One of the outstanding benchmarks of FCSI, and one that sets the Society apart, is the ethics standards to which we work.
As FCSI consultants, we all deal with polarity management daily, regardless of our discipline. Since inception, through our own unique membership tenure each of us deals with concept development and use. Within that use, production and productivity comes issues, including effectiveness, ergonomic flow, efficiency, and more, all within a given budget and deadlines.
What seems expensive to one represents value to another; what is diligence to one is painfully slow progress to another. Regardless, the drum beat to our FCSI brand is as simple as this: We are the best solution for best price, best timeline, best application. We do what we say we’ll do. You can count on us.
Polarity management
All the above said, I’ve never really looked at our work as managing polarity, however, at its core, that’s exactly what we do. In the process of managing projects, whether design or MAS, we manage polarities. Price: expensive or not; Production: effective or not; Ergonomic flow: less or more effective; Budget: what’s cheap, what’s expensive? The list goes on.
Without getting sucked into the body politic on a national or global level, we find ourselves – or are going to find ourselves even more – in the world of polarity management. Pay attention here.
In my experience in FCSI since the early 1990s as a professional member, WW board member, Americas chair, and more, I can’t remember a time where our clients, and perhaps as members ourselves have been more polarized.
Working in the world of business, including our own brands, it’s my sense we have some clients that have a very hierarchical, dare I say, very autocratic system. Other clients are very ‘flat’, certainly with leaders and hierarchy, however ideas ebb and flow as intrinsic leaders show up in every department or any role at any time.
Critical skills
As FCSI members, my offer to each of us, is to pay attention to our own companies as well as our clients. In our work with clients or our own teams, two relatively new skills are going to be crucial. These are:
- Emotional intelligence (EQ) performed at a very high level. Make no mistake, EQ is as important as IQ.
- Polarity management is going to be critical for MAS consultants in concept development and decision-making as it has been for years in design.
Without a doubt, these skills are as critical for our own teams and companies and as they are with our clients.
My final bellwether is this:
As FCSI members, this is relevant to all of us globally: In the US, politicians and citizens have for decades and longer alluded to so-called ‘American Values’. Sadly, we rarely, if ever, define said values.
With no definition, polarity shows up. How about: free speech vs threat; right vs privilege; freedom vs law/mandate; education vs not educated. Wait. What does educated mean? What does opportunity mean?
The world could learn from FCSI professionals’ best practice of defining data-based ROI from the best value in a spec: taking out subjectivity and polarising views.
Questions? Comments? Please share: rudy@miick.com; my direct line: 720-641-7565
Rudy Miick FCSI is the founder and president of The Miick Companies, LLC.
