7 ways command and control managers tell systems thinkers to go away.

1. You have antelope* problem
   What’s your problem? You have good ideas but you don’t present them properly. You’re too negative. You’re awkward. It’s your fault. Be more positive and engage constructively with the command and control agenda will you?
2. Yes, very interesting, but that won’t work here
   It won’t work because we are public sector/private sector, we are too big/too small, have a complex network of customers/consumers and stakeholders. You’ve forgotten that we work in the real world/ a political situation/with share-holders. We are different and you are wrong.
3. We haven’t got time
   Don’t you know there’s a restructure on?! We only have time to get worse.
4. We think you are mad
   We could refer you to an occupational therapist if you’re not happy at work. This is  your problem, and your problem alone. Look! Everyone else is fine. You must be mentally ill. Get a grip.
5. You should engage constructively with this other thing over here
   Instead of that, why don’t you have a look at this other gorgeous initiative over here with the word ‘Open’, ‘Hub’ AND ‘cloud’ in it? Won’t that do?
6. That’s all very well but..
   That’s all very well but what about this tiny error you have made in your formatting? Ha. Gotcha!
7. We did that in 1985
   We did time and motions in May 1985 and that didn’t work. Go away.

Be gone.

*attitude