Thursday, December 9, 2021

Why Is A Deep Insight Into Virtual Organizations A Must?

 

The New Virtual Organization World

It's a New Principled and Civilized World, It's Virtual and It's Organized







How do you begin a conversation with a  veteran Welder  - and convince him - about some new technology which allows you to seal a metal pipe against fire, water, acid, and gas without welding?  

How do you begin a conversation with a veteran Cowboy or Gunslinger about::: and convince him of:::the importance of a highly disciplined and professional Army and the need to obtain formal military and leadership training at a Military Academy?

How do you begin a conversation with a 5-Star Army General about:::and convince him of:::the importance of having a separate Navy Branch and the need for these navy members to obtain formal naval military and leadership training at a Naval Academy?

How do you begin a conversation with a 5-Star Army General  about:::and convince him of:::the importance of having a separate Air Force Branch and the need for these pilots and other members to obtain formal military aviation and leadership training at an Air Force Academy? 

How do you begin a conversation with a 4-Star Air Force General about:::and convince him of:::the importance of having a separate Space Force Branch and the need for their members to obtain formal military space force and leadership training at a Space Force Academy?     

How do you begin a conversation with a Savvy Internet User or Digital Gig Worker or Remote Worker who is not only internet-savvy  :: but also accustomed to working with a plethora of technical resources and virtual infrastructure on the web or in the Cloud in order to communicate or cooperate with existing colleagues and others ::  and convince him that there is a fundamental difference between  a Remote Workforce, hybrid workforce, virtual workforce, globally-distributed virtual workforce, virtual team - and a Virtual Organization 

How do you begin a conversation with members of the Executive Leadership Team of an organization, institution, or government  :: who are completely clueless of the fact that there is a difference between a Remote Workforce, hybrid workforce, virtual workforce, globally-distributed virtual workforce, virtual team and Virtual Organization ::  and convince them on the importance of having a separate, highly disciplined and professional Virtual Organization Leadership Force and the need for these members to obtain formal virtual organization leadership training at a Virtual Organization Leadership Academy?

How do you begin a conversation with the Chief Human Resources Officer of an organization, institution, or government  :: who is completely clueless of the fact that there is a fundamental difference between a Remote Workforce, hybrid workforce, virtual workforce, globally-distributed virtual workforce, virtual team and a Virtual Organization :: and convince him or her on the importance of having a  Chief Virtual Organization Resources Officer (CVORO) reporting directly to the Chief Virtual Organization Architect ("CVOA" or  "Head") of their organization's Virtual Organization Leadership Force and the need for both the CVOA and CVORO to obtain formal virtual organization leadership training at a Virtual Organization Leadership Academy?

Alright, I am sure that, by now, you have gotten the drift and fully understand where this conversation is heading.  The point being, it is really difficult for people who are so deeply entrenched in a position of power and responsibility to admit that they lack competence in a particular field or function which falls outside their scope of jurisdiction and expertise; thence the need for them to voluntarily relinquish existing powers and responsibilities for the sake of meeting organizational and institutional objectives.  

In fact, it is not a character flaw or personal failure,  it is just human nature. 
However, that being said, it is indeed a serious failure of leadership and gross dereliction of duty for these stakeholders to keep their head buried in the sand by refusing to take the necessary steps to explore what these fundamental differences are so that they can begin to address the Obsolescence of their craft and prevent their role and function and organization from becoming Obsolete.  

(There is a huge difference between obsolescence and obsolete.  Obsolescence is a good thing and an  ordinary occurrence in the course of events.  However, becoming Obsolete is a dreaded event.)    

Time to Play The Devil's Advocate

For example, let me play the devil's advocate with respect to each of the foregoing scenarios as I also address the words Obsolescence and Obsolete:

  • The Welder Scenario
If I were the world's renowned Welder, my natural tendency would have been to dismiss out of hand any purported claim about any new technology which either accomplishes or replaces or will gradually replace what I have been doing over a lifetime without the use of welding.    

The point being, the greater your reputation and claim to fame in a particular profession, the more wedded you are to your craft; the more your craft becomes Welded to your entire being and psyche; and the greater your reluctance to accept the fact that "some innovation out there in the wild or some fresh perspective out of left field" may eventually hang a cloud over your current sunshine or one day may even render you obsolescent or obsolete.   

