ASEAN Guidelines on GMP for Traditional Medicines - Philosophy of Inspection

PHILOSOPHY OF GMP INSPECTION

Malaysia

1

Legal Terms

2



Right to be heard

: No person shall be condemned,

punished or have any property or legal right

compromised by a court of law or authority action

without having heard that person.



Suspensive effective

: The postponement of the

execution of a decision pending the outcome of an

appeal.



Decision: 

A judgment, decree, or determination of

findings of fact and/or of law by a judge, arbitrator,

court, governmental agency, or other official court.



Advance notice: 

Informs the addressee about the

decision that will be taken to guarantee the

addressee

’

s right to be heard.

Legal Terms

Most auditors would be familiar

with the following requirements:



Authorized user log-on for a specific application



A unique password called for the CS, linked to the

authorized account for a specific application



Permitted task functionality for that user



Common time and standard referencing and transaction

linking



Time stamped audit trail



System information security

Where electronic signatures are required,

the following must be controlled :

Audit trail requirements:



The system should record the identity of operators

entering or confirming critical data.



Any alteration to an entry of critical data should be

authorized and recorded with the reason for the

change.



Consideration should be given to building into the

system the creation of a complete record of all

entries and amendments (an 

“

audit trail

”

).



Any alteration made to the entry on a document

should be signed and dated.



The alteration should permit the reading of the

original information.



Where appropriate, the reason for the alteration

should be recorded.

Audit trail requirements:

To independently record:



the date and time of operator entries



creations, modifications, or deletions of electronic

records



to verify that record changes do not obscure

previously recorded information.

Audit trail

’

s function:

Audit trail must be:

The Attributes of an Inspector

Remember that in an AUDITTING….

Unlimited number of possible 

scenarios



Is a systematic approach



Involves interpersonal skills



Identifies deficiencies



Look at what went wrong



Requires participation from both parties



Good Inspection Skills

The Attributes of an Inspector



We must respect the 

codes of ethics 

and 

conduct

;



Keep objectivity, impartiality, 

confidentiality



Mandatory good diplomat



Quality System mandatory for all inspectorates ?

The Attributes of an Inspector

PI 002-3  25 September 2007

RECOMMENDATION ON QUALITY SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL

INSPECTORATES

3.

PURPOSE

The purpose of adopting a common standard of inspection

is 

to achieve consistency in auditing standards between

auditors 

and thus to

Facilitate mutual recognition 

and  confidence 

between

AUDITORS / INSPECTORATES

The Attributes of an Inspector

PI 002-3  25 September 2007

RECOMMENDATION ON QUALITY SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL

INSPECTORATES

The personnel 

of the auditing service, should 

be free

from any commercial, financial and other pressures

which might 

affect their judgment and freedom to

act.

Auditor should ensure that the persons or

organizations external to the audited organization

cannot influence the result of the audit. 

Rules for

deontology, ethics, conflict of interest and improper

influence should be clearly defined.

The Attributes of an Inspector

PI 002-3  25 September 2007

RECOMMENDATION ON QUALITY SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL

INSPECTORATES

When more than one auditor is involved in an audit, 

a

lead inspector should be appointed to coordinate

audit activities

. The audit report should normally be

prepared by the lead auditor and should be agreed by

all participating auditors.

Observations and/or data obtained in the course of the

audit should 

be recorded in a timely manner to

prevent loss of relevant information.

The Attributes of an Inspector

Technical Aspects

The auditor should have the skill to make 

professional

judgments 

based on Facts and Science

 as to the

conformity

 of the audited party with the requirements

of 

good practices 

and the relevant legislation /

guidelines and be able 

to make an appropriate risk

assessment.

The Attributes of an Inspector

Technical & Non – technical 

Aspects

The credibility of a auditing process will depend

to a large degree on the 

technical competence

and 

integrity of the auditor

but

The non-technical skills are equally important

to the final outcome.

Clothing

Dress accordingly &

Taking in account the country codes

Note: Important for women inspectors, given the

variability of custom clothing

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

Remember that as an inspector, we are obliged to

…

PREPARE

how you will

introduce yourself, the

interview & its purpose

ASSESS

 already available

info 

SPECIFY

 interview

objective

Always do your

homework: 

“

Perfect

Preparation Prevent

Poor Performance

”



Preparation



Flexibility

 & Set limits



Objectivity



Positive attitude



Integrity



Coherence



Good Organization Skills

Good Communication Skills



Language



Body language



Personality, Emotions, Culture

Note:  

“

Personality

”

 as a dynamic and organized set 

of characteristics

possessed by a person that uniquely influences his or her

cognitions, motivations, and behaviors in various situations.  The

word 

“

personality

”

 originates from Latin 

persona

, which means

mask.

