Six Silent Killers: Mangement's Greatest Challenge

For many years, researchers and behavioral scientists have attempted to view organizations by using psychoanalytical and/or other psychological schools of thought structures. James R. Fisher, Jr. follows similar approaches, but does so, to this reviewer's opinion, with great insight, philosophical depth and uncanny predictive truth.This book provides readers with an accurate development of organizations in the USA over the past century, and those crucial factors that must be taken into consideration if organizations are to survive. Fisher's vibrant prose explores the dominant cultures in the marketplace, the need for a new set of organizational paradigms, incipient catastrophe, the six silent killers, the cutlures of comfort, complacency, and contribution.The author opens his heavily documented and self-experienced work with the dilemma that has spawned the "Six Silent Killers," and discusses why this phenomenon is the latest and greatest challenge to management. He observes that "professionals have the mind of an artist, rather than that of an analyst, more the heart of the creator than the discoverer, more the soul of the rebel than the patriot."The book examines those areas that have created what Fisher calls "the new workforce that the post-industrial society has created." He cites the six silent killers, which have evolved in organizations as "a reaction to the frustration with the growing breach between the role demands of modern workers and the self-demands of those in charge."Fisher's six silent killers, "the manic monarchs of the merry madhouse," are passive aggression, passive responsive, passive defensive, malicious obedience, approach avoidance, and obsessive compulsive behaviors.His poetic description indicates that these silent killers "eat at the sinews of organizations, and workers who display them have an amazing ability to appear as performers when they clearly are not. They are caught in the crunch between hypocrisy and hype, turning their frustrations into deceptive devices. They are looking for leadership in a leaderless society. They are looking for direction when nobody admits to being off course. They are looking for real work in the chaos of activities. Wherever they look, they find confusion. Nobody knows who is in control or who has the power. Managers and workers alike, equally frustrated, spread these silent killers. Nobody is in charge. Management plays the role but has little control. Workers are reluctant to step up to the challenge of taking control because they don't want the responsibility. So control and productive effort slip silently between them, covered by the smoke and mirrors of frenzied activity."(pp. 87, 88)After a substantive analysis of organizations and managers and workers, which represents the residue of an obsolete culture, Fisher explores the cultures of comfort, complacency and contribution. He suggest that modern organizations should deve

In this book Fisher presents models for three phases of cultural development: Culture of Comfort; Culture of Complacency; and Culture of Contribution. Six "productive" organizational activities commonly initiated by senior management are dispelled as "unproductive" to a contributory culture. Fisher goes on to analogize that just as termites destroy a home, "social termites" (employees with destructive behaviors) destroy and undermine an organizations infrastructure. Managing these covert-destructive behaviors (Six Silent Killers) are one of management's greatest challenges. Fisher doesn't pull any punches in this book, and I like that. His brilliant and succinct writing style makes this book an absolute must for anyone who: a) makes decisions about employees (hiring, firing, performance assessments, etc.); b) can't put their finger on employee challenges; and c) for those looking to improve productivity and well being in their workplace.Authors Note: As ! I was reading this book, I realized that three of my six employees in my restaurant business were clearly "social termites." I was working hard but getting no where, spending all my time putting out fires. This book provided me with the insights into employee behaviors which I was then able to take action on. Sales are up, customers are happy, other workers seem to enjoy their work more, leading to improved productivity. I no longer spend all my time putting out fires. I now spend my time managing a "successful, creative business" and leading the ENTIRE organization, not just an un-chosen few. I wish I had this book 30 years ago, but grateful that I have it now! Thank you James R. Fisher Jr.!!!