The bottom line is this:   Although a particular craft or practice may become obsolescent, No One Looks Forward to Becoming Obsolete.   (I know that horrible feeling from first-hand experience.)   

The reality is this:   All true masters of their craft understand the relationship between Obsolescence and Innovation.   They not only welcome obsolescence but also look forward to becoming obsolescent. 
   
Why is that, you might ask?   Well, that's because Progress and Innovation Stand On the Shoulders of Obsolescence.    Obsolescence is merely a warning signal which gives you the time needed (i.e., a window of opportunity) to make Progress toward an orderly transition to Innovation.  

As my late father Joseph A. Coupet was fond of saying every time I achieved anything, no matter how infinitesimal, little or great the significance, or whenever I made a profound comment or remark:   
"La ou l'eleve ne depasse pas le maitre,  il n'y a pas de progrès."   Roughly translated "Where the student does not surpass the teacher, there is no progress." 

That was his way of expressing satisfaction at his labor of love, trying to inculcate me with certain values - and claiming credit for it.   It was also a brilliant way to keep me motivated.   And to this very day, I cherish every single opportunity to give him a well-deserved credit. 

The moral of the story.    Therefore, learn how to set aside your petty feelings as well as fears and insecurities in order to learn how to welcome obsolescence and innovation :: and thus become A True Master of Your Craft.     You can rest in the knowledge ::: and be proud of the fact ::: that the innovators in your field stand on the shoulders of giants - your shoulders.   

  • The Cowboy Gunslinger Scenario

If I were one of the world's renowned cowboys or fastest guns in the Wild West, my natural tendency would have been to dismiss out of hand the necessity of having to undergo any formal military training at some military academy in order to protect myself and my family in the town that I live in - especially when I know that I can  win any sort of hand-to-hand combat with, or outgun, any individual soldier during any life-and-death confrontation. 

And with respect to fellow cowboys and gunslingers, we all live and die by a set of rules which, to this date, have worked pretty well for all of us - and thus we prefer to remain with the status quo.    

As for the surrounding tribes of native Indians, since we have successfully managed to terrorize them and bring them under total submission; thus, I don't really see a need to undergo formal training at any military academy and for any military discipline in order to keep the peace.  "Have Gun, Will Travel Anywhere" is our motto.  

As to the possibility of a foreign invasion, due to our geography and topography, we can readily discount such possibility - especially when we know (or have been led to believe by our federal government) that our borders are safe and secure from such a threat. 

Therefore, I would readily conclude that formal military and leadership training at some military academy is really not worth losing the sort of freedom and flexibility that I currently enjoy.  

The point being, in the absence of any compelling, credible or manufactured threat :::: or official mandate backed by coercion or the threat of the use of force :::: people have a natural tendency to remain oblivious to the realities surrounding them and prefer to "cross that bridge when they get there," by which time it is too late for most.   

They refuse to believe that times are changing, and time waits for no one.  And that the inexorable march of obsolescence compels us all to either adapt and thrive or get discarded along the way.  The strong survive and the weak perish.

The bottom line is this:   Obsolescence is a fact of life.   Ignore it at your own peril. Hence the reason why the United States government had no choice but to institute military conscription (the draft) during most major military conflicts.  Moreover, to this day, all males residing in the US who are between the ages of 18-25 are required to register with the Selective Service System for potential conscription. 

The reality is this:   All true masters of their craft understand the relationship between Obsolescence and The Future.   They not only welcome obsolescence but also look forward to becoming obsolescent. 
   
Why is that, you might ask?   That's because The Future Stands On the Shoulders of Obsolescence.    Obsolescence merely gives us the time needed to prepare for the future.   The cowboys and gunslingers of yesteryears learned that lesson the hard way with the advent of  military conscription. 

The moral of the story.    Therefore, learn how to set aside your petty feelings as well as outdated notions and fears and insecurities in order to learn how to adapt and thrive in the future which awaits us all :: it's not a matter of if, but when.   

  • The 5 Star Army General-Navy Branch Scenario

I can imagine myself being the Supreme Military Commander of a nation basking in the lures and trappings of power.  Out of the blue, the Secretary of Defense calls me into his office to announce that all the naval units now under my command will be transferred to a newly established Navy branch headed by an Admiral (4-Star General equivalent) who will report directly to the Secretary of Defense.  He then assigns me to provide full support and cooperation to one of my subordinates who has been promoted to Admiral and assigned to head the new Navy branch.   

