9.5 - Change is good?

p.328 talks about "What makes organizational change efforts successful?"
The section identifies 3 main criteria - how widely change was accepted by stakeholders, how pursuant the results were to goals, and how the change may have unintended consequences.

These three are so tied to each other, it's hard to separate them into mutually exclusive entities. When I first started working, I thought that goals were the ultimate criteria. It didn't matter how the change occurred and who liked it... the bottom line was, did it accomplish the intended goals? I quickly learned that is not the case. If the change is not widely accepted, I witnessed that the results often reverted quickly. Change is easy to push through for short term goals, but acceptance was needed for long-term change goals.

Likewise, I've experienced so many cases of unintended consequences. Whether this entails poor planning or diagnosis, some of these consequences were very obvious. Short-sightedness and tunnel vision is prevalent in some groups I've been in - "eye on the prize, focus on task at hand." An outside perspective often helps shake things up and lend a shred of common sense to some change projects.

9.4 - Change... as long as you do it my way

Chapter 11 talks about change...

My first corporate job had PBC's - Personal Business Commitments. We would cite short and long term goals/commitments, then be measured against them when it came to our annual reviews.

Management often used these PBC's as a tool to try and push change through a division. Unfortunately, the way they did so was poorly executed. We were told to write what we wanted and what would motivate us. When we were done, we had a quick review with our manager... who would hand us his PBC's and make us re-write ours to match and be consistent with his goals. His goals were not necessarily his per se, but rather based off his manager's PBC's. The trend cascaded from some originating point where they thought "this is what we should focus on".

In the end, our PBC's were just a frustrating experience, ultimately just copying some loosely formed set of goals from up the chain. They never really inspired change and the PBC wording changed so greatly from year to year that the meaning was lost.

I could see the benefit of giving us a list to start with BEFORE we draft our own PBC's, stating things like "we wish to have customer satisfaction rating of 95%" By this, we could think about it and see how we could do our part in meeting this group expectation.

9.3 - Burnout... and Office Space

From the movie Office Space:
"I was sitting in my cubicle today and realized that every single day of my life has worse than the day before it, so every single day that you see me is on the worst day of my life."

It's amazing how many parallels I find between my life and Office Space...

P. 299 begins the book's discussion of burnout. Working in a large corporation, I've experienced bad burnout. Having worked in smaller companies, I always thought that working for a large international corporation was a glamorous endeavor... boy was I wrong.

Working for my first large corporation excited me. I learned about my important role in internal affairs and how I fit into this huge machine. I played my role of a cog very well, diligently doing my job. Unfortunately, this excitement was short-lived. My role became tedious and redundant. I began to notice how little my job was appreciated and how management eschewed feedback. Soon, I was a victim of burnout. I literally dreaded coming to work. I considered taking a year off and being a rice farmer... it sounded more fun than my job.

I eventually got out of this rut by transferring to an external team. Working with individual customers allowed new experiences and new challenges. I was able to see my work making a real difference.

9.2 - Managing Conflict

P. 290 has a chart showing relationships between cooperativeness and assertiveness. When there is low cooperativeness and high assertiveness, competition is the prevalent style.

I had a project lead once that was deep into the competitive corner of the style chart. It was his way or the highway... while not competitive, he did exhibit dominance in the form of power trips. As the project was very time critical, he acted as a dictator. There are times when having a "take charge" kind of leader is helpful and the most efficient. Unfortunately, his leadership was dominant to a fault. Most notable of his shortcomings was the inability to take feedback from team members. This turned out to be a considerable defect. Our team was assembled from site representatives for a rollout plan... and there were certain locations in which the plan would not work due to hardware limitations. Instead of taking feedback, our project lead said that those sites would just have to figure it out. As a result, the project ended in failure.

There's an old saying "when you point a finger at someone, there are four fingers pointing back at you." Upon failure, our project lead pointed fingers at those problematic sites, saying that they did not handle their part of the equation. Several team members quickly responded with documentation of the many times the issues have been brought up...


In a situation like this, it is hard to ascertain how to address this conflict. The immediate response would be to talk to a superior. This was attempted by a team member, but the upper level manager said "I'm not familiar with the project, so I have to trust my people to do the right job." Perhaps going even a level higher was warranted, but with much internal turmoil, making enemies was a risky proposition...

9.1 - Accounts and conflict

page 281: "Managing conflict effectively requires those in conflict to acknowledge that their accounts are their truths, not The Truth."

