Details, tactics, and strategy

As you may have observed, various people in any group bring diverse gifts to a project. Some folks tend to be very strategic in their thinking while others get into the smallest of details. Some engineers are focused necessarily on "making it work," while a manager will be watching the cost through perhaps a more tactical or even strategic perspective. A lot of conflict can occur when one considers the fact that upper management is charged to maximize shareholder value and an engineering team is trying to make it work. Of course, issues can become complicated because the engineering team can well argue that it will most certainly maximize shareholder value if the product works. Therefore, in any company or market-driven project the various points of view coupled with corporate goals need to be recognized, appreciated, and managed. Hence, the need for a chart. A lot of the systems and procedures that companies put in place are designed to manage the various levels and issues even if it is not recognized that this is what is being done. This is why companies end up with very bureaucratic systems where it becomes cumbersome and annoying to everyone at all levels. This paper has introduced the idea that people within the same company see things at different levels: detail, tactics, and strategy. Also introduced are some ideas that will circumvent problems and help people to function together in all three levels. In the next columns, some examples are given on how to implement these ideas and pave the way to synergistic relationships.