Among
the myriad things we live with – often without a second thought – microbes,
entropy and endless government waste to name a few, there is also dysfunction.
Not
only do we choose to live with dysfunction, I believe most of us subconsciously
decide how much of it we’ll deal with before we’re forced into action. I call this the ALD, or Acceptable Level of Dysfunction.
A
company’s Management team is sweating bullets because of yet another delay in a
new product roll-out. Further
investigation determines that Production is waiting on Engineering for the
prototype, while Engineering is awaiting the go ahead from Finance, which is pleading
for cost-per-unit figures from Sourcing, which is screaming for estimates from Sales,
which is… you get the picture. Here is an example of an entity which has found
their ALD.
But
dysfunction is not limited to corporations.
Take Kyle and Kim, a wholly fictitious couple I’ve invented to make a
point. Kyle is an avid golfer, and
spends most weekends on the course, weather permitting. Kim, a “golfer’s widow” resents Kyle spending
so much time away, and responds with weekend afternoon shopping sprees, pedicures
and lunching at expensive restaurants – spending far more than she can afford
in the process. Kim’s passive-aggressive
response to Kyle’s actions – and Kyle’s failure to sense Kim’s displeasure -
has helped this couple achieve their ALD.
Problems don’t exist
in a vacuum, and dysfunction often has many a far-flung root. Want to eliminate or at least alleviate
dysfunction in your life? Get ready to
do some digging.
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