Résumé:
. Doctorate in Computer Science for Université Paris XI.
. Professor of Masters Degree Programs of Engineering Coordination in Rio de Janeiro Federal University (COPPE/UFRJ), in Technological Innovation and Industrial Organization area.
. Coordinator of CRIE - Center of Reference in Business Intelligence of COPPE/UFRJ.
. Publisher of Business Intelligence magazine.
. Co-author of the book Gestão de Empresas na Sociedade do Conhecimento (Companies Management in Knowledge Society).
Interview accomplished on September 9, 2002, in COPPE/UFRJ.
Talents & Results: Speaking of talents and results, that besides it is the name of this site, what else would you say about this subject?
Prof. Marcos: There was a debate, here in UFRJ to try to understand why is so difficult to people as Bill Gates having success in Brazil. The conclusions were that the atmosphere stimulates the individuals while we have a vicious atmosphere that hinders the entrepreneur. It is not a genetic thing of Brazilians, it is that our atmosphere doesn't value the talents and the productivity. Besides the meritocracy, that works in the USA doesn't exist here and in Europe. In these places, people are promoted by merit and not only for time of service.
In Brazil the culture hinders the implementation of a change, especially because people in majority, don't want to be appraised in service. In compensation Brazilian has a cultural characteristic of working with the very largest adversities than the American or European. It is easy for us to work with the unexpected and cultural diversity that is an extremely important thing for business, where changes are very fast. Recently I attended a debate with Brazilians that was internationally success, and they attribute a significant part of its success to the fact of they being Brazilian, they known how to work with the diversity and the unexpected. There are several examples in cultural, sporting and business area. In the academic area we found some icons as, Luís Hidelbrando Pereira da Silva that was managing a department in Institute Pasteur in France for more than 20 years, where he won three Nobel prizes; in business area we have Henrique Meirelles, world former-president of Bank Boston and José Alexandre Sheilmann, director of Chicago Economic University, USA.
Talents & Results: Would it be possible to change this situation, or our culture?
Prof. Marcos: As we saw, some cultural characteristics are also positive, and the problem is verifying the positive and negative sides. The negative side is the fact of being paternalist, we give alms for people when we would must qualify them for the work; we should act more in agreement with the oriental culture, with learning and teaching. The lack of meritocracy, the fact of we solve the things for the other ones when no resolved, and attitudes of how to delay a meeting waiting for the latecomers, it ends for rewarding those that act mistakenly. The positive side is that as already mentioned of knowing to work with the adversities and with the uncertainties. Then we should create mechanisms to stimulate the actions considered positive. It is difficult to change the culture suddenly, but a movie for instance can prepare the atmosphere, to do with that the person is moved and change the attitudes. To stimulate people, the one that helps is the habit that most of us already incorporated of using the seatbelt, because it was induced to do this, under pressure to avoid of paying fine and with that we started to avoid accidents with serious consequences.
Talents & Results: Brazilians don't have the culture of having talent. Is it difficult to administrating this?
Prof. Marcos: Great part of Brazilians think that having talent is lucky subject, of having been born with certain talent; they don't believe that can develop this. Bill Gates developed his talent as well as so many others that look for if you perfects with discipline to obtain what you want.
Talents & Results: How is it possible to develop talents?
Prof. Marcos: With practice, studying, looking for to identify what each one has of best, tends passion for what you do. I would say that the person's eyes should shine when he or she speaks about what is doing. This is essential!
Talents & results: How the universities can help the process of developing talents?
Prof. Marcos: The universities have to show clearly that you are who builds your talent you make your future. People need to contemplate where it is their differential, to verify where they were challenged along their life history and where they did better. They don't have the habit of doing this!
Talents & results: Because the Brazilian companies don't take advantage their talents?
Prof. Marcos: For two reasons: first because they don't think strategically and second, because they still have a culture of the industrial time and they consider the people as one more resource, without valuing them appropriately. It is a limited vision, because computer can manipulate information but knowledge no, this who does is people. It is enough to see the good companies, they have good structures but they also have very good people working.
Talents & results: How this work in public service?
Prof. Marcos: In the public service it is more difficult of this vision to be altered, it is more accentuated the lack of meritocracy, although self-denying people exist, that you believe to have a mission to accomplish and they are devoted indeed, even with low salary and others problems. That is very beautiful, it is noble, but it is not valued and it arrives when the person will be deceived, therefore needs to realize and he or she is working and being devoted, while others are paid in the same without working. But I think this won't continue like this, the public service will go by significant changes. How long, I still don't know. People are collecting more of the State, they want it to be present, with quality, with efficiency and effectiveness. But it cannot be done with the structure that is there; it has to change the architecture, the culture. Somebody has to have the courage of instituting the meritocracy, because today it is rewarding the incompetent, in other words, the logic has to be changed and it should receive more who present more results. Not just financial results. The return should be measured of several other forms. They should institute goals more and more discharges for people to arrive there. Even without changing the law, I consider possible to reward the people, but it is necessary to invest to renew and to change the models of administration in public area.
Talents & Results: Do you have some project to mention, what has been developed in the model of Administration of the Knowledge and what has give practical results?
Prof. Marcos: The project of Legal Police station was developed by us of the CRIE, starting from Mr. Luiz Eduardo Soares orientation and of governor Garotinho with Mr. Fernando Peregrino support, then president of FAPERJ and, undeniably it was a progress. Even so the results were up to now very on this side of the expected.
It happened a substantial change in the work atmosphere, in the technological part, physics, in the way as it is made the service, growing up habits and introducing appropriate behaviors for the situations that happen. Already seventy Legal Police stations exist, generating a base of data with important information but that is not being properly. People still don't understand that possess information-key regarding where and as they happen certain crimes and crimes. These information should be used in strategic way, because if treating of public safety that is very serious. It is essential a deep change, mainly sells the subject of meritocracy, so that a policeman is motivated to break criminal nets, because with this policy will be winning and having return.
Talents & Results: As a professional talent, would you be able to say what is your differential and your strong point?
Prof. Marcos: The one that I think I have, a little above the average, without false modesty, is the easiness of understanding the whole, the relationships among several components of this all and to choose through where the things should be, in a vision of longer period, and to leave you giving suggest action strategies.
I still have a facility in communication, that I have been exercising along my career and it has been presenting good results.
Make suggestions for future subjects!