The Margin is in the Mystery

That title is a well-known saying in the consulting world. It refers to the understanding that most business challenges have solutions implemented for which none of the parties involved (client, technology provider, and/or service provider) really know why it will work but there is this desire to believe it will work. Service providers rely on this blind faith to justify their fees and margins. Of course, this isn't true of all such providers, but it is prevalent enough to taint all of them.

Many business leaders, politicians, religious leaders, and other professionals have a large stake based on this kind of perception. Their value is a function of dealing with the unknown for their constituents who have an implicit faith that these providers know what the are doing and talking about. If there is anything that threatens that value stake for those providers, they will typically take a stand against it whether they really believe it (or even understand it) or not.

Clarity, simplicity, and truth are anathma to folks like this.

Wikis provide a forum for both public and private discourse that potentially cuts to the chase, eliminates falsehoods, and provides a clear path to whatever destination a particular group's reason for being is. Now, that assumes of course that the group actually wants a clear, simple path to some legitimate purpose, goal, or destination and isn't promoting their own self-serving agenda (yeah, I know, what group doesn't do that?). Institutional leadership sees this as a threat.

What prompted me to write this actually has nothing to do with wikis. The controversy over the fictional 'Da Vinci Code' movie has gotten my attention. There are religious leaders who acknowledge they will see it and don't take it too seriously. I am struck, however, by the anger exhibited by many other religious leaders who are calling for boycotts and picketing various venues.

I wonder how adamant they really are or are they just taking the opportunity to shine the light on themselves, shore up the beliefs of their flocks, and maintain the 'mystery'?

Look at litigation reform, campaign reform, tax reform, immigration reform, SEC reforms and consider the value stakes the various parties have on both sides of any issue. More often than not they are more concerned about their personal loss of value than they are for the benefits their constituents might receive.

The Web 2.0 phenomenon (well the hype is more of a phenomenon right now than the actual application and use) could be thought of as a reform. Unfortunately, it is being usurped by the major tech players because business leaders, reluctant to lose their 'mystery' by unleashing open discourse in the enterprise, have not embraced the relatively inexpensive approach to adoption and will, instead, end up having it shoved down their throats by their 'trusted' tech vendors and implementation service providers.

Brilliant.

Comments

[CJV]

I enjoy reading all your entries. This one in particular, without really knowing why, just made me want to express it.

Thanks. Great food for thought.

[kris]

CJV - thanks. I called into a talk show yesterday to rant about the duplicity politicians are exhibiting with the immigration thing and that, along with the Da Vinci nonsense, got me going.

Glad you enjoy my 'thoughts' :)