Management Training Shouldn’t Encourage ‘Blind’ Trust

It is unfortunate that organizations in search of a panacea will try anything, no matter how irrelevant. In your article, “Executives Head for the Hills” (Feb. 11), you reported the recent experience of Cipher Data management executives with the Colorado Outward Bound program.

I find outrageous the concept that executives will create “trust” among themselves by literally leading each other blindfolded. Chief executives who look for “blinded” trust among their executives are either naive or on an ego trip. Such exercises will not produce the results they are after. Companies are structured to meet the objectives of the organization, not to lead each other blindly.

Time spent in clarifying organizational objectives and assigning unique accountability to each level of management produce a better result than wandering in the wilderness blindfolded, “trusting” another to lead them to safety. If anything, this training will produce “blind” trust and will reduce chances for creativity and experimentation needed to move the organization forward.

JACK ASGAR

President, Practical Management Inc.

Calabasas