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

Remember that we are obliged

to…….



Define 

objectives



Set 

priorities



Detect 

weaknesses



Detect 

inconsistencies



Check

 traceability



Manage bad conduct & 

conflicts

PLANNING AHEAD

Good Time

Management

Manage

people/processes

Creating links

Manage the situation

/ process /

Manage time

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

An audit process requires participation from

both parties – with questions followed by

answers that frequently, the response will

lead to the next question, so we must be a

good listener

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

A positive atmosphere makes inspections

much 

more easier for both parties

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

Asking Questions….

Open questions stating with:



What?



Why?



When?

Good questioning skills

Silence can be very powerful

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects



How?



Where?



Who?

“

Good listening practices

”



Active listening & avoid misunderstanding 

or 



Passive listening and paying attention



Hear the person out & be patient



Show the person that you are listening & interested



Encourage the person to continue

e.g.  by facing the person repeat important information with

your own words wait for the confirmation



Be approachable



Try to understand the speaker

’

s points of view

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

At Meeting Do Not Include:



Subjective opinions



Irrelevant information



Ambiguous statement



Antagonistic statement



New deficiencies which are not previously

discussed!



Transparency

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

At Meeting:

Good communication & interpersonal skills



Inspector must lead



Concise presentation



Discussion



Know when to invite discussion and when to limit the

discussion



Mention good points before deficiencies



Treat challenges politely



Discuss and resolve conflicts



Admit if wrong



Don

’

t back down if convinced you are right

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

Should

 be aware of the auditor

’

s influence

Careful interfering in 

“

well

”

 coordinated  

process

/ systems

Avoid entering the role of a consultant



Tell what is wrong



Why it is wrong



But not how to change!

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects

Disclosure of faults, deficiencies, discrepancies



How to say it



How to find the key to the understanding of the

other party

Good Interpersonal skills

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects



Bad predisposition &

Prejudgment



Underestimate the

auditee



Excessively emotional



Hubris, Arrogance &

Truculence



Inexperience

Avoid & Control

The Attributes of an Inspector

Non-technical Aspects



Bad preparation of

inspection



Interest conflicts



Personal interpretation

of guidelines



Negligence;

opportunist;



Narcissism

Approaching the Interview



What is the objective or purpose of the

inspection?



What do I know?



What do I want to know?



What are the element of the concern?



What is the background of the

company/interviewee?

Skills and Attributes

 of the Inspector



Relevant training and knowledge on the

requirements and technical processes for the

specific inspection.



Demonstrate the 4 

P

’

s

•

Polite

•

Prepared

•

Professional

•

Patient

Do

’

s and Don

’

ts of Questioning

Don

’

t



Intimidate, interrogate or thick



Embarrass interviewees



Answer your own questions



Ask more than one question at a time



Ask too many question with a 

“

yes

”

 or 

“

no

”

 answer



Get sidetracked by answers



Say you understand if you don

’

t

Do



Interview and involve the right audience



Set a theme before posing questions



Include one main thought in each question



State questions clearly, concisely and audibly



Ask questions in a friendly and natural way



Use questions carefully and time them appropriately

Do

’

s and Don

’

ts of Questioning

Open-ended Questions



Require factual, detailed responses by the

interviewee.



Creates a dialog between the inspector and the

interviewee and answers are able to indicate

whether the interviewee understood the

questions.



Generally, one open-ended question will lead to

another through the dialog process.



Typically begin with : 

what, why, when, where,

who & how

 Types of open-ended questions include:

•

 Themed questions

•

 Expansive questions

•

 Investigative questions

•

 Opinion questions

•

 Repetitive questions

•

 Hypothetical questions

Open-ended Questions

Remember to…



Put interviewee at ease

prior to the interview



Be tactful and polite



Reflect the right attitude

and tone of voice



Use paraphrasing where

necessary



Watch body language and

facial expressions



Smile and show eye

contact



Listen actively and show

interest in the interviewee



Show patience and

understanding



Turn off your own

problems



Avoid off-the-cuff or

condescending remarks



Give praise when

appropriate



Say please and thank you



Themed questions: 

requires setting a theme before

posing a question,

e.g. : 

“

Talking of software validation, how do you…?

