Archetype
Description
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Decisions are being made in allocating resources, so that one party is getting attention and
resources at the expense of another party.
Again this type of archetype tends to trigger when two more persons are suddenly in a
situation where they need to compete for resources (time, attention, resources). It attempts to
explain that sometimes the differences in success is not because inherentlly one is better than
the other (brains, wit, resources) but rather the starting points were different. Rather than
continue to perpetuate the cycle and fester more ‘un-success’ (as a result of the sense of
feeling as victims of the system) down the road, this archetype invites us to relook at the way
we look at or define success or allocate resources.
The starting point of the archetype, is "Allocation of resources to one rather than the other".
Since A receives more resources than B, he or she carries out actions that allows him to create
more or greater successes than B and therefore A continue to be receive a greater allocation
of resources than the other.
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Behaviour over time
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Commonly used words or
early warning symptoms
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We keep getting sidelined!
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Example(s)
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“The supervisor and the new employee on MC” story.
Production of sorghum vs production of maize
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Tips to note when using
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What is the thinking?
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“Because that person (or department) is more successful, they must be good and others are
not.”
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Managing the intervention
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AVOIDING COMPETENCY TRAPS
The archetype suggests that success or failure may be due more to initial conditions than intrinsic
merits.
Intervention:
Look for reasons why the system was set up to create just “one winner” – investigate historical
origins of competencies or identify potential competency traps, map internal view of
“organisational” or “Market” success. What are the operating assumptions regarding the success.
Obtain external views of success. Ask “outsiders” for alternative strategies.
Assess effects on the innovative spirit. Is the current system excluding or limiting the spirit of
success. Continually scan for gaps and areas of improvement.
Find ways to make team collaborators rather than competitors
Identify goals or objectives that define success at a level higher than the individual players A and B
What it looks like if the system was working well:
“We can create win-win situations for everyone, including the organisation as a whole”
Decisions are being made in allocating resources to give appropriate attention to all parties.
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