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So, a good friend of mine sent me a little note this morning with the URL below in it with the headline “Sprint/Nextel – Bloggers will be fired.” I thought to myself that the email must be a joke, but unfortunately not. Honestly, I think this is pathetic. You would think we were living in 1907, not 2007.
Wake up corporations, blogging is here to stay no matter how many people you fire over it. I understand that there can be security 
concerns, but these companies have to find a way to embrace this current method of communication. And in this case, it’s as much fueled by Sprint/Nextel wanting to squelch negative PR as it is maintaining “competitive positioning.” I mean, when the short report starts off with this line you know there this going to be ripples caused by this in the blogosphere: “Sprint/Nextel employees caught commenting or contributing to online venues, blogs, or consumer report-venues would be researched, identified, and documented via Corporate Security team and fired, announced Sprint senior council Len Kennedy via intracompany email Monday.” Notice this does not state that they have to be the blogger. All they have to do is comment or contribute to the conversation. What’s next? Firing employees for talking to others about Sprint/Nextel in a less than favorable way?!? Does this seem absurd to anyone else out there?? Of course they want to maintain a tight grip on their”secret” roadmaps, technology and product launches but this is just ridiculous.
When I forwarded the link to my friend Brent over at Corporate eLearning Development he speculated that it might be a marketing ploy. Well, I think that Sprint/Nextel is playing with fire here. I smell a boycott if this pans out to be completely true. Can you imaging alienating everyone in the world that blogs or contributes to blogs?!? Not smart, not smart at all.
In this day and age one of the biggest issues we have in the workplace as managers and supervisors are all of the factors that are out of our control. The politcs, budget decisions, policies, procedures that we have to work within in order to keep the wheels of business turning. Many times, all of these things are out of our hands. However, there some things that we can control that will influence our workplace experiences and our lives in general.
What kind of attitude do you have? Is it good, bad, indifferent? Why does it matter you ask? In my experience attitude dictates the climate that surrounds you. In the workplace this is crucial to think about. If you are managing others, the attitude you have will affect how effective your team performs and how satisfied they feel. Oh, and by the way… It is completely under your control!! This is both good and bad. On one side of the coin: when you have a positive, upbeat attitude you can take some credit for setting the mood and atmosphere for your surroundings and team. On the other side of the coin: when you have a negative, bad attitude you can take some credit for setting the mood and atmosphere for your surroundings and team. See what I mean? You get to take the good with the bad and it’s all up to you. You have the control over this one. Just remember, if you are positive and enthusiastic you will boost morale which will help your team to perform better. And no, you don’t have to ignore the realities of the current challenges you and your team might be facing. My point is that even during these times you can still portray a positive attitude.
Oh, you might like a peak into the potential residual effects of a positive attitude for you personally.
The Gallup Management Journal has a fascinating article on hope and how much more beneficial it is than using fear based tactics. Here is an excerpt and the link to the entire article:
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February 08, 2007 The Business Case for Instilling HopeIn your workplace, hope can accomplish a lot more than fearA GMJ Q&A with Shane Lopez, author of Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths (Sage Publications) |
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Hope, in U.S. culture, is a wishy-washy thing. It’s a nice thing, a good thing, even a feathered thing, according to the poet Emily Dickinson — but it’s not a business thing.
Business is work, numbers, performance, results — things that can be done, counted, improved, then done again. If a business relies on hope, according to conventional wisdom, then things have gone wrong, because hope, like luck, is thought to be the opposite of action.
Shane Lopez, Ph.D., would say that’s a gross mischaracterization of hope. To Lopez, hope is an attribute that can be measured, increased, and deployed. And he contends that hope plays a central role in business as it drives persistence, motivation, goal setting, and innovation. <more>
I think all of us can agree that the workplace is changing. Over the last decade I have seen dramatic shifts in resources and expectations. The trend became to do more with less and make it very profitable (i.e. low overhead and high profit margin)!! Well, this came on the heels of a different, more comfortable era where workers weren’t exactly “fat and happy” but they were “satisfied.” Alas, it wasn’t destined to last. When you consider the technology bubble burst, the overnight collapse of hundreds of internet companies and the commoditization of such items as microprocessors you suddenly find yourself in a completely different ballgame.