”



Expansive questions:

expands the conversation and also

creates a high level of empathy because they show that

the inspector is interested in interviewee

’

s responses. Can

often clear up vague areas as well as clarify the inspector

’

s

perceptions,

e.g. : 

“

How important is it for you to be advised of this

type of procedure?

”

; 

“

What areas are you thinking of?

”

;

“

Why do you feel there is a need for …?

”

Types of Open-ended Questions

Types of Open-ended Questions



Investigative questions: 

have an investigative role and also

useful when the inspector is not sure whether the

interviewee has fully understood a question but avoids

making it obvious,

e.g.: 

“

Can you tell me why this unit marked with a red tag is

on the pallet of finished goods tested?

”



Opinion question: 

useful for gaining someone

’

s attention

and confidence or for gaining new approaches to solving a

problem. Also indicates that the inspector regards the

interviewee view as important and encourages them to say

more,

e.g.: 

“

What do you think would be the most effective…?;

“

How would you go about …?

”



Repetitive questions: 

questions that may need to be

repeated or paraphrased for the purpose of eliciting more

information but overuse of repetitive questions should be

avoid.



Hypothetical questions: 

should also be used with care but

can be a good way of gauging priorities and contingency

planning.

e.g. : 

“

Suppose the power failed?

”

, 

“

What if no calculations

satisfied this equation?

”

Types of Open-ended Questions



Probing questions: 

Having stimulated the interviewee to

talk, the inspector may wish to pursue a particular point

further. Probing questions allow a focus on a point of

interest and yield more information. Usually also contain:

what, why, when, where, who & how. 

e.g. : 

“

Tell me more about how…?

”

Types of Open-ended Questions



Require a simple 

“

yes

”

or 

“

no

”

from the interviewee.



It does not allow you to judge if the question was fully

understood.



Does not promote a dialog and requires that the

inspector follow up with further questions.



Forces the auditor to do all of the work.



Types of closed questions include:

•

Assumptive questions

•

Leading questions

•

Loaded questions

Closed Questions



Assumptive Questions: 

these questions are formulated

based on assumptions and directed in such a way that a

straight answer needs the person answering to adhere to the

inspector

’

s assumption. 

E.g., 

“

How often do you do that?

”

(assumes that it

’

s done at least sometimes)



Leading Questions

: 

These questions point the interviewee  in

the direction of the answer and are best avoided. The may be

of use sometimes to secure the commitment of the

interviewee to a preferred line of action. 

E.g., 

“

So you will go

ahead with this corrective action and report back within

two weeks?

”

In this way, the inspector leads the question to

an obvious answer but may also get the commitment of the

interviewee to take the corrective action.

Types of Closed Questions



Loaded Questions: 

this type of question puts the

interviewee in a losing situation.  For example: 

“

Have you

stopped deviating from GMP?

”

if the answer is 

‘

yes

’

, the

person is obviously a GMP violator, although a reformed

one.  If the answer is 

‘

no

’

 then the person is an

uninformed GMP violator.  There is no answer for a

responsible person who does comply with GMP.

Types of Closed Questions

Combination Questions



Also called Clarifying Questions:

are a combination of

open and close questions and may be used to obtain

more information on a specific subject, or to eliminate

ambiguity. These questions can also be reassuring to the

interviewee as it demonstrates that the inspector has

been listening carefully and observing what has been

said accurately.

E.g. : 

“

Can you explain what you mean by that?

”

Non-Verbal Techniques



Silence:

This is the secret weapon in the inspector

’

s

armory as most people are very uncomfortable with

silence. If the response to an open-ended question leaves

the inspector with a strong impression that there is more

to come, it is worth remaining silent for a while. Almost

invariably the interviewee becomes uncomfortable and

start talking again. This technique has to be handled with

care and used only when the inspector is fairly confident

that there is more information to come or it may create

insecurity and anxiety on the part of the interviewee.



Non-verbal questioning:

For example, raising of the

eyebrows while maintaining eye contact can indicate a

wish for the interviewee to continue with his response

or to confirm what has been said. Also, simply looking at

the interviewee in an expectant manner following a

response often encourages him to carry on talking

without verbal interruption. Such a technique must be

used with care to avoid the appearance of an

interrogation.