In organizational conflict or everyday conflicts, this quote is a basic tenet of conflict resolution. It's always interesting to see how even a small, seemingly straightforward event may be slanted in such different directions based on participant accounts. Whether it's perspective or an underlying agenda, accounts may vary wildly. Further clouding the Truth are participants interjecting insinuations of others' motivations into their accounts.

On fortuitous occasions, there may be an unbiased 3rd party to give an unbiased account of what happened. Unfortunately, the term "unbiased" is really more of a theory... most people harbor bias whether consciously or subconsciously. The only way to resolve conflict in these cases is to get as many relevant accounts as possible and all relevant facts... similar to our legal system.

8.5 - The Power of Current Events

I remember going in to school on current events day with my scrap of newspaper, proud that I knew something that no one else knew... and I was going to teach them.

As we discuss power of knowledge in organizations, I thought of a recent trend I've noticed in business. The advent of the Internet has put the world at our fingertips. This provides a pantheon of knowledge and information at one's disposal. This revolution has also sped up the rate at which technology is developed.

What I've noticed about knowledge/power, is that there is a large shift from the days of employees holding prestige solely based on their depth of experience/knowledge. While experience is always good, adaptability and being on the cutting edge of technologies are becoming key attributes. One may look up historical data if needed, but being ahead of the industry in new techniques/processes is often paramount. Those who possess experience/knowledge and know how to leverage it in new and creative manners... hold the true power of knowledge.

8.4 - Pharmacy farce?

Box 9.3 talks about what knowledge counts as important. My first thoughts are of a buddy's recent graduation from Pharmacy school.

While I'm proud of the hard work he has put in over the years, I had a frank conversation with him about the validity of the profession. His starting pay, right out of school, is 120K. As he studied for his boards, I looked at his training program which listed a multitude of medications that I can't even pronounce, their conflicts with other medication, uses, special care requirements, etc.

My question was why most of his job couldn't be replaced by a computer system. After a bit of excuses, he admitted that most of it could. He said a large part of his job was to ensure that medicines weren't being mixed in a bad way and that the doctors weren't messing up on prescriptions. We came to the consensus that a computer system would probably be more efficient and more accurate. Any gray areas would be flagged for a pharmacist's attention. Since this would be a small percentage of prescriptions, a pharmacy could reduce the # of pharmacists from half a dozen to one or two.

The knowledge that he has accrued over the years of school are what he's being paid for; however, when that type of encyclopedia style knowledge may be substituted by a computer program... one has to wonder how long many professions will last.

8.3 - Power hungry

Chapter 9 begins with a list of different perspectives on power. Seeing many opposing criteria/definitions/assumptions, I thought I'd blog about my personal perceptions of power:

I've always thought of power as evil. Perhaps it's years of watching cartoon villains plot to take over the world... Many Saturdays were spent watching some evil maniac poorly execute a hair-brained scheme to increase their reign of terror. Whether Decepticons, Cobra Commander, or Skeletor, their quest for power is portrayed as as sickness. This quest consumed their ever-waking moment, driving them to evil means of trying to obtain it.

I'm not sure if their colorful antics shaped my perceptions, but whenever I see people striving for power, I see a tinge of Joker or Lex Luthor. ;)

8.2 - Supervising vs. Facilitating

Box 8.5 discusses some differences between traditional supervisors and team facilitators.

In my experience, many managers experience difficulty in becoming facilitators. One job I had... I was the group supervisor for a small team of employees. I took assignments, broke them down, and delegated tasks to each employee. I then monitored and (though I hate to admit it) micro-managed the progress to ensure that each part was being sufficiently. When attending a leadership class, we were taught a new corporate approach dealing with facilitating rather than strict supervising.

I'd like to say that I became a good facilitator, but that is hardly the case. It was so much easier to delegate and hold people to deadlines rather than trying to develop the team's individual talents. I felt comfortable with my team's abilities, but did not trust that they'd come up with the necessary results if I wasn't the one leading them. Since I entered the role as a team leader, it was hard to stray from that mentality. If I had entered the role as a facilitator, I believe there would be no precedent and I would have done a better job.

Looking back on it, I can see where I overly micro-managed and struggled to retain tight control over every detail. I most certainly learned from my experiences; however, it is/was hard to see the big picture while involved in the situation.

8.1 - Teamwork in MBA program

Chapter 8 begins discussion of teamwork on p.225.