In many ways I have observed that modern workforces are still having issues adjusting to the shift. Many employees and managers are still trying to hold onto the “old ways” with a mighty death grip. They face the change long enough to realize it makes them uncomfortable and then they quickly look away pretending that it isn’t happening. They become hyper-resistant clinging to their old habits and models. Well, I hate to break it them but things are evolving and we all have to adjust or risk being made completely obsolete.
In my circle it is understood that the three biggest challenges that we in OD / HR have are:
- Hanging on to our best employees
- Keeping morale from bottoming out
- Meeting the higher expectations of management with the current (or smaller) set of resources
Understand me here, those three things above are not easy. In fact they are very, very challenging to accomplish. Is it fair that you have to find yourself in this space where the expectations are so high and you’ve been “right-sized?” An interesting question that can be debated forever, but it doesn’t matter because you have to buck up and deal with the hand that you’ve been dealt. At this point you get to deal with confused & frustrated employees who are trying to understand the shift in the situation. Productivity is going to take a hit, but you still have to find a way to deliver the goods and stay on or under budget. It is at this point that you are going to think about finding a rock to hide under with hopes that it will all go away. However, the stress isn’t going to just recede into the background and disappear. You’re going to have to find ways to deal with it and work within that stress to produce results.
So what’s the good news? It is my experience that these stressful times are the battlefields on which we grow and mature as professionals. It is these times that provide us with the means to demonstrate our worth and the value we bring to the organization or company. Because whether you realize it or not, your management needs you more than ever in moments like these. They need a champion and these times of transition provide you with the opportunity to shine. Embrace it.
Over the coming days I’ll write about a few things that in my experience have worked very well in trying to manage change in the stressful situations we all encounter.
People who know me know that I tend to be a bit of an astronomy buff. I love space, planetary bodies, gravity, relativity, the works. I have a keen appreciation for Einstein and the ideas that he birthed around relativity with regards to all aspects of the universe and how I have found ways to apply those same principles to aspects of my personal and professional life. I actually read an 800 page biography on the man when I was in high school. So, needless to say, I’m invested!! That leads to the point when I surfed past an Ask the Expert Question on the Scientific American Website which caught my eye. the question is: Where is the universe expanding to? The answer I reprinted below. The original page is here.
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Where is the universe expanding to? |
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Astrophysicist Alexander Kashlinsky of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center tackles this question.The evolution of the universe is described by the physics of general relativity, which was discovered by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century. When compared to Newtonian physics, this theory provides a radically different framework for the physical description of the gravitational force. In the Newtonian interpretation (where celestial bodies move according to the laws of Newton), space and time are absolute, with time no more than a parameter in the equations of motion. Meanwhile, gravity plays the role of a mysterious force of attraction between massive bodies. The physics of general relativity is conceptually distinct–even if its equations of motion can be reduced to Newtonian equations in many practical cases, such as with respect to the motion of the moon, or, as we will see shortly, the overall evolution of the universe. In general relativity, space and time are merged into one four-dimensional grid, whose properties are uniquely specified (via gravity) by the bodies inhabiting them. Gravity curves the spacetime grid, so general relativity thus describes gravitational interactions as manifestations of the spacetime curvature. Objects “fall under gravity” from less curved parts of spacetime to more curved parts of the spacetime. (When spacetime becomes infinitely curved, as in the case of black holes, the gravitational force is so strong that spacetime closes on itself, creating what is called a singularity in the fabric of the underlying spacetime continuum. Nothing can escape such objects.) According to Einstein’s general relativity equations, the spacetime containing matter cannot remain stationary and must either expand or contract. Galaxies and other sources, then, are not strictly expanding away from each other but rather are attached to the fixed grid on the expanding fabric of spacetime. Thus, the galaxies give us the impression of moving away from each other. Imagine the surface of a balloon, on which you put dots. Then start