The 8th Habit

CH # 02
THE PROBLEM
 THE PROBLEM

Economic Ages of Civilization

N
Wisdom

Information/Knowledge Worker

Industrial

Agrarian

Hunter/Gatherer
 THE PROBLEM

• We live in a Knowledge worker Age but operate our

organizations in a controlling Industrial Age model that
absolutely that suppresses the release of human potential.

• The fact is, people have taken this same controlling mind-
set home. So often it dominates the way we communicate and
deal with our spouses and the way we try to manage, motivate
and discipline our children.
 THE PROBLEM

THE THING MIND-SET OF THE INDUSTRIAL AGE

• The main assets and primary drivers of economic

prosperity in the Industrial Age were machines and
capital---”things”. People were considered as things

• People were necessary but replaceable.

• When all you want is only a person’s body and you don’t
really want their Mind, Heart or Soul (Spirit), you have
reduced a person to a thing.
 THE PROBLEM

THE THING MIND-SET OF THE INDUSTRIAL AGE

The Problem
Managers today are still applying the Industrial Age control model
to knowledge workers.

Reason
Many in positions of authority do not see the true worth and
potential of their people, they manage people as they do things.
 THE PROBLEM

Results

What happens when you treat people like things today?

• It insults and alienates them, depersonalizes work, and creates
low trust, unionized, litigious cultures.
• They stop believing that leadership cab become a choice.
Most people think of leadership as a position and therefore
don’t see themselves as a leader.

What happens when you treat your teenage children like things?
• It, too, insults and alienates, depersonalizes precious family
relationship and create low trust, contention and rebellion.
THE PROBLEM

FILM MAX & MAX

 THE PROBLEM

THE POWER OF A PARADIGM

• If you want to make minor improvements, work

on behavior and attitudes.
• If you want to make quantum improvements,
work on paradigms.

• A paradigm is like a mental model, an

assumption, or a map.
 THE PROBLEM
Paradigm Shifts

“The world is flat” “The world is round”

“The Earth is the “The Sun is the

center of the solar center of the solar
System” System”

Bloodletting Germ-Theory

People as Things Whole Person

(Manage People (Manage Things;
and Things) Lead/Empower People)

Leadership is a Position Leadership is a Choice

(Formal Authority) (Moral Authority)

Quick Fix Sequential Process

(Outside-in) (Inside-Out)
 THE PROBLEM

THE WHOLE PERSON PARADIGM

• The new Knowledge Worker Age is based on a new paradigm, one

entirely different than the thing paradigm of the Industrial Age. Let’s call
it the Whole-Person Paradigm.

• In this paradigm, there is an answer that why so many people remain

unsatisfied in their work and why most organizations fail to draw out the
greatest talent and creativity of their people and never become truly
great, enduring organizations.

• It seems from an incomplete paradigm of who we are---our

fundamental view of human nature.

• The fundamental reality is, human beings are not things needing to
be motivated and controlled; they are four dimensional……
THE PROBLEM

(Mental)

(Spiritual)

(Social/ (Physical/
Emotional) Economical)
THE PROBLEM
THE PROBLEM

PEOPLE HAVE CHOICES

 THE PROBLEM
PEOPLE HAVE CHOICES---FIVE SCENARIOS
FIRST:
Treated unfairly, lot of politics at play, nepotism,
Pay system unfair not according to your level of contribution.
What would your choice be?
SECOND:
Treated fairly in terms of your pay, but not treated kindly
and not respected, largely depended on the mood of your boss.
What would your choice be?
THIRD:
Paid fairly, treated kindly, but ignored you at the time of
opinion. Your body and heart are valued but not your mind.
What would your choice be?
 THE PROBLEM

PEOPLE HAVE CHOICES---FIVE SCENARIOS

FOURTH:
Paid fairly (body), treated kindly (heart), involved
creatively (mind), the work is meaningless (spirit).
What would your choice be?
FIFTH:
Paid fairly (body), treated kindly (heart), involved
creatively (mind), but there is a lot of lying and cheating going
on with the customers, suppliers, including employees (spirit).
What would your choice be?
THE PROBLEM
 THE PROBLEM

PEOPLE HAVE CHOICES---FIVE SCENARIOS

The answers fall into the three categories:
(1) People would rebel or quite
(2) Malicious obey
(3) Best willingly comply

 But in today’s Information/Knowledge Worker Age, only one

who is respected as a whole person in a whole job---paid fairly,
treated kindly, used creatively and given opportunities, that
person will work with cheerful cooperation, heartfelt commitment
or creative excitement.
Thanks