Schlagwort-Archive: Relationships

Using MONO/POLY

With more and more precise watches, we seem to get closer to the phenomenon of time since the sundials of the Egyptians. However, our everyday experience creates the expectation that time is running constantly – at least as long as we don’t climb a mountain or leave Earth with a spaceship. And in addition, our perception also beats us so much. If a lot happens, then we get into the flow and the diverting span from the last look at the watch to the next passes without noticeable duration. On the other hand, if nothing happens, you develop the boring feeling that time stands still. The dynamization of time can be perceived in moving pictures, the film – 24 frames per second provide a smooth flow. Movies are also captured with special cameras that deliver 360 to 25 million frames per second, which allows the stretching of time (slow motion) by playing the movie at normal speed of 24 frames per second. In addition, two basic time cultures have evolved – mono vs. poly.

To understand the differences between Mono and Poly, we’ll look at the following areas.

Areas Monochronic Polychronic
Activities Monochron is determined by a line of events that take place one after the other – one section at a time.
Activities follow a schedule.
Private and business are stubbornly separated.
Appointments are considered as one point in time.
Breaks and personal time are stubbornly adhered.		 Polychronic can be seen at parallel events taking place in one time frame – many things happen simultaneously.

Activities are harmonized through personal relationships.

Private & business are always interwoven.

Appointments are regarded as a vague range.
Breaks and personal time are adapted to the circumstances at any time.
Relationships Personal relationships are subordinate to schedules. The current schedule is subordinate to the personal relationships.
Structure Time is considered fixed and stable, clearly distinguished sections are considered separately and time flows linearly. Time is seen as fluid and variable, sections are overlapping and running again and again.
Norms Monochronic guidelines insist on appointment arrangements, speed and punctuality. Polychronic rules allow vague appointments, sedateness and unpunctuality.
Regions Monochronic societies are found in:

·    Central and Northern Europe

·    Japan

·    North America (USA, Canada)

 Polychronic societies are found in:

·    Southern Europe (Mediterranean)

·    Middle East

·    South America

Tensions arise when these opposing time feelings meet and have to work together. The completely different expectations cause stress in the other people. Since the individual parties cannot simply switch over, at least those involved should be aware that the conflicts that arise are not malicious, but different, valid approaches.

Bottom line: Mono- and polychronic sense of time determines the rhythm of everyday business life. The resulting incompatibility of time cultures influences activities, relationships, structures and norms in the different regions of the world. The conflicts arise, when appointments are seen as binding or not, or time dominates relationships or vice versa, or when fixed times meet fluid times, or when punctuality meets unpunctuality, if there is a meeting at all. These resulting difficulties are the outcome of the respective education and not an expression of lack of respect. Since one group cannot imagine that the other is ticking differently, it is important to be aware of these differences and to react tolerantly. In the end, the two concepts of time complement each other and can be used to the advantage of the company in certain situations.

What do I do?

Enterprises should actually be able to describe, what they do. Corporate areas and departments, which supply internal customers, often do not even have the idea to describe their business – let alone individuals. It is ever more important to explain oneself comprehensively, because when the business model (BM) is tangible, it is far more easy for customers and partners as well as employees and colleagues to fulfill their contribution. It does not matter whether one is working in a large or small company, a unit or a department, as employee or an executive, employed or self-employed, commercially or honorary. But how does an outline looks like for what I do?

The BM is an outline for explaining your activities. You have the following advantages. It

  • clarifies the different aspects of the activities,
  • supports the specification of procedures,
  • shows double work,
  • makes decisions easier,
  • identifies synergies and
  • helps saving money and time.

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It focusses on the following content-wise elements.

  • Deliverable concept
    The deliverable concept consists of five segments. There is an idea behind each activity. It is the basis of the undertaking and concretizes the solutions and the desired market with its sales opportunities. The better the preferred value discipline is specified (i.e best process, best product or customer intimacy), the better you can align the activities with it. The clear descriptions of the advantages motivate partners and customers to do their best. The description of the proposed results is the most important aspect. These can be products or services. Be aware, in which state of the life cycle your deliverables are.
  • Earning model
    You receive wage, salary or other kinds of remuneration for your core business based on the individual contracts. They are mostly of physical nature, e.g. money or assets. Sometimes it can be additionally non-material advantages, like reputation or personal satisfaction. The look outside the box extracts additional earning sources from the context, e.g. through the network that comes from a honorary activity.
  • Value creation
    The creation of value happens along the value chain. It starts from the moment, when the value-add rises for the first time and ends, when no further value increase occurs. Some parts we produce by ourselves and others are created by others. The smart allocation of tasks to the steps of the value creation offers opportunities for improvement.
  • Relationships
    The exact image of the partners and the customers facilitates the joint work. This contains not only the list of the relations, but also the description of tasks, authorities and responsibilities as well as a verbal characterization.
  • Resources
    Most of the activities need resources, i.e., financial means, qualified capacities, and an intact infrastructure. They should be clearly specified and available at the right time. Restrictions on resources obstruct the performance. Plentiful means extend the possibilities.
  • Communication and Coordination
    As soon as people cooperate, the exchange of the information and the controlling of the involved ones becomes important. Open channels between the target audience and oneself ensure a good flow of information. This provides clarity about the intentions, the current situation and the mental states of the people and organizations concerned. With appropriate mechanisms for coordination you manage the co-operation.

The more people work together, the more important is it to convey the business model.

Bottom line: Today the companies, organizations, teams and individuals need a clear comprehension of their business model. This is also valid, if it is not concerned a business per se, but an activity that is not focused on profits. By describing it with the aspects specified above, you create a meaningful representation of your own field of work.

Same series:

Who am I?

Where do I want to go?