inflating the balloon. The distances between the dots will increase, so if you live in one of these dots, you will interpret this as the dots–which represent galaxies in this example–moving away from each other. In reality, of course, they remain in the same positions, with respect to latitudes and longitudes on the balloon, and it is the fabric of the balloon that is actually expanding. In Newtonian physics, one can construct a mathematical analogy to the expansion of the universe by defining a system that is expanding or contracting under its own gravity, such as a galaxy made of stars or the solar system. In this framework, however, this expansion is not linked to stretching the fabric of any spacetime. Instead, space is some abstract absolute and fixed entity that all objects move through without affecting it. Thus one can ask not only “Where is the universe expanding to?” in the Newtonian framework, but also “What happened before the initial push?” In the framework of general relativity, however, both of these questions become meaningless. Asking the question, “Where is the universe expanding to?” implies some other coordinate grid outside spacetime. But since spacetime is linked to matter, there is no outside to the surface of the balloon. Rather, it is all the spacetime that is available. |
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Suddenly I feel far less intelligent in comparison to Kashlinsk, but given his position and pedigree I’ll give myself a break. It’s a fascinating thing to think about though. I am now thinking of how we can apply this same type of concept to our organizations and workplaces. I’ll noodle on it and get back to you. Comments as always are welcome.
I just couldn’t pass this up after my post from a few days ago. Original post here.
Well, I am now coming down off my Superbowl high. What a great evening, I have to say. But the world keeps spinning and I find myself having the same types of challenges this week as I was before. One of those challenges is trying to convince many folks who manage others that how they manage makes all the difference in the world. I have spent nearly 10 years working on different OD principles.
What is OD you ask? Well, let’s take a look at what the web’s favorite open source encyclopedia (Wikipedia) has to say:
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Organization development, according to Richard Beckhard, is defined as:
- A planned effort…
- organization-wide…
- managed from the top…
- to increase organization effectiveness and health…
- through planned interventions in the organization’s ‘processes’, using behavioural science knowledge [1].
According to Warren Bennis, organization development (OD) is a complex strategy intended to change the beliefs, attitudes, values, and structure of organizations so that they can better adapt to new technologies, markets, and challenges.
Warner Burke emphasizes that OD is not just “anything done to better an organization”; it is a particular kind of change process designed to bring about a particular kind of end result. OD involves organizational reflection, system improvement, planning, and self-analysis.
The term “Organization Development” is often used interchangeably with Organizational effectiveness, especially when used as the name of a department or a part of the Human Resources function within an organization.
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A pretty good definition in my estimate…
Having read the above you can get an initial impression of the field in which I have devoted so much of my time and energy for the last decade. One might ask why such a “noble purpose” such as OD needs so much energy dedicated to moving it forward and making it work. I would argue that the simplistic answer to that question is it’s easier to just do what we have always done rather than spending calories on making our processes, methodologies and the general way in which we manage the workforce better. Now the more complex answer will evolve over a number of entries that will emerge over the coming days, weeks and months of this blog. In the meantime, I welcome any opinions from the crowd about OD and how it plays out in the workplace in your experience.
Oh and make sure to check out my friend and peer Brent Schlenker’s blog: Corporate eLearning Development. We are on a mission to demonstrate the connections between our two fields of Organizational Development and Learning. We started to do the podcast thing and as he mentions in his recent blog entry, it can be rather challenging. But, we make a good team, so we will most assuredly return to the “airwaves” of the web. Until then, go learn about Brent and Learning Systems. You know you want to!!
I have a big smile on my face. I’m a very happy Colts fan right now!!
Folks, The way I see it is that I have been waiting a long time for tomorrow to come. I am an Indianapolis Colts fan (since I was a kid) and too often have I been teased with greatness only to have it ripped away from me in post-season flop performances. Well, not this year!! We made it to “The Dance” and we are going to bring it home!! (Note: “Bring it home” is one of those ridiculous sports terms that people use, but none of us really knows what it means and we all sound like total idiots when we use it…).
