Bridges don’t just collapse by chance!
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The school year starts soon and another bridge has just fallen down. In fact, it’s the ceiling of the Viger tunnel, one of the most important highways in Montreal, that collapsed on Sunday morning, July 31st. This continues the series of incidents following Mercier bridge that became very dangerous and was closed on June 14 after a concrete block fell off on May 30, and Champlain bridge on July 7 after the control joints gave way creating a huge hole. So, the black series goes on, purely by chance…
And, if it were just the problem of the bridges! There is also the stock market crush and the threat of another world economic crisis. It’s going from bad to worse. But all these catastrophes can’t be considered an act of God, though. They all have in common the human decision making. So, another opportunity for us to debate: Should the management be under supervision and should managers make prove of accountability in respect with the Sound Management principles?
The orange safety cones business isn’t over yet trust me! According to La Presse from August 6,Montreal (and the surrounding area) is one of the most neglected cities inNorth America: Dilapidation, political inaction, conflicts of interests, corruption and doubtful management practices. As Trénet’s song said, just before the Second World War, “Everything goes just fine, Mrs. Marchioness…”
No way. Bridges don’t just collapse by chance. They collapse because of the bad management, the laxity, the toadying, and the bureaucracy, the couldn’t-care-less attitude of the retirees-to-be, to sum up, because of the human factor.
If the traffic rules hadn’t been imposed, the savage anarchy would have settled in, to the benefit of big cars. When it comes to management, why shouldn’t they impose an obligation to a Sound Management by imposing some fines from time to time and locking up the recidivists?
Are we hostages of a bad management?
Are we responsible of our own turpitude? We certainly are, but when the decisions are made by others, by the so-called managers with doubtful skills and the big mouth of a used-car salesman, we become hostages, abandoned hostages likely to develop the Stockolm syndrome. This syndrome means that the hostages develop a certain propensity for their jail-keepers since they share their lives with them.
If it is so, why don’t we do something? Our vision of the management is averaging. The power of money and the enslaving power are part of the human nature. Let’s not kid ourselves; things haven’t changed in spite of the French revolution.
The ostrich-like syndrome
Warm sand is good not only for the ostriches’ heads but also for the managers’ heads. Comfortable enough, they avoid the reality and the non- unanimous decision-making process. Sparing time makes larger invoices, but who cares? There is also the immunity that allows the set language, the one that protects friends, or the one that allows somebody to disappear from a delicate situation on a golden bridge and get retired.
We teach management as a social science. The study of the managers’ behaviour is a lab experiment with scientific conclusions. We’re still wondering about the attitude to adopt towards the management rules and the managers’ ethics. And this is because management is everything, nothing, or the opposite and it’s a very complex subject to be taught.
It’s even more difficult to define the administrator’s profession, because it seems that the leader, the rulers need room for manœuvre, and above all this profession needs to stay open to all the other professions. It’s much easier to hide behind the accounting rules. It’s true that a computer doesn’t have to find solutions for moral or ethical problems during the decision-making process.
Not to mention the public and private company directors (board of directors) who are hiding behind some gentle rules issued to impose the basic respect for the law and a very careful handling of the management ethics.
Are you still surprised that bridges, tunnels, market values, and mutual funds are collapsing?
Order and discipline are the basis of a good Sound Management
Except for the OAAQ’s norms, Sound Management is a systematic way of addressing the issues of accountability and ethics while considering the mission entrusted to the managers. Managing means in fact serving those who have entrusted their assets and resources to you. Serving others means at the same time being transparent towards the mandator, but also ensuring the continuity, the efficiency, the balance, the fairness, and the abnegation. But, you already know all this. Let’s try to find a solution for our bridges, roads, retirement mutual funds…just a few ideas.