Honestly speaking, even if I were asked to provide my input prior to this final decision, how would I feel about this decision?

Well, let's face it, people who are accustomed to power and privilege regard any increase in responsibilities and perks as a promotion for outstanding performance or a job well-done.   Conversely, they consider any decrease in responsibilities as a de-facto demotion for not being up to the task at hand - regardless of how it is presented.    

Being that I am human like everybody else, that would be my first inclination.  Anybody who tells you any different is full of shit.   

The bottom line is this:   You cannot allow one person's ego and prior achievements to stand in the way of progress and innovation.   The Mission comes first and fulfillment of an organization's mission requires Specialization.   Specialization requires that you assign the very best minds and devote the necessary amount of resources needed to ward off  Irrelevance and becoming Obsolete.  Hence, the need for an Evangelist at the helm of a specialized branch.    

In fact, it would be a gross dereliction of duty to allow someone who does NOT have a demonstrable track-record of being an Evangelist for Progress and Innovation in a particular field of Specialization to have any sort of decision-making authority over whether or not to proceed in such direction.   

Hence the reason why the Secretary of Defense did not bother to ask the Supreme Commander of the Army for his (biased) input or approval on whether or not to proceed with the establishment of the Navy as a new branch of the country's military.  

The reality is this:   All true masters of their craft understand the dangers associated with huge egos and being a Jack-of-All-Trades, and thus crave the need for Specialization and the imperative to have an Evangelist at the helm.   They understand when to let go and not stand in the way of Progress and Innovation.   The Mission comes first. 

The moral of the story.    Therefore, learn how to set aside your huge egos and petty feelings as well as your outdated notions and fears and insecurities in order to allow the organization to adapt and thrive in the future which awaits us all :: it's not a matter of if, but when.   

  • The 5 Star Army General-Air Force Branch Scenario 

Ditto the case for The 5 Star Army General-Navy Branch Scenario.

  • The 4 Star Army General-Space Force Branch Scenario

Ditto the case for The 5 Star Army General-Navy Branch Scenario.

  • Savvy Internet User or Digital Gig Worker or Remote Worker Scenario

Alright, it's now time to stop beating around the bushes.  Let us deal with today's realities when it comes to a range of professionals who work off-site via the internet.

It's a well-known fact today that a great number of  businesses, organizations, institutions, and governments make use of these savvy internet users, digital gig workers, remote workers, virtual contractors, and virtual small businesses (collectively referred to as "Off-Site Internet Professionals" or "OSIP") from various fields and industries spanning various levels and ranges of specialization.

Moreover, this time around, I don't have to imagine myself being one of these Off-Site Internet  Professionals for the simple reason that I used to be one of them (a virtual small business) during the years 1993-1997 prior to founding the virtual organization management discipline back in April 1997; and thus can speak from actual experience.

Back then, prior to founding the virtual organization management discipline, if someone had told me that what I was attempting to do or accomplish needed to be done within the structure, fabric and context of a Virtual Organization and that I ::: as well as those whom I engaged with and/or who reported to me ::: needed to obtain formal Virtual Organization Leadership training, my very first inclination would have been to wonder the following:

    • What the hell is this person talking about?  Jesus Christ!  Who cares about Virtual Organizations, Virtual Organization Leadership, Virtual Organization Leadership Training, and Virtual Organization Management?  
    • In any case, how much is the training and who is going to pay for it anyway?  And even if we could afford to pay for it, we can't afford to have someone off the job for 66 business days (90 calendar days or 12 weeks) - that's a long period of time.   

(Even though 12 weeks is the standard length of a maternity leave in California and some employees can get up to 7 months of time for each pregnancy.)

    • And what the hell is a virtual organization anyway?  Is that the same as a virtual team?  Is that the same as a virtual business? Is that a globally-distributed team?  Why do I need one?  We are a rock solid brick-and-mortar organization, so why do we need all this crap and complication?
    • All I need is someone who:  1) has access to the internet; 2) has the necessary tools for the job;  3) is qualified to do the job;  4) agrees on the scope of requirements and deliverables and due date; 5) and is able to deliver as promised and on schedule.   In other words, I am only interested in performance.
    • I couldn't care less as to what that person does, how he does it, or when he does it as long as I get results.  I am not interested in micro-managing anyone.   It's all about results.

