LTYM - The Strawman

Letters to a Young Manager

The Strawman, #586
LTYM > Communication

Dear Adam,

***

Now that you are head of the project team people want to know what your vision of the future, the outcome will be.

Early during my time at Save the Children, one of the gifts I received was a stuffed-doll of the scarecrow or "strawman" from the Wizard of Oz.[1] In the 1939 classic musical with Judy Garland, there's a scene where the scarecrow is attacked by the flying monkeys and all the the straw stuffing pulled from him and scattered around his body.[2] His fellow travellers, the Tinman and the Lion, put him back together and they were off to rescue Dorothy and see the Wizard.

This became a metaphor for imagining projects. Set it up, describe it as a strawman, and then kick the stuffing out of it. Challenge the assumptions, find the weaknesses, and pull them out. Then put it back together better. The point is that it's easier to have a vision of where you want to get to and then test and revise it with your team, than to create the vision piece by piece, week to week. Reacting is a stronger form of creating. Set it up and knock it down. When you then rebuild your vision it will be all the stronger. And you may just find the Emerald City.

***

Sincerely yours,
Ed

________________________

[1] Here's a photo of the doll. The note that accompanied it (below) is priceless:

"Hi,

I was in a toy store with my kids and out of the corner of my eye spotted this scarecrow doll. My brain immediately realized that the scarecrow is nothing more than a "strawman'', which immediately reminded me or you (no offense) and the various "strawman" models that have been consistent throughout our discussions lately. I couldn't help but break out into laughter ... at the risk of my kids thinking I'm nuts and asking numerous questions as to why ... and so, I purchased the doll.

I hope you will display it proudly in your office as a symbol of where we started and an inspiration to where I feel we are going. I'm hoping to find the Emerald City or, a Wizard of Oz doll when we make some of our "strawmen" a reality. Here's to walking down the "yellow brick road".

Enjoy,
Rui"

[2] The Wizard of Oz, 1939, https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/. "They sure knocked the stuffing outta you!" scene is here: https://youtu.be/ARNq1TxkYaU

Takeaways:

Reacting is a stronger form of creating

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the risks in creating an early vision of where you want to get to?
2. How can you reduce that risk?
3. What assumptions about projects do you need to make to build and knock them down? Hint: think prototypes.

For Further Reading:

See "Ping Pong Thinking," Letter #34
Michael Schrage, "Serious Play," HBR Press, December 1999, https://www.amazon.com/Serious-Play-Companies-Simulate-Innovate/dp/0875848141/