Beyond Leadership: Balancing Economics, Ethics and Ecology, Revised Edition

The Y Template: People Factors and Management Systems

While we wrap the Y Template around the X Template, that does not imply “better than,” or “superior to,” only “different from.” Those performing X template functions are focused on getting the job done. People and resources operating on behalf of the Y Template support, facilitate, assist, enhance, and improve the X Template's performance and procedures. In Second Tier entities they are not bosses per se; they do not pull rank; they do not play games. Their primary purpose is to add value, make repairs, and fine-tune while the work is being done. Many people function on both X and Y Templates at once.

As we have pointed out, many TPQ, TQM, and Reengineering initiatives run aground because they have been unable to reshape the total culture and specific leadership behaviors on the Y Template to match X Template's needs. For example, in the past, mid- and top-level executives have gotten perks and bonuses at the obvious expense of “the line” or “first level” employees. They have been riding the backs of the X Template. That must change for the Templates process to work. The X template, where the jobs are actually performed, must be enriched before any cream is skimmed at the top.

The X Template must be laid out first since it is where the Plumb Line points. Once those decisions are made, you are ready to do Y Template things like the design of management systems, motivation packages, dispatch of human and other resources, and engineering ...