While teamwork is undoubtedly a core focus of the MBA program, there are several fundamental problems with too much school group work. The main issue I have experienced with group work is accountability. In a work setting, if a group member is not carrying their weight... there are ways around it. One possible course of action is to enlist managerial pressure to spur the group member into action.

In school, I've had many group projects where a member simply said that they were happy to get a B. Haven never gotten a B before... this bugged me to no end. If they are happy to do mediocre work and receive a mediocre grade, the group suffers. One can try to encourage them to strive for a higher standard, but if they are happy with the bare minimum... others are forced to pick up the slack. In the end, they get the same grade as someone that did far more than their share. Some professors encourage feedback to adjust grades accordingly; however, that is the exception rather than the norm.

So yes, I see the value of group work, but feel there's a need for better process/standards by which group work is used in the school setting.

7.5 - Gandhi vs. Chainsaw Al

Box 7.10 talks about the differences in styles between Gandhi and Chainsaw Al, asking the question "are such leaders transformational?" and do they belong in the same category as Gandhi, MLK, etc.

My opinion - yes. There is absolutely no doubt that Chainsaw Al is a transformational leader. His whole reputation is built on turning companies around. On the other hand, while he's great at that part... I wouldn't classify him as a great overall leader. It's easy to look at numbers and make strategic decisions. It's much more difficult to take employees, nurture a company's culture, and grow the company. I believe leadership entails a certain level of empowering one's subordinates and growing them along with the company. Due to this belief, I view Al as a great strategist and transformational leader, but not one that can carry the end product as far as possible.

7.4 - Overqualified for management... ??!

Chapter 7 discusses the qualities of a leader and what defines leadership. One question posed is "Is it leadership only if you're successful?" This reminds me of professional sports. Professional sports like the NFL or NBA play workplace dynamics on a grand public scale. If a head coach is not achieving winning results, the outcome is pretty standard... they're fired. If a coach has a good reputation, they are given more time as many believe that bad results are just indicative of a "work in process." Ultimately, a team's record is the baseline that a coach's leadership qualities are based on.

On to another thought:
In my first large corporate job, they had a saying "if an employee can't handle the technical work, promote them to manager." It was an ongoing joke about how it took forever to lay people off, so to keep poor performers from causing too much trouble, they'd be promoted to manager. I laughed it off as a joke, but found out it was true! My manager told me that he joined the group and wasn't able to learn the material since it was so different from his old position. He eventually gave up trying to learn and was assigned more clerical tasks. Within 2 months , he was promoted to management! I jokingly asked if I'd be able to move into the management route... and he told me that I was too valuable as a technical employee to be considered for it. A very dubious honor. :(

7.3 - Networking 101

Chapter 6 discusses communication networks and using networks of relationships to aid in landing jobs. This reminds me of a conversation I had with a good friend before entering the MBA program. He graduated in 96' from the SJSU MBA program and said the biggest thing he got out of his time here was the connections he made. His career has consisted of three main jobs - all of which he obtained through his network of SJSU alumni. This comment was the sole reason I hesitated on attending this program... I initially planned to move out of the area back to Hawaii when I'm done, so I thought that I'd be better served doing my MBA studies there.

Like most business students, the benefits and necessity of networking has been ingrained in my head. I've been very successful in pairing job seeking friends with friends who happen to be hiring or have a department hiring. Unfortunately, this success hasn't worked so well for myself. So... if your company is hiring, I'm always looking for new opportunities. :D

7.2 - "hey, are you on the computer?"

I've never blogged about cartoons; however, the New Yorker cartoon on p.143 stands out for so many reasons. It depicts a woman pointing a gun at a man seated in front of his machine, saying "O.K., step away from the laptop and hold up your end of the conversation." This cartoon brings up many cases of computers disrupting communications. Here are a few:

In class, most MBA students have their laptops open (admittedly myself included). It's no coincidence that I can remember a lot more material from classes where the professor forbid laptops during class.

On phone conversations, I'll be on my computer and think I'm doing a good job of multi-tasking when I hear, "um... are you on the computer? ... is this a bad time?" Apparently I am not as good a multi-tasker as I had led myself to believe. My friends report that it's quite obvious because I lag considerably when answering questions and basically sound like an idiot because I miss the point of the converation at times.

