DIVERSITY ASSET MANAGEMENT

C U R R E N T A R T I C L E S:

Recruitment, Retention and Results
The 3 R's of Diversity

Separation is Said to Be Amicable

In a press release that surprised the corporate world, it was announced today that the straw man would no longer take an active role in corporate operations. The role that he had fulfilled as the facilitator in team collaborations will be handled by a more enlightened methodology. The details of this new approach have not yet been made public, however there is strong speculation as to which one will be chosen.

The straw man has been a mainstay in organizational development practices from the inception of participatory management practices. He was always held in high regard because he enabled teams to work effectively in operating groups that were responsible for developing corporate plans, strategies and organizational recommendations. When news of the announcement began to spread, people felt a sense of betrayal that such an integral element of group collaboration would no longer be available.

In a statement released through his attorney, the straw man stated that he holds no ill will in the matter. He intends to use this as an opportunity to spend more time with his family, catch up on his reading and possibly learn to play golf, which he never had the time to pursue.

He Understood His Role

Although it was difficult to reach anyone in an official capacity for a statement, there were some individuals who were willing to speak off the record. One unnamed source indicated that the straw man's effectiveness gradually declined over the past few years, beginning at multinational corporations. The straw man was trivialized and ridiculed at overseas facilities and began to lose effectiveness. In the North American facilities, the straw man was viewed very positively for his self-deprecating attitude. He understood that his job was to represent a position or proposal that would be attacked and altered in the process. He handled this role with great style and aplomb. His official duty was to "be put up in order to be defeated or refuted". The straw man was being knocked down constantly but he handled it with unwavering grace.

Problems With Translation

When corporations made significant additions in overseas locations it became apparent that the straw man was not universally understood. In some cultures he is viewed as a "diversionary tactic" or a "red herring". In France and Italy he translates to being a "clown", while in Spanish he is "worthless". Unnamed sources have said that this began to expose the weakness of the straw man.

No one would speak in an official capacity but it has been mentioned that the replacement for the straw man will be Cramer's Cube. Pressed for an explanation, we were informed that the methodology of Cramer's Cube is universally understood and is quite powerful for team dynamics at corporations that have a high level of diversity in its ranks. For additional information, we were instructed to visit: www.cramerscube.com

Vincent M. Cramer is the author of Cramer's Cube. He is also the founder of Winchester Consulting Group, an Organizational Development and Training Company specializing in the principles of Cramer's Cube and its application to Diversity Asset Management™.