4.2 (5) PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE
4.2 (5.1) The precautionary principle is related to the manager’s duty of foresight. Consisting of specific administrative arrangements, it helps avoiding or limiting the negative consequences resulting from possible events or circumstances coming from the organization’s external or internal sources. (30-06-2005)
4.2.3 PLAN AND EFFICIENCY
Norms
4.3.1 (1) As mentioned in paragraph 2.4.2, the reasonable and prudent manager is aware that resources are limited. He must, through the planning process, aim for the systematic minimum utilization or resources, the achievement or objectives and fulfillment of the project itself. (05-05-2002)
4.3.1 ORGANISE AND EFFICIENCY
4.3.1 (1) In order to ensure sound management, the manager, who has the power to secure and assign resources, must utilize the minimal amount of resources needed to achieve the objectives of the business or of the organization, in a reasonable and prudent fashion. (05-05-2002)
In the task of assigning resources, consideration must be given to respecting schedules. (05-05-2002)
4.3.1 (3) The manager must ensure that the resources marshalled are appropriate and detailed efficiently and economically according to the priority framework established in section 4.4.10 (2) for the achievement of the principal’s objectives. (28-04-1998; 05-05-2002)
4.4.1 PRINCIPLE OF CONGRUENT OBJECTIVES
4.4.1 (1) Congruent objectives depict the principle of BALANCE. They allow for the convergence of individual resources and power towards consistent objectives. This convergence or efforts is a demonstration of Sound Management.
4.4.10 4.4.10 DIRECT AND EFFICIENCY
4.4.10 (1) The deciding manager must employ in a rational manner, the means and resources to achieve optimum results as per the anticipated objectives.
4.4.10 (2) The manager must issue a priority list among the objectives resulting from the organization’s mission. (28-04-1998)
4.4.10 (3) The manager must use the means and the resources only to reach the objectives planned and to accomplish the organization’s mission
4.4.10 (4) The manager must choose efficient means, which are in accordance with the objectives, while using the provided resources minimally, yet reasonably. (28-04-1998)
Well, there are still 350 similar articles in the GASMP. I could write them all for you, because they all apply to today’s debate.
No way! Bridges don’t just collapse by chance!
4 comments
Mr. Brault,
L’intérêt personnel des politiciens et des fonctionnaires ne disparaît pas, même si ceux-ci travaillent pour le gouvernement ! La plupart ne travaillent pas pour le « bien commun », mais pour leurs propres intérêts. La nature humaine est la même partout.
On le voit lorsqu’un caporal de police monopolise les ressources limitées de son département pour régler une vengeance personnelle. Quand un commissaire manipule les statistiques sur la criminalité pour faire avancer sa carrière. Quand des candidats à la mairie rivalisent d’hypocrisie et de manœuvres douteuses pour gagner le vote de groupes de citoyens.
Merci de montrer comment la saine gestion peut retenir les élans pernicieux de la nature humaine…
David
David,
Votre question est la bonne. Parce que le courant de réflexion actuel cherche une solution par l’éthique.
Saine Gestion est une approche matricielle à élément fini combinant fonctions de gestion et principes de Saine Gestion. Ces derniers ont une valeur éthique appliquée à la relation mandant-mandataire, mais ce n’est pas un code éthique. Il n’y a pas de morale du bien et du mal en gestion. La question est la confiance, pas la morale vertueuse. L’approche systématique de Saine Gestion laisse moins de possibilités de contourner le système. Une gestion molle et flasque ouvre plus facilement la porte à la malversation et à la corruption. La gouvernance se drape pourtant encore dans une recherche éthique qui ne vise finalement qu’à justifier ses propres actes. Un simple code d’éthique n’est pas la solution parce qu’il ne changera pas la nature humaine. Cependant on peut encadrer le comportement humain lorsque des actes ADMINISTRATIFS sont posés.
Même imparfait le code de la route trace des lignes à ne pas dépasser, faites-le disparaître et remplacez-le par un code éthique…. juste pour rire ! Je répondrai davantage à votre propos dans le prochain article à sortir cette semaine : Conjuguer gouvernance et éthique : la quadrature du cercle ?
Wow, enfin une explication vraiment comprenable sur les codes d’éthiques si populaire mais si mal compris!
Donc si je comprend bien, le code d’éthique de la route dirait:
- Il est suggérer de rouler à une vitesse raisonnable
Et le code de saine gestion de la route dirait:
- La vitesse maximale est 100 km/h
Est-ce que j’ai bien compris? Si oui, pourquoi alors tout le monde “trippe” sur les codes d’éthiques? Ça veut franchement rien dire et tout dire en même temps!
Claire-Emmanuelle
Claire-Emmanuelle,
Bien compris, Dans la même veine, l’article de demain complétera cette explication….. j’attends vos commentaires
Merci.