Non-Verbal Techniques



Tone and Emphasis: 

Often a different meaning can be

conveyed by a question simply by altering the tone

and emphasis of its delivery. E.g., 

“

Who authorized

THAT?

”

– a simple request for information.

It can become: 

“

Who authorized THAT?

”

– meaning who

in their right mind would authorize that load of

rubbish?

Or: 

“

WHO authorized that?

”

– meaning (s)he hasn

’

t the

authority to do that.

Or even: 

“

WHO authorized THAT?

”

Non-Verbal Techniques

POWER & INFLUENCING STYLES,

HANDLING DIFFICULT BEHAVIOR, 

ELICITING OPTIMAL RESPONSES

PHILOSOPHY OF GMP INSPECTION

Power & Influencing Styles



You are in control of the inspection not the

organisation.



How do you demonstrate this?



Walk of Grace and Power:

•

From the car to Reception

•

From Reception to the Meeting Room

•

Entering the Meeting Room



You are in control 

of the auditing not the company.



Speak at 

100 words per minute

. This will recognized

sub-consciously that you are delivering a serious

message.



State clearly at the beginning 

that any company

presentations must be short and directly relevant 

to

the inspection.



Be prepared to interrupt politely if the company tries to

waste time with irrelevant company history or sales

figures.

Power & Influencing Styles



You have to take control of the Introductory meeting

immediately.



In the Meeting Room, sit in the chair with Grace and

Power.



Prepare your bag carefully so that you can arrange you

papers smoothly and confidently (No digging around

trying to find stuff!).



If using laptop, make sure that the battery is fully

charged. There is nothing more undignified than

scrambling around the floor under the table looking for a

power socket.

Power & Influencing Styles

The Easy Way (of course!)



The first step is to 

build rapport 

with the staff you

are talking to.



The first step is to arrange the Inspector

’

s room to

make it as comfortable and relaxed as possible:

•

Ensure that the seat next to you is empty 

so that

when staff come in to explain documents,

procedures, etc. they can sit next to you.

•

Keep the table free of excessive clutter, 

papers,

coffee mugs, etc. but not sterile.

What is the purpose of inspection &

How do you achieve it?



To convert Data to Information to Knowledge about

the company, the products and the processes.



Most companies collect boxes or gigabytes of data

but do little to convert it.



The Inspector can do this conversion the easy way or

the difficult way.



YOU need to change your behavior now:

•

Sit in the relaxed way in your chair – not as per the

Introductory Session where you are sitting with

Grace and Power.

•

Remember: You have to continually invite them to

talk.

•

You do this by using your listening skills.

The Easy Way (of course!)



Greet them nicely when they enter the room and

invite them to sit next to you.



Next, you put them at ease by some small talk.



It is important to remember that YOU have to

invite the person to talk. They will usually have

been instructed to strictly only answer your

questions and not to talk.



You need to get them relaxed in as short time as

possible and chatting.

The Easy Way (of course!)



Focus the person

’

s train of thought, not on what

your next question is going to be



If there is a gap in the response don

’

t rush in and

ask another question – the person might just be

thinking or trying to rephrase their answer – be

patient



When listening to an answer try to maintain

some eye contact

Listening Skills



Look at them when listening



Its OK to take brief notes/key word whilst listening

but not complete sentences under normal

circumstances. More detailed notes can be written

after the person has finished speaking if need be.



Show that you are listening, a nod of the head,

mmm, I see. It does not mean that you agree with

what they are saying just that you hear what they

are saying.

Listening Skills



Active listening – interested in hearing and

understanding and actively confirms that the

message is being understood both during and after

the answer. Repeat the words that they use.

•

Probably the most effective type of listening under

most circumstances.

Listening Skills



Passive listening – interested in hearing and

understanding but fails to verify the answer, e.g.

by paraphrasing or by not providing feedback 

“

I

see, mmm

”

Listening Skills

Communication Preferences

Most of us have a preferred way of communicating:



Audio (hearing)

•

I hear what you say



Visual (seeing)

•

I see what you mean



Kinaesthetic (feeling)

•

I feel that you are right

Communication

The best piece of advice I was given was

“

Remain in the here and now

”

 when asking

questions and listening to the answers.

