"Contagious Success," Kitabu Muhimu

Nina furaha wakati huu kwa kuwa ninasoma kitabu kiitwacho Contagious Success: Spreading High Performance Throughout Your Organization. Nilinunua kitabu hiki siku chache zilizopita, kama nilivyoripoti katika blogu hii. Sikupoteza fedha zangu.

Mwandishi wa kitabu hiki, mwenyekiti wa Hudson Highland Center for High Performance, ni mwenye ujuzi na uzoefu mkubwa. Kitabu chake hiki ni matokeo ya utafiti ulioshirikisha watu wa sehemu mbali mbali ulimwenguni, ambao ni wafanyakazi katika sekta zinazotegemea na kuendeshwa na ujuzi na maarifa. Kwa ki-Ingereza, watu hao huitwa "knowledge workers." Hii ni dhana muhimu katika dunia ya leo na kesho, ambayo inaendelea kuwa dunia ya "knowledge economy."

Tangu mwanzo, kitabu hiki kina mafundisho muhimu kwa viongozi, mameneja, wamiliki wa biashara, watoa huduma na kadhalika. Ujumbe mahsusi ni namna ya kuyaeneza mafanikio katika shirika, kampuni, taasisi, au jamii. Mwandishi anasema: "Every company has high-performing workgroups that both make money for the business and develop new products, services, or markets. These work groups create environments in which results are achieved and people flourish."

Jambo muhimu kabisa ni kujenga mazingira ya kuwezesha ufanisi. Hata kama mtu ni hodari namna gani, hawezi kufanikiwa ipasavyo katika mazingira yasiyo muafaka. Mazingira ni msingi wa mafanikio, na ufanisi wa kikundikazi au vikundikazi unapata fursa ya kuenea katika kampuni au shirika zima.

Mwandishi ananukuu kauli za wataalam waliofafanua mawazo hayo: "According to Daniel Gilbert, Professor of psychology at Harvard University, 'Four decades of scientific research have shown that situations are powerful determinants of human behavior--and much more powerful determinants than most of us realize.'"

Baada ya maelezo, mwandishi analeta nukuu nyingine: "'Changing the situation and shaping the environment--that's what leadership is all about,' noted Linda Ginzel, clinical professor of managerial psychology at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business."

Mwandishi anaelezea zaidi wazo hilo, na halafu analeta mawazo ya ziada. Kwanza, nyakati zimebadilika. Dunia ya leo si ile ya wakati mapinduzi ya viwanda ("Industrial Age") ambapo wafanyakazi walisimama katika mstari na uzalishaji wa bidhaa ulikuwa unatiririka kama mnyororo ("assembly line"). Wakati ule maamuzi ya namna kuendesha kiwanda yalikuwa mepesi na wazi kuliko sasa. Ushindani haukuwa mkubwa kama leo. Amri zilikuwa zinatoka juu kwa viongozi na kwenda chini, bila matatizo. Wafanya kazi waliwajibika kutii walichoambiwa. Hawakuhitaji kuwa wabunifu.

Leo mambo yamebadilika. Wafanyakazi hawatakiwi wawe watu wa kufuata tu maelekezo. Lazima watumie akili na ubunifu, kukabiliana na mazingira ya leo. Mazingira haya yanahitaji pia mabadiliko ya mtindo wa uongozi: "The strategies that worked in the Industrial Age are no longer effective. Leaders need to be honest about their own strengths and weaknesses. They must recognize that they can't be or do everything and, therefore, should make sure the people around them have complementary strengths."

Anaendelea kufafanua, kwa kunukuu kauli ya Carol Hymowitz katika Wall Street Journal:  "Arrogance is out of fashion in the executive suite. So are autocratic executives who rule by intimidation, think they have all the answers and don't believe they need to be accountable to anyone."

Kuhitimisha suala hili la uongozi mpya, mwandishi anasema kuwa uongozi ni lazima uwe unawathamini watu, unathamini ubunifu na uthubutu, na uwe mwepesi kuzitambua na kuzikamata fursa zinazojitokeza.

Nilivyokuwa ninasoma haya mawazo, nimejikuta nikiwazia Tanzania na malengo ya serikali ya kujenga nchi ya viwanda. Nimeona wazi kuwa ili tufanikiwe, lazima tujiweke sawa kwa mambo mengi, kama haya ya kuwathamini watu, kuweka mazingira muafaka na kuzingatia rasilimali watu, ambayo inakwenda sambamba na kuwapa watu uhuru wa kufikiri, kuwa wabunifu na watundu, hata kama kwa utundu wao wanaishia kufanya makosa. Watu wakiwa na uoga wa kufanya makosa, mafanikio yanaweza kuwa shida kupatikana.

Kitabu hiki cha Contagious Success nimekifurahia sio tu kwa sababu kinaelimisha sana, bali pia, kwa kiasi kikubwa, kwa sababu kimenikumbusha kitabu kingine, Leading Beyond the Walls, ambacho ninacho na nilikiongelea katika blogu hii.