Alternatively, from an Independent Contractor or Remote Worker standpoint, my inclination would be:

    • What is all this nonsense about virtual organizations, virtual organization leadership, virtual organization leadership training, and virtual organization management?  And what the hell is so difficult about working remotely?  I've been doing that for years. 
    • All I need is the following:   1) access to the internet; 2) the necessary tools for my job or project; 3) the qualifications for the job; 4) an agreement on the scope of requirements and deliverables and due date; and 5) the ability to deliver as promised and on schedule.   In other words, the only thing from me you should be concerned about is results.   In summary, your primary concern should be whether or not I am qualified to do the job and if I can deliver as promised and on schedule.  

    Yep, in other words, I used to fall into this category of naive and clueless brick-and-mortar employers, remote workers, and independent contractors - and Certified Morons - who thought that way.  

    The point being:   This mentality pervades practically ALL Remote Workers, individuals, Decision-Makers and Executives at businesses, organizations, institutions and governments throughout the globe (i.e., all sectors of the global economy) and stands in the way of progress and innovation.   

    Luckily for me and the entire global community, since my business ventures over the past 45 years have never been backed by investors, due to my refusal to even consider accepting any investment offers, I had no choice but to learn the hard and painful way - and very quickly.   

    The lessons I learned from my experience and tremendous amount of research taught me the difference between: 
    • The Welders of the Brick-And-Mortar World emanating from Wall Street to Main Street  and from The White House to The Outhouse ::::  
    • The Internet Cowboys and Gunslingers,  Savvy Internet Users,  Digital Gig Workers ::::  
    • The Remote Workers, Hybrid Workers ::::  
    • The Globally-Distributed Teams, Globally-Distributed Team Members ::::  
    • The Virtual Teams, Virtual Team Members, Virtual Businesses, Virtual Management, Virtual Leadership Team, Virtual Leadership Team Members :::: and, last but not least,   
    • Virtual Organizations, Virtual Organization Members, Virtual Organization Leadership, and Virtual Organization Management   
    The net result of these lessons taught me the importance and value of  virtual organizations, virtual organization leadership, virtual organization management and the need for the virtual organization management discipline.  
    Hence the reason why I founded both the virtual organization management discipline in 1997 and, to this date, the world's very first and only virtual organization management institute.  Since then, I have gone on to founding the world's only bona fide virtual organizations; and have been a strong advocate and proponent of virtual organizations worldwide.

    The bottom line is this:   This so-called Pandemic is simply a wake-up call and a dire warning to us all that we should heed, at the risk of our own peril.   We have not been taking advantage of the tremendous amount of virtual organization, virtual organization leadership, and virtual organization management resources that have been made available to us all for nearly a quarter of a century.

    It took the fear of a Pandemic, Casedemic, Plandemic, Scamdemic,  or Manufactured Epidemic :: it's entirely up to you to decide which one it is :: for all businesses, organizations, institutions, governments, and people worldwide to realize that they could carry out certain functions, events and activities online or via videoconference and that certain employees (Remote Workers) could work from home or any other location as long as they had access to the internet.  

    Zoom became the flavor videoconference solution of the day and the phrase Remote Worker became the mantra of the day and corporate refrain. 
    Prior to this pandemic, all these so-called leading luminaries and visionary leaders of the 21st century had their head buried in the sand - AND STILL DO TO THIS VERY DAY, MINUTE AND SECOND.   

    They Have All Learned the Wrong Lesson from the Pandemic.   The only lesson that the world learned from this pandemic is that "the current Remote Worker management model is unsustainable and that these entities need to get their people back to the office as soon as possible."  

    Guess what?  Coming from the founder of the virtual organization management discipline and the world's foremost advocate of virtual organizations, I know you are going to be surprised to hear what I am about to say:    
     
    I totally and completely agree with them for the simple reason that virtual organizations, virtual organization leadership, and the virtual organization management discipline have never been about teaching Remote Workers how to participate in videoconferences and work from home via the internet.     

    It's Been a Real Shit Show All Across The Board!    

