dispatches from the new world of work

Arrogance! Stupidity! (Both?)

For both amusement and instruction, you simply must read "Wal*Mart's Firing Of a Security Aide Bites the Firm Back." (Wall Street Journal, 04.09.07; p. A1; subscription required) It's more like spy fiction than what I'd call reality. It describes in gory detail the lengths to which WM goes to keep secrets secret. Wiretapping and microphones in the walls are the least of it.

There are two funny things about the article:

(1) It's simply funny.

(2) The goal of secrecy is stupid. I am reminded of the following marvelous quote from the strategy guru" of the 70s, Russell Ackoff: "Recently I asked three corporate executives what decisions they had made in the last year that would not have been made were it not for their corporate plans. All had difficulty identifying one such decision. Since all of the plans are marked 'secret' or 'confidential,' I asked them how their competitors might benefit from possession of their plans. Each answered with embarrassment that their competitors would not benefit." (from Henry Mintzberg, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning)

Much more could be said (I have), but for the sake of this Post, I rest my case.

Tom Peters posted this on 04/11/07.

Comments

Having followed some of the Wal-Mart security scandal, I could not help feeling that we had returned to the Cold War days. There used to be wonderful 'spy' stories that kept me intrigued. Thank you Wal-Mart for bring this entertaining situation to light.

On the management side, one has to wonder how paranoid these guys are. Hiring ex-FBI, ex-CIA? I realize that knowledge and security are critical to any company, but there has to be a limit, aka the law of diminishing returns. And I thought HP's scandal last year was excessive. This makes HP look like a baby.

Posted by togo at April 12, 2007 2:44 AM

You miss the real reason for marking such plans, "Secret." It's because they don't want too many people to realise how dumb the plan is!

Posted by Mark JF at April 13, 2007 3:56 AM

Tom,

This post for me is vintage you! Your assertion that reason no. 1 the article is funny is that 'It's simply funny' is so against the pompous need to intellectualise everything so beloved in organisations.

And the Russell Ackoff quote, which I recall you quoting elsewhere, is brilliant!

I hope Wal*Mart execs read this and feel silly!

Posted by Stephen Spencer at April 16, 2007 4:54 PM