It

’

s all too easy to let the mind wander and think

about other things.

The second best piece of advice I was given was: If

you are getting good clear answers to your

questions, you are asking the wrong questions!



Listen for the cues that will help you determine the

optimum way to communicate.



If you are not being understood try:

•

For the audio person – 

“

let me put it another way

”

•

For the visual person – 

“

let me show you what I mean

”

•

For the kinaesthetic person – 

“

 If your feel like that then

perhaps I can explain it this way

”

Communication

Difficult Behavior



By establishing Rapport immediately and by using

your communication skills then this will usually

prevent problems right at the beginning.



Other difficult behaviors:

•

Aggressive personality: tries to dominate / browbeat

the inspector.

•

Competitive personality: tries to show how  clever

they are.



Prevention is better than cure.



What causes difficult behavior?

•

Nervous

•

Worried

•

Blame culture

Difficult Behavior



You must behave like this every time the other

person starts. Starts as you mean to go on.

Example :

•

Unannounced inspection;

•

Complaints from other companies;

•

Managing Director angry & aggressive from start;

•

“

Have you ever performed an inspection?

”

•

“

I will tell you what the situation is!

”

•

“

I will get my lawyers on to you

”

Difficult Behavior: Anger



Always try to avoid responding to anger by anger.

It only makes things worse.



Take a deep breathe to keep calm.



Try to identify the emotion that the other

’

s anger

elicits in you and express it calmly and firmly,

using the first person singular.

“

I don

’

t like it when you speak to me like that

”

Difficult Behavior: Anger

•

I had my Agenda, MD had completely different

Agenda.

•

30 min verbal fight.

•

Time for new strategy:

“

Establish Rapport: 

“

Tell me about that

”

, 

“

Why do you

think that

”

, 

“

That

’

s an interesting point, tell me

more

”

.

Just listened for 30 min and did not challenge or discuss.

Used 

“

Clean Questioning Tool

”

.

Difficult Behavior: Anger



“

Don

’

t you ask questions just let me speak

”



“

You are completely wrong: Admit it!

”



“

I am going to complain to my MP

”

So what went wrong?

•

No opportunity to establish Rapport at the

beginning.

•

Ambience not conducive.

Difficult Behavior: Anger



LESSON LEARNT:

•

I needed to control the inspection from the start.

•

The MD was determined to control the inspection.

•

The initial fight was necessary in this case but I let it

go on for too long (30min).

•

I should have begun to establish Rapport after 10

min.

Difficult Behavior: Anger



Anger gradually dissolved



Rapport established



Now time for my Agenda!



Gradual acceptance that I too had a legitimate

point and that the company needed to change



Result: Company will comply.

Difficult Behavior: Anger

Difficult Behavior: Frustration



You (the inspector) just don

’

t get it!

e.g. : You have failed to understand what I have

said.



This is all too common when inspecting a

complex issue

e.g. : OOS or Deviation Reports



To avoid getting into this situation use the

“

Paraphrase

”

tool.

The Paraphrase Tool



Paraphrase question:  

“

From what you have told me,

whilst the SOP was followed exactly and there is an

audit trail, and incorrect dosing regime was

administered, is my understanding correct?

”

•

Use to confirm that you have understood what the

person has told you

•

Helps avoid misunderstandings and can save a lot

of time

•

The paraphrase question is a very powerful tool

and much underused.

Clean Question Tool



Clean questions – always start with 

“

And

”

•

And

after you have entered the data what

happens next?

•

And 

after that?

•

And 

then what happens?

•

And 

is there anything else?

•

And 

where does this information come from?



Clean questions lack emotional content and are

best used if the person is getting upset

Inspector Behavior



Occasionally we all make the mistake of implied

criticism of the individual and not the system.



This is usually down to poor use of words or using

inappropriately phrased questions.



Can result in tears, anger, resentment and

sullenness.



The situation can be recovered by using the 

“

Clean

Question

”

 tool.

The Hard Way

As I said earlier there is an easy way and a hard way of

achieving the objective of the inspection:

To convert Data to Information to Knowledge we have

looked at the easy way of doing this by getting the

company to do it for you.

Now let us look at an Inspector who does it the hard

way…

The Reflective Question Tool



Occasionally you may come across the situation where

somebody is very upset over a mistake that has

happened and you need to recover the situation.