    Moreover, during this ongoing pandemic, my actual and personal experience across the board with many of these enterprises, organizations, global institutions and branches of government across the globe further buttresses the lesson that these entities have learned during this so-called pandemic. 
       
    For Example, there is absolutely no reason in the world why a 5-minute transaction in a Pre-Pandemic or Virtual Organization environment now takes more than nine (9) months to complete in a Remote Worker environment.   (Yes, I had to wait for 9 months to receive a copy of a legal document.) 

    Think of this for just one quick second:   A 5-minute transaction in a Virtual Organization environment versus a 388,800-minute transaction in a Remote Worker environment.  This is beyond insanity! 

    In fact, that is a shame and total disgrace.  Shame on our entire global civilization for thinking and behaving like the aforementioned bunch of Cowboys and Gunslingers.   

    Here we are in the United States of America, theoretically speaking, the most powerful, literate, well-informed, democratic, and technologically advanced country in the world - no need to  laugh or go into complete shock.   Yet, without exception, 
    • we have all been completely hobbled by the fear of a virus;  
    • we have all been subjected to the heaviest bombardment of lies, errors and omissions, misinformation, disinformation, propaganda and the most diabolical and advanced mind control experiment in the entire history of mankind
    • we have all been subjected to the most severe form of Domestic Violence ::: including the most horrific form of Physical, Mental, Psychological, and Emotional Abuse ::: ever inflicted in the history of mankind by a Nation-State on its entire population ::: at the local neighborhood, village, city, county, municipal, state, provincial, federal, and global level;   
      • we have all been turned into a bunch of crying infants, fearful adolescents, bullied children,  adults suffering from domestic violence or battered housewife syndrome, terrified and obedient slaves, fearful and barking chihuahuas, and obedient attack dogs unleashed on those who would dare to question the narratives of those "who want to keep us safe"; 
      • we have all been herded like a bunch of sheep and cattle;    
      • we have all been brainwashed, coerced, intimidated, forced or compelled to have biological agents unleashed into our veins like a swarm of locusts, all in the name of "keeping us safe" and the greater good;    
      • we have all been transformed into a veritable army of zombies, automatons, cyborgs, biological machines, and certified morons; 
      • we have all been required to conform ::::   
        • to the edicts, mandates and dictates of a horde of totalitarians and barbarians ::::   
        • under pain of:  segregation in concentration camps for the unvaccinated, domestic public transportation bans, domestic travel bansinternational travel bans, carte blanche societal exclusion, prohibition to make a living in our profession,  discriminatory surcharges, financial penalties, beatings, arrest, torture, confinement and death, or being labeled and derided as a bunch of dumb, ignorant,  stupid, and insensitive right-wing anti-vaxxers ::::  
        • edicts that are enforced under color of law by an array of useful idiots, cowards,  unprincipled bureaucrats, geopolitical leadership airheads, certified morons, numbskulls, sycophants, monsters in the flesh,  an army of badge-wearing and gun-toting and baton-wielding primitive and barbaric savages,  a swarm of little  tyrants with Napoleon complex,  and  an elaborate nest of faux intellectuals  spanning all disciplines, fields and industries  :::: 
        • who are suffering from the scourge of cowardice, corruption, moral perversion,  utter depravities, as well as intellectual and scientific standard deprivation;   
      • we have all been made completely impotent and reduced to the status of a Third World nation or banana republic with barely any form of advanced technological infrastructure.   

      We've all been set back at least thirty (30) years by resorting to making telephone calls which  
      • ring endlessly without any response; 
      • or are placed on hold for a long period of time and automatically disconnect;  
      • or are placed on hold for hours on end prior to getting a response from a live attendant; 
      • or are automatically answered by AI robots or digital answering systems.  
      Imagine leaving messages and getting no response whatsoever.  Imagine having to deal with millions of live attendants who are ill-equipped to provide accurate information or meaningful assistance. 
       
      We have to schedule in-person appointments and drive long distances for what used to take (and should only take) a few seconds or minutes to do online.
      Blaming any of these horrors on a so-called pandemic is shameful, embarrassing, a gross dereliction of duty, a complete disgrace and nothing but a pathetic excuse for organizations and executives who have been caught flat-footed and asleep at the switch.   Shame on our entire so-called Western civilization with a horde of Zombies and Morons at the helm.

