Page 54 - Countertrade

Ivan saw the lack of good staff at management level as a major constraint
on the enterprise.

“My life is not long enough for me to teach them the skills they need.
They are the future therefore, we need to train, develop, and allow
them to maximise their opportunities. We communicate with
educational institutions which allows me to gain knowledge of
potential graduate employees. However, psychologically, my staff
fear responsibility, we establish enterprises but I can’t find the
leaders for them.”

Ivan had a personal assistant, Vasilli. He had joined the enterprise in 1982
as civil defence supervisor. Like Ivan he had worked in the Middle Urals
Copper Smelting Factory where Ivan had been his brigade leader. He
was also a product of the Urals Polytechnic Institute, graduating the same
year as his director. Ivan’s comments about Vasilli were:

“Vasilli feared promotion to Director. Two years ago he turned it
down, even though I showed him the future, mapping out the
enterprise’s growth - 10 people now, 30 in two years and hopefully
then 100. Lack of good staff is a drawback.”

Vasilli’s views on the changes which had taken place and on Ivan were
revealing.

“It is almost impossible to compare the enterprise with 1982. When
Ivan became director things changed drastically. He reads a lot, he
always studies and organises and teaches the staff. Before

Perestroika Ivan predicted what would happen. He sees over the
mountain.”

Ivan saw communication and learning as a vital aspect of the Director’s
job. Every Monday he made sure he had no appointments that would take
him away from the enterprise. This left him free to talk to the staff and
production managers and to walk around the enterprise, observe and
learn. His learning took place on a broader front. He travelled to
Germany, China and the United Kingdom. From each he borrowed ideas.
He read widely, particularly business periodicals but, as he said, “not text
books”.