To further demonstrate my point that the Colts will not disappoint me this year I found an account of how the Super Bowl was simulated using Madden ‘07 earlier this week:
Manning, Colts will win, simulation shows – Indy QB will throw for 3 TDs vs. Chicago, EA Sports Madden NFL 07 reveals
MSNBC
Peyton Manning will make sure his Super Bowl experience is worth the wait, according to a Super Bowl simulation on Madden NFL 07, powered by EA SPORTS.
Manning will throw for 383 yards and three touchdowns as the Colts beat the Chicago Bears 38-27 in Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, the automated simulation shows.
The performance will make Tony Dungy the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl.
In the first Super Bowl of his nine-year NFL career, Manning will deliver in the clutch, throwing two second-half touchdowns to rally Indianapolis, the EA SPORTS simulation shows.
Manning’s performance will overcome a big day by Bears running back Thomas Jones, who will have 24 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown, and wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who will catch four passes for 72 yards and a touchdown, according to the simulation.
Embattled Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman will have a solid day, too, throwing for 231 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, the simulation shows.
The Super Bowl will be a classic, the simulation shows. Grossman will throw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian to cut the Colts’ lead to 31-27 with 12:07 left in the fourth quarter, the EA SPORTS simulation shows.
But Joseph Addai’s 8-yard touchdown run with 4:44 left will give Indianapolis some breathing room, and the party will be on in Indy, the simulation shows.
Manning and the Colts will start off hot, throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison and using a 42-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri to take a 10-0 lead after the first quarter, the simulation shows.
Harrison will have a big day at the Super Bowl, finishing with nine catches for 102 yards, the simulation shows.
The Bears will respond when Jones rushes 12 yards for a touchdown just 21 seconds into the second half, the EA SPORTS simulation shows.
After a 4-yard touchdown run by Addai, the Bears will use two field goals by Robbie Gould, including one with 3 seconds left in the half, to make the score 17-13 at halftime, according to the simulation.
Grossman’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Muhammad will give the Bears their only lead of the game, 20-17, with 13:32 left in the third quarter, the simulation shows.
But the Colts will respond quickly, scoring on a 36-yard touchdown catch by Dallas Clark just three minutes later, the simulation shows. A 32-yard TD pass from Manning to Reggie Wayne will give the Colts a 31-20 lead entering the fourth quarter.
© 2007 MSNBC Interactive
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16911414/
Okay Colts, the computer says you win, so please do not make me regret making such a public display of my devotion to you. I’ve been hurt enough over the years don’t you think?!?
Let me start by saying that this has been a long afternoon. Around these parts I tend to be the IT guy for most of my friends. When something goes wrong with software or hardware I usually get a very sad sounding call and I then usually end up with a “sick” laptop or desktop machine at my house to fix. Now I don’t usually mind this, but I have had just about enough with Windows. Could this OS be anymore screwed up and complicated? I spent several hours just trying to get today’s “patient” (HP Laptop) reformatted (wiped completely clean). I would reformat it and then it would “Blue Screen” (see the picture) on me. Can someone tell me how a PC without Windows yet installed on it can give me the dreaded Blue Screen of Death. I’ll tell you how. Simply because Microsoft hates me. Actually, that’s not true because for Microsoft to hate me that would mean that I would have to show up on their radar or that any of their customers would show on their radar. And we all know that’s just not true you naive silly geese!!
I myself switched to a Mac just over a year ago after getting totally fed up with dealing with my own Windows machines. Mac OS X (The mac operating system) is an extremely elegant solution when set next to her ugly step-brother (Windows XP). It’s not just about the user interface. The issues mostly lie with what’s under the hood of the OS. Microsoft code is bloated, inefficient and spread out over your entire harddrive. It crashes on a regular basis and when you need to do a clean reinstall you’ll wish that you were in a surgery instead. In fact, I don’t think there is anything easy about using Windows. If there is anyone out there that has any influence with a Microsoft coder can you please beg them to do better with their future releases. The jury is still out on the newly released Vista, but as far as I’m concerned it can’t be worse than what I had to deal with today.
{knocking on wood}