      These horrors are cardinal sins in the Pre-Pandemic and Virtual Organization World and the only way to atone for them is for the entire Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors of these entities to simply acknowledge in words and deeds:  

      "I fully understand that I fucked up royally and was caught asleep at the switch.  It's been a gross leadership failure on my part.  I will take the appropriate measures to ensure that we will never have to relive this nightmare."   

      However, that being said, how many executives in business, organizations, institutions, and governments across the globe do you really believe have the intestinal fortitude, integrity, principled leadership ethos - and balls - to admit such a colossal mistake?   It's a rhetorical question so don't bother trying to come up with an answer.        

      By the way, this is just the icing on the cake. I could list a litany of horrors over the past two years - and which is ongoing - that would take thousands of pages to cover in depth.  
       
      History Will Not Be Kind to Our Current Civilization 
       
      It pains me to say that history will not be kind to us, a so-called civilized people :: and the entire human race, in general ::  to have so easily succumbed to the machinations, and the scale of the horrors and depravities,  that the children of Mephistopheles ::: a relatively small group of tyrants who are in fact the personification of evil ::: were able to inflict on the entire global population. 

      The saddest part of it all is that ::: unless we change course now and veer toward a new world whose pillars rest on the foundation of human evolution instead of technological evolution :::  this cruel, pathetic and frightening episode is bound to repeat itself over and over again throughout the entire course of human history,  albeit on a much greater scale, due to future advances in technology.    

         
      The moral of the story.    All true masters of their craft understand that "being overwhelmed, having a hectic schedule, failing to recognize the urgency to act and assign the correct priority, willful ignorance, and being caught asleep at the switch" are not an excuse for failure to act especially when one has been forewarned.  
       
      When forewarned about being in a current state of Obsolescence which will eventually lead to becoming Obsolete, you have a moral duty and obligation to investigate.   For the simple reason that once your organization becomes Obsolete, the "we will cross that bridge when we get there" mentality can only take you across the Obsolete bridge into oblivion and the dustbin of history. 
       
      No amount of mea culpas and self-flagellation after the fact :: or playing it safe by not sticking your neck out to advocate unpopular ideas and concepts which you feel may adversely affect your standing with your peers and colleagues or career :: can undo the damage caused by the abdication of your responsibilities and fiduciary obligation to your organization and, by extension, to mankind. 
          
      Innovation begins at home, with you, otherwise, it will be impossible for you to recognize it in others.  As the old saying goes, it takes one to know one.  It's time to Stop Talking Innovation on the lecture circuit and in the media, Just Innovate.  
       
      It's time for us to recognize and admit that the current Organizational Management and Corporate Governance Model is in a state of Obsolescence.  It's time to explore the advent of  Virtual Organizations, the modern and revolutionary concept of Virtual Organization Leadership, the Virtual Organization Management discipline, and the need for a Virtual Organization Leadership Force  which can co-exist as a distinct and separate entity of the brick and mortar organization.    
       
      (Think of the aforementioned Space Force now operating as a separate and distinct entity reporting directly to the Department of Defense instead of its precursor, the United States Air Force.)    
       
      Therefore, learn how to set aside your huge egos, petty feelings, outdated notions, and fears and insecurities in order to allow your organization to adapt and thrive in the future which awaits us all :: it's not a matter of if, but when.   You've got nothing to lose.  

      • The Members of the Executive Leadership Team Scenario

      Every single word in this document, up to this point, applies to each and every single one of the following:  Chairman and CEO of industry; Other C-Level Executive; Member of the Executive Leadership Team or Executive Board; Member of the Board of Directors; Chief Executive of a Government Branch; and Cabinet Member of the Executive Branch of every single Government across the globe.   

      I can imagine myself  being the Chairman or CEO of a Global 5000 organization or Chief Executive of a government branch receiving this document from the founder of Virtual Organization Advisors; and asking myself this question as well as commenting after a very quick 10-second scan:   

      Why did the founder of Virtual Organization Advisors bother to send me this document?  I don't have time for things like that.  This falls within the domain of human resources and should have been sent to our Chief Human Resources Officer or Chief of Staff.    

      Thus, my first inclination would be to immediately forward it to the Chief Human Resources Officer of our organization or Chief of Staff for appropriate handling at his or her own discretion. 

