But these meaningless, cookie-cutter evaluations are detrimental for everyone
involved: the employee, who does not receive sufficient feedback to develop
further; the management, which does not gain feedback to improve its own work;
and the company itself, which cannot thrive with predominantly unmotivated,
mediocre employees. Genuine performers want to know where they stand in
regards to their performance. Malik believes that, for them, accurate and appropri-
ate evaluations provide them both incentives to perform and indications of their
personal success.
Good managers do not evaluate their employees only once a year. They con-
stantly note the achievements of the people with whom they work. They notice how
employees behave and consider such matters as how the employee reacts in
everyday situations in which honesty, integrity, and backbone are required, and
how male and female coworkers relate to each other. Using these puzzle pieces,
they develop an overall view of the employee that is much more accurate.
Seventh Tool: Systematic Disposal
The last tool Malik mentions is often not put into practice, but inarguably impor-
tant: organizations need – just like organisms do – systems and processes to free
themselves from things that are old and superfluous. Such system makes the
difference between trim, efficient, fast enterprises and fat, inefficient, slow ones.
Organizations have, like people, habits that accumulate and carry along much
unnecessary weight.
The idea of the “systematic disposal of garbage” goes back to Peter F. Drucker.
The point of departure is the consideration: What would we not we start with, if we
weren’t already in the middle of it? And, what do we have to separate ourselves
from and let go of? What do we need to stop doing? Effective managers ask
themselves these questions regarding products, markets, customers and tech-
nologies at least every three years (unless they are engaged in change processes,
in which case this should take place more frequently). All other aspects of business
such as administrative practices, computer systems, lists, reports and meetings
should be reviewed once a year. Malik reported that the consistent application of
this way of thinking transformed General Electric from a tragically slow-to-act and
bureaucratic business into one of the best led, most vital and profitable ones in the
world. The critical decision was for the organization to withdraw itself from all
endeavors in which it was not first or second in the world market.
To summarize Malik’s review of the “systematic disposal of garbage”: it has at
least three consequences. First of all, it is the key component of business process
redesign and essential to effectively reducing management to an appropriate level.
Secondly, this disposal is necessary for effective change management and for
promoting effective innovation. Thirdly, it is necessary in order to address and
identify the core of an institution, to define its fundamental business and aims, and
to develop its mission (Malik 2001, p. 377).
This disposal is also the fastest and easiest way to increase the personal effec-
tiveness of a manager and his or her employees, allowing managers to better focus
on the crucial work, save time and use resources more efficiently. After some initial
46 2 Occupation or Calling: What Makes for Good Leadership?