Department meetings at work - many companies I've been with have implemented a strict no-laptop policy. Similar to no-laptop policy in classes, this keeps employees more focused on tasks at hand. There are many meetings where I've been a part of... and I have no idea why I'm there since it had nothing to do with me. With my laptop, I'd just do other work while sitting there and leave at the end with no issue. However, if I don't have a laptop with me... after an hour of listening to completely irrelevant banter, I am sure to talk to the meeting coordinator and question their reason for inviting me to this pointless (for me) meeting.

7.1 - work life and non-work life

Drawing the line between work & non-work life has become an arduous task. With telecommuting and changing job responsibilities/expectations, the two complement and clash with each other in a multitude of ways. It is hard to define since different people react to different situations in completely different manners.

Chapter 6 mentions how increased work hours have limited the available free time for many employees. My first job in Silicon Valley was this way. I was excited to have a good job and become a salaried man at IBM. I was very proud of my new role and it was only moderately difficult for moderate pay. I worked about 45 hours a week and was generally pretty happy. I spent a lot of time out with friends and would travel on weekend getaways frequently.

Soon, I had an opportunity to take a new job with a 15K raise! I was ecstatic. A couple months into the new job, I found myself working 60-70hr weeks. I never went out during weekdays anymore. I rarely saw my friends. I never traveled. When I calculated it... I made considerably less per hour compared to my old job... but I stuck with it because I thought I was moving up the ladder.

As the book mentions, Hochschild reports that some employees use work to escape from home stress. At my new job, I was miserable... but I had an office-mate who loved every minute of it. He joked with some seriousness that his wife and kids drive him nuts... and work was the one place where he could get away. He wasn't a particularly good employee, but would be the first to the office and the last to leave.

6.5 - Here's why Amway can work for you!

My brother... my dear brother... is an idiot. He is a sucker for every multi-level marketing (MLM) business out there. His life is built around the pyramid scheme.

Chapter 5 talks about how the U.S. Forest Service initiates new rangers by having them give public speeches. This process reinforces the new rangers' views and identification to organization.

Seeing (and hearing) my brother go from MLM to MLM, I've seen this reinforcement first hand. He'll get excited about something, but not know much about it. As he first begins talking about it, there is some skepticism in his voice. However, as he talks to more people about the product and program ("you sign up 2 people.... and they sign up 2 people..."), he begins to identify with the company and the company's ideas. Within a month, he's a strong supporter - something that wouldn't be possible if he just read a bunch of material. The constant affirmations that he gives to others serve to convince himself.

As for his constantly trying to get me to sign up or buy something... Caller ID is a wonderful thing... ;)

6.4 - Where'd all the parking go?

Box 5.2 talks about virtually identities and the effects of telecommuting on business identities.

As people telecommute with increasing frequency, it is often easy to lose one's sense of identity in the traditional work sense. As a recent RIF (reduction in force) was slated to begin, employees at our site became more nervous. Many telecommuters showed up in person to get some "face time" with their managers. The odd side effect is that we actually ran out of parking in our employee parking lot!!! As I rolled up to work at 10:30am... I found employees circling as if it were Christmas shopping season at the mall.

In my opinion, it's hard to beat the tangible nature of real face-to-face attention. As telecommuting becomes more of a norm, the way employee identities are formed will continue to change. Until that time, I'll have to show up to work earlier when RIF's are occurring. ;)

6.3 - I'm unique because I wear Nikes

p.111 made me laugh.

"One of the central messages of modern advertising is that the individual can express who he or she is through the purchase of a branded product or through identification with a group of people who express themselves with the same style."

My little cousin is going through a non-conformist phase. Truth be told, there aren't a lot of 11-yr old punk-rockers in Hawaii... but he tries. He has the black jeans, black t-shirt, studded belt, and dyed black hair. He has the attitude to match, always talking about how he doesn't like all those preppy A&F and GAP/BR/Old Navy kids... that they're all the same. This is where the fun begins...

He absolutely hates when I call him an emo kid. He hates it more when I talk about how conformist he is. He denies it up and down, but all of his punk rocker friends look just like him... hair all the same color... they all buy their clothes from the same store... that store is a nationwide chain... ;) In trying to avoid a mainstream stereotypical look, he went straight to an alternative stereotypical look.

I see this identity crisis a lot in sports. The rich new guy is always the easiest to spot - without any experience, he shows up with brand new gear from head to toe... not just equipment, but clothing and apparel as well. It's a shopping spree in attempts to try to be ready, fit the stereotype of the sport, and try to self-boost their validity by wearing what they think a "real sports star" would wear. :)