      Of course, in the absence of any specific directives from me, the Chief Human Resources Officer would also ask herself the following question and make this comment after a very quick 10-second scan: 

      Why did the CEO forward this document to me?  I've got a real hectic schedule and don't really have time to deal with such mundane matters.  I don't even understand what this is all about.  We are not a virtual organization.  I'll just go ahead and forward it to my secretary so she can forward it to someone in Human Resources for a follow-up reply to the founder of Virtual Organization Advisors - in accordance with established protocols for approving vendors who seek to do business with us when we have a need for Remote Workers or virtual people.    

      (Don't laugh!  Although the characters are different, this scenario is based on a real-life situation we had dealing with a Forbes 2000 global enterprise.   To describe this situation as a "veritable faux-pas" is an understatement!)   

      The point being, things happen at such a fast pace in this roller coaster environment and topsy-turvy world that we all live in, that no one has the time :::: or is willing to stop and take the time ::::  to pay attention to critical and fundamental changes in their environment.    

      Hence the reason why we are constantly operating in automatic mode and thus habitually fail to understand the need to pause in order to learn what to prioritize and how.    

      As a result, many organizations become Irrelevant and Obsolete over a period of time without understanding the reasons why.

      Understanding the Two (2) Fundamental Forces at Play in Every Single Entity.   The bottom line is this, there exists within every single entity in the world two (2) fundamental forces that are always at play, each of which is engaged in an Olympic Relay Race:   1) The Progress and Innovation Force Relay Team, and 2) The Irrelevance and Obsolete Force Relay Team.  

      It is the duty of a CEO to recognize these two fundamental forces at play within their entity and to identify the primary stakeholders (relay team players).   Once that is taken into account, the CEO must assume the position of First Runner in each relay team whose responsibility is to pass the baton of Obsolescence to the Second Runner of such team - and monitor the performance of each relay team all the way to their finish line. 

      You will notice that there are two (2) separate relay teams within your organization instead of just one relay team and that the CEO is the First Runner of each team.  

      In case you are wondering the reasons why, just think of a Virtual Organization Leadership Force within your organization as The Progress and Innovation Force Relay Team, and your existing brick and mortar Executive Leadership Team as The Irrelevance and Obsolete Force Relay Team.    

      What becomes clearly obvious is that you certainly don't want to mix these two relay teams together since each one has a different agenda.  One is focused on your organization making it to the Progress and Innovation finish line, whereas the other one is focused on your organization maintaining and managing the status quo while trying to forestall the eventual date and time that your organization reaches the Irrelevance and Obsolete finish line.  

      These two relay teams are NOT mutually exclusive and, in fact, complement each other.    

      Hence the reason why it is imperative that every single CEO and other key members of the Executive Leadership Team set aside the time to obtain a deep insight into virtual organizations in order to understand why and how these relay teams complement each other.    

      The moral of the story.    As the old saying goes, the buck stops here.   As well, when the founder of an entity contacts you directly, refrain from exhibiting the sort of raw and naked apathy, pompousness, arrogance, ignorance, willful ignorance and stupidity hidden under the veneer of prestigious titles, degrees and prior achievements which so often characterize many CEOs who naturally assume that they know all there is to know about their organization and business :::: and that "they don't need to pay attention or show any amount of respect and courtesy" to a messenger they are not familiar with;  a founder or chief executive officer who is not in the limelight and is not being heavily promoted in the mainstream media.    
      That person may very well turn out to be much more important to your entire organization:::and your career:::than the sum total of all these "famous names" and mainstream media hypes that you're familiar with. 

      • The Chief Human Resources Officer Scenario 

      Ditto the case made for all the foregoing scenarios.  

      I can also imagine myself being the CHRO of an organization and not having the decision-making authority to contact Virtual Organization Advisors in order to gain valuable insights on virtual organizations and what this portends for the future of our organization.    

      I would be furious about being a defanged cobra, toothless lion or declawed tiger.  And so should every CHRO worth their salt.  After all, being a CHRO is more than being a photogenic executive representing their organization; being paraded in the media as a success story; and being on the front page of dozens of magazines and business publications. 

      Being a firebrand, I can also imagine myself getting fired after my first month on the job for telling the CEO and the entire Board of Directors that they are a bunch of numbskulls for not understanding, or for refusing to understand,  the critical role that virtual organizations and, by extension, a Virtual Organization Leadership Force, are bound to play in the future of every single entity across the globe :::: and that my role should be represented in the boardroom.   

