Sir, – Eddie Molloy’s excellent recommendations for the restoration of our organisational value systems through cultural renewal (Opinion, June 26th) should be required reading for all senior executives. Judging by the tone of public debate on the current crisis, few politicians, senior administrators, professionals and members of the public at large seem understand the issues involved.
It must be recognised that the epidemic of disasters in so many of our institutions has arisen from the failure to recognise that culture is the compass by which all successful organisations steer.
It seems to have been forgotten in the idolatry of “the bottom line” that important social values have to be inculcated in every generation if success is to be longterm. The successful outcome in the case of Tallaght hospital arising from change in leadership culture could be transferable to many of our institutions. Such change in management style is particularly needed to replace the crass and mindless managerialism which is doing so much to damage to the morale of staff in institutions such as universities which depend for their success on the efforts of self-directing and self-motivating professionals.
As in the case of Tallaght, successful reform will depend on a management style which releases professional staff to do what they do well and leads and supports them in their efforts to do better. – Yours, etc,