Reflective question: 

“

So, you feel upset that even

though you followed the SOP this error was made?

”

–

Repeating back the emotional content of a person

’

s

statement is very powerful tool for creating

empathy and handling emotionally charged

situations.



Whilst this is an extreme picture, I have observed

these behaviors.



Whilst we as inspectors need to use these traits

sometimes, we need to be aware that soft skills

usually get the results much quicker and easier than

hard analytical skills.



As the Gold Sheet once said – beware of the

Inspector who gets you staff to talk!

The Hard Way

Characteristics of this inspector:



Happiest with raw data



Number crunching and data entry into

customised spreadsheets a speciality



Does not see people only data



Can spend hours observing a process



Fascinated by minutes: has trouble seeing

the big picture

The Hard Way

8 Core Beliefs of

Extraordinary Bosses

Business Is An Ecosystem, Not A

Battlefield

Average bosses 

see business as a conflict between

companies, departments and group. They build huge

armies of 

“

troops

”

to order about, demonize

competitors as 

“

enemies,

”

 and treat customers as

“

territory

”

to be conquered.

Extraordinary bosses 

see business as a symbiosis where

the most diverse firm is most likely to survive and thrive.

They naturally create teams that adapt easily to new

markets and can quickly form partnerships with other

companies, customers … and even competitors.

A Company Is A Community, Not A

Machine

Average bosses 

consider their company to be a machine

with employees as cogs. They create rigid structure with

rigid rules and then try to maintain control by 

“

pulling

levers

”

and 

“

steering the ship.

”

Extraordinary bosses 

see their company as a collection

of individual hopes and dreams, all connected to a

higher purpose. They inspire employees to dedicate

themselves to the success of their peers and therefore

to the community-and company-at large.

Management Is Service, Not Control

Average bosses 

want employees to do exactly what

they

’

re told. They

’

re hyper-aware of anything that

smacks of insubordination and create environments

where individual initiative is squelched by the 

“

wait and

see what the boss says

”

 mentality.

Extraordinary bosses 

set a general direction and then

commit themselves to obtaining the resources that

their employees need to get the job done. They push

decision making downward, allowing teams form their

own rules and intervening only in emergencies.

My Employees Are My Peers, Not My

Children

Average bosses 

see employees as inferior, immature

beings who simply can

’

t be trusted if not overseen by a

patriarchal management. Employees take their cues from

the attitude, expend energy on looking busy and covering

their behinds.

Extraordinary bosses 

treat every employees as if he or

she were the most important person in the firm.

Excellence is expected everywhere, from the loading

dock to the boardroom. As a result, employees at all

levels take charge of their own destinies.

Motivation Comes From Vision, Not

From Fear

Average bosses 

see fear--of getting fired, of ridicule, of

loss of privilege--as a crucial way to motivate people. As

a result, employees and managers alike become

paralyzed and unable to make risky decisions.

Extraordinary bosses 

inspire people to see a better

future and how they

’

ll be a part of it. As a result,

employees work harder because they believe in the

organization

’

s goals, truly enjoy what they

’

re doing and

(of course) know they

’

ll share in the rewards.

Change Equals Growth, Not Pain

Average bosses 

see change as both complicated and

threatening, something to be endured only when a form

is in desperate shape. They subconsciously torpedo

change … until it

’

s too late.

Extraordinary bosses 

see change as an inevitable part of

life. While they don

’

t value change for its own sake, they

know that success is only possible if employees and

organization embrace new ideas and new ways of doing

business.

Technology Offers Empowerment, Not

Automation

Average bosses 

adhere to the old IT-centric view that

technology is primarily a way to strengthen management

control and increase predictability. They install

centralized computer systems 

that dehumanize and

antagonize employees.

Extraordinary bosses 

see technology as a way to free

human beings to be creative and to build better

relationships. They adapt their back-office systems to the

tools, like smartphones and tablets, that people actually

want to use.

Work Should Be Fun, Not Mere Toil

Average bosses 

buy into the notion that work is, at best,

a necessary evil. They fully expect employees to resent

having to work, and therefore tend to subconsciously

define themselves as oppressors and their employees as

victims. Everyone then behaves accordingly.

Extraordinary bosses 

see work as something that should

be inherently enjoyable-and believe therefore that the

most important job of manager is, as far as possible, to

put people in jobs that can and will make them truly

happy.

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