      Moreover, my own personal experience dealing with just about every single Chief Human Resources Officer at any leading organization across the globe has been that they naturally have a tendency to exhibit the symptoms and behavior of people walking on eggshells.    

      They seem to be extremely conservative, timid, unwilling to stick their neck out to advocate unpopular ideas and innovation not yet adopted by the mainstream; are very self-conscious about their image and, by extension, the public image of the entity they represent; are very risk-averse and thus are very loathe to take any sort of risks which may have an adverse impact on their position, career and livelihood ::: being that they are members of a relatively small clique and highly specialized community.     

      To paraphrase a number of comments which pretty much reflect the overall sentiment of most of whom I have had the opportunity to interact with all over the globe at some level or another over the past 15 years: 

      Very interesting program! I will discuss this option with my superior... :::  These 90 days of absence will be hard to sell to the CEO and other members of the Executive Leadership Team ::: Pierre, we need this program and money is not really an issue, it's just that in comparison to what your organization is offering, we are really in the Stone Age and I don't think my colleagues are mentally prepared for it :::  We waste a lot of money on expensive consultants and corporate training programs which don't even come close to your program in terms of both cost and value, would you be willing to come to our annual corporate retreat in Miami in order to make the  case for me?    

      By the way, the foregoing statements reflect comments from CHROs or equivalents who actually took the initiative to contact us first.   As well, I know for certain that many have tried very hard to obtain approval from these powers-that-be.   However, too many of them seem to get turned down at the Executive Leadership Team and Board levels.  Thus, they are absolved of all potential charges of being apathetic, short-sighted, willfully ignorant and incompetent. 

      The moral of the story.    Besides paying CHROs a lot of lip service, it's about time that most of them get represented in the boardroom.    In fact, I firmly believe that ALL CHROs should be represented on the Board.  Their role, in many instances, can be equally important to that of the CEO, for the simple reason that they are the steward of every single entity's most valuable resources: their personnel.

      They must be able to provide significant input in the direction of an organization instead of their current rubber-stamping role.   In which case, there is no better place for them to make their case than in the boardroom.

      In Conclusion

      This is the most comprehensive document in the world on the subject of why all executives and entities worldwide should pause a bit in order to take the time to obtain a deep insight into virtual organizations.  Thus, I highly recommend that you Bookmark this document  for your own personal reference whenever you have a need to make a compelling argument on this subject with the powers-that-be in your organization as well as with friends and colleagues.   

      I also invite you to share the link to this document with your Forbes Global 2000 or Global 5000 CHRO friends and colleagues and whomever else you believe would be receptive to the information enclosed herein.

      Logical Next Step For All Decision-Makers:   Proceed to Virtual Organization Advisors for a Deep Insight Into Virtual Organizations.  

      Supplemental Information For Advocates of Human Evolution 

      Moreover, I invite you to review, at your own leisure, these additional documents which offer a deep insight into the virtual organization management discipline, virtual organization leadership, as well as the need for mankind to make the transition from Human Being to Intelligent Being and further embark on the road to Human Evolution.   No need to rush, just bookmark this page, you have an entire lifetime to read them:   


      Let Us Manifest!



      About Author:  Pierre Coupet, Q of VOM is the founder of Virtual Organization Management Institute (VOMI), Virtual Organization Management Institute Repository,  VOMI Global Think Tank VOMI Virtual Organization AcademyVirtual Organization LeadershipVirtual Organization AdvisorsVirtual Organization RecruiterDigital Currency Consortium, Digital Currency Ethical Board,  Virtual Organization  Executives, and Blockchain Executives :: founder of the modern virtual organization management and virtual organization recruitment disciplines pioneered since 1997:: founder of League of Extraordinary Virtual Organization Executives:: and Lead Architect of  Futuristic City-State Enclave Based On a Civilized World Financial SystemContact Online


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      Copyright 2007-2021. Pierre Coupet. VOMI. Virtual Organization Management Institute. Virtual Organization Leadership. Virtual Organization Advisors.  Virtual Organization Executives. Blockchain Executives. VOMI Virtual Organization Academy. Virtual Organization Recruiter. VOMI Global Think Tank. All rights reserved. Cannot be reproduced without permission.