

Ain't nature wonderful?

Central Australia 2

If you ever have the chance to walk around Uluru - otherwise known as Ayers Rock you may be surprised to find sights like this one. Barren sandstone with a pool of what appears to be still and somewhat deep water at the base.

I can only imagine what it must be like to have a life style that requires you to start as far away as possible from the rock when water is more plentiful - so you can gather and hunt for food and then as the water supply becomes scarce further away from more permanent pools to head back towards these sources of water and shelter and strive to survive until the weather changes again.

Central Australia

With the country in a drought that has been going on for a number of years there are still garden spots available in the middle of the desert in Australia - this is merely one of them!

Having recently returned from a trip to the so called 'Dead Heart' of Australia I have to say that I have been left simply breathless not only by the natural beauty that is there, but a sense of admiration for the indigenous people who can live there in a climate where these water holes are the exception rather than the rule.