Sunday, March 20, 2016

Dear Detroit

Thanks for letting me visit without incident yesterday. I made it up Gratiot and down 8 mile without seeing either Eminem or Diana Ross or being held up by zombies.

I suppose there is plenty of whining about how you got into the condition you are in. I go into chaotic places all the time, and the root cause of most organizational decline, whether it be a civilization, a city, or a little machine shop is that you stubbornly expected to be able do the same things that originally made you successful forever. We know how that worked.

So now what? Why does it not get better? The lone answer is: you tolerate mediocrity.  Your citizens are so beaten down that they accept their community being the way it is.

Sorry I can't be more helpful. I do have a suggestion though. Come up with some measurements of effectiveness, and set up programs to improve. Determine what needs to be done, by when, assign accountability, dedicate resources to improvement (rather than stadiums) and do not take "we can't" for an answer. Do not expect the rest of us to solve your problems. Expect commitment  from everybody.  Audit yourself occasionally.

Sound familiar?

http://all-that-is-interesting.com/abandoned-detroit-photos

1 comment:

  1. The simplification of your encounter is elegant, and relevant.

    ReplyDelete