Responsibilities of Management 555.5
Modern managers often utter clichés about wanting employees to "think outside the box," take risks, and be creative.
While I’m sure companies appreciate breakthrough innovative ideas that increase profits, productivity, or quality, the fact is that most organizations are inhospitable to those who challenge old ways of doing things, even practices that are inefficient, useless, or counterproductive.
I’ve talked before about the obligation of employees to pursue excellence. Well, managers have an equal, if not larger, duty to establish an atmosphere where employees are truly expected and willing to think and act in the best interests of the company and its customers.
According to Josephson Institute surveys, between one-fourth and one-third of all employees say there’s a "kill the messenger" tradition where they work and that it’s common to distort or conceal negative information or tailor data to give managers what they want to hear.
A sure sign that management hasn’t done enough to promote candor is when a manager asks, "Why didn’t someone tell me?" Companies must find ways to more effectively send the message that mission-oriented employees who produce and demand quality are to be prized, not penalized.
I’ve come to believe that there’s never just one incompetent or unaccountable employee. There are at least two: the employee and the manager who keeps him or her employed.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
Comments
Comments have been bubbling about the poor behavior of fans at college basketball games this year. Last night, a disappointed Arizona fan, where my son attends, threw a water bottle at a USC player, my brother's school, near the end of the game. I was proud the Arizona coach took the PA mike and chastized the fans for their behavior. It was a far cry from the boorish behavior which was tolerated by Oregon officials, where my other son attends, to the visiting UCLA basketball team last month.
With the NCAA tournament looming, it may be appropriate for a column reminding all that one of the things that makes America great is that we can all go to a sporting event, cheer our team on heartily while respecting our team's opponent and leave peacefully without threats or fear of violence or rioting behavior from the losers or winners.
Thanks! JT
Posted by: James Turner | February 29, 2008 10:02 AM
Though a bit off subject from the original comment from Michael . . . I totally agree with the above comment. After our high schools basketball season I've thought that our local newspaper sports editor would do our town a huge service if he ran a Sports column called "Sportsmanship 101."
Posted by: LH | March 3, 2008 6:21 AM
At last, I have just read your comments on Responsibilities of Management 555.5, and I couldn't agree with you more.
Having firsthand experience of being productive, creative and establishing increases in sales and services, only to be dragged down by company directors/ senior managers who are not capable of doing the same. Jealousy and fear is the only answer I can come up with. They may have to say sorry,
Thank you
Posted by: Anne | May 23, 2008 11:37 AM
I work for a large restaurant chain and although some general managers value an employee's or assistant manager's opinion, most are swept under the rug with little attention paid to the root of the opinion. Most general managers have worked years to get where they are and are stuck in their ways. It's time the people who are talking about thinking outside of the box actually practice what is preached.
Posted by: troy | May 16, 2009 2:29 AM
I work for an industrial equipment dealer, and I have had this happen to me. My ideas and suggestions are taken as complaints or whining instead of just ideas. The funny thing is that at a prior time I was advised to keep submitting ideas to management.
Posted by: eric | November 14, 2009 8:05 PM
Some of our largest corporations, whose brands are recognized worldwide, profess to adhere to strict ethical standards and promote corporate values of integrity, teamwork and the like. So what is one to do when management's actions contradict these values? I -- and others -- have witnessed too many instances to simply sit back and take cover any longer. But corporate systems seem designed to perpetuate the status quo: One sticks one's neck out at the risk of having one's head chopped off.
As a result, the people who truly walk their talk appear to be in the minority in the business/corporate world. It's my experience that even those with good intentions will capitulate easily, rolling over instead of standing up for a course of action rooted in integrity. Why? Survival. The thinking goes: It's better to survive and keep the paycheck coming in, even if that means compromising -- possibly sacrificing -- one's own integrity.
So how to make a difference in a system that rewards submission and persecutes those who speak up? Where leaders talk about ethical behavior but fail to follow through when the opportunity arises? When it's a David vs Goliath situation?
These are not rhetorical questions. I’m really looking for answers, which is why I’ve come here to this site. Many thanks.
Posted by: Chodron | April 4, 2010 6:41 AM