Self Improvement Through Technology

I watched a movie aired by one of the local stations titled “Tokyo Friends” last night.

To me even this is a teenage movie, but it contains a lot of things that can be learned and shared. I want to write about one of the scene about a band called Sabakkan which are part of the important character in the movie.

The scene is where the lead singer, a girl (which name I’ve forgotten) want to leave the band temporarily (because of personal reason…to find her boyfriend in NY) just when they just started a major campaign to promote the band. The manager immediately responsed by showing his anger and scolded the girl as some one that is not committed.

The producer, who used to be a famous guitar player, but unfortunately involved in a legal battle with his former producing company because of mismatch direction, which cost him his career, on the other hand just sit there quitely and just let the situation unfold itself. Without saying a word at that moment.

Looking at the producer reaction, the rest of the band members, stand up and say out their pledge to support their lead singer decision and they willing to do anything to make it up for her absence during the promotional effort. Then suddenly the producer just left the room.

If you are watching the movie up to this point….what is your conclusion? Is the producer mad at the group? Is the manager is correct in scolding the lead singer immediately?

What happen next is that the producer continue to work with the band to promote their album, but the team members really has to do extra job in selling their album..with the help of the producer. When one of the band members asked the producer why he response differently compare to the manager, his answer is that creative things such as music come from the heart. In order to produce good creative product the people who are involve in it (in this case the band members) have to be a group of people that have their own idea and goal of what they want to do instead of a bunch of people who just follow orders of the top people. Also, once a creative team make a decision, he want to see their commitment to follow through.

To me this is a classic management case - industrial age manager vs. knowledge age manager. The manager representing the old age managers. Management of manufacturing facilities during the industrial age. Which the management style was more on control and order. Workers just need to follow orders.

But as a nation or the world move from industrial to knowledge age, this old management mentality does not fit. In knowledge age creativity is a major requirement. The workers creativeness is the source of new and competitive products be it in form of hardware, softwares or just IP (intellectual properties). Managers in knowledge age has to encourage the workers to think more, try new things more but at the same time still manage to control the overall organization structure and functions. Manager’s role in a knowledge organization is more as a supporter or service provider and coach. Not the old dictator way of management.