However, there’s a little bit more to it;

… in the first place, they must be so clear and evident that the human mind, when it attentively considers them, cannot doubt of their truth; in the second place, the knowledge of other things must be so dependent on them as that though the principles themselves may indeed be known apart from what depends on them, the latter cannot nevertheless be known apart from the former.

This is a partial from René Descartes‘ concept of a first principle.

Still, Star Treks “Prime Directive” is based on a philosophical approach to interstellar behaviour. And it goes;

No identification of self or mission. No interference with the social development of said planet. No references to space or the fact that there are other worlds or civilizations.

This directive can easily be seen as a First Principle. It is the defining rule. Despite Kirk breaking it all the bloody time, it can be held up as a self-evident truth with all other directives derived from this first one (i.e. The directive on how to approach a new civilisation).

First Principle in a company

As a conceptual thought exercise, we could assume the following First Principle: “Client satisfaction is absolute paramount.” Not an unlikely principle to be held, I’m sure.

Any and all other truths and actions are then derived from this First Principle.

When you hold Descartes’ concept of the principle against it (the first quote above), than it ticks the boxes.

It is clear and evident, and can hardly be questioned. Although, of course, there should be room for a healthy debate. But, if a new (or existing) employee should challenge it without proper argument, then clearly s/he doesn’t understand it, and might never grasp the severity of the principle, its meaning or its consequences. Any argument, such as; “I’m hungry, I’m taking a 2 hour lunch.” is nullified by the First Principle when there is an urgent deadline.

Or, a derived principle (from the First) could be; “We deliver on time.”

This is a philosophical principle, stated as a directive, implemented as a rule.

We could, relatively easily, come up with a set of principles which lean on each other, but with the next one always depending on the former, and all utterly depending on the first (see Appendix A).

First Principle as a Personal Guide

I did not intend to write this post as a self-help post. I’m not good at this. My mind is much more comfortable with ideas and concepts in an analytical setting, within the comfortable confines of a theoretical company.

However, writing about fundamental concepts tends to illicit further thinking.

Using a First Principle in a personal setting isn’t as mad as it sounds. It has its benefits. For starters, it makes you think about your priorities, probably even a significant amount. It is not an easy task to come up with an all defining, all guiding principle to which you can hold yourself under all circumstances. I bet Gene L. Coon (no, it wasn’t Gene Roddenberry) took a few tries to come up with the Prime Directive.

And if we can agree that it is not an easy task, then we might also agree that it is actually a worth while exercise. If only to rearrange your thoughts, to seek priorities and disregard items on your list that do not seem so important after all.

Heavy Principles

Just to be clear. We are not talking about New Years resolutions, these are not principles. “I will loose 10 kilo’s” is not a First Principle. These are much more fundamental, and should be, by their nature, not be broken.

The amount of New Years resolutions broken is staggering (almost all), the amount of broken First Principles is, or damn well should be, null.

Consider a personal First Principle as a constitution. No, you don’t have to write an historical document upon which an entire nation will be founded, although, it would be cool. What I mean is the severity of the document.

If only you would write down one principle (your First), that alone could be pave the way for you to explore others.

Something like: My best is always more than I think.

Meaning, you can always take another step, you can always do better, work a tad harder and simply give more.

Other principles can be derived from that one truth. Moments where you think that calling your Mom once a month is enough, or the best you can do. Or, when you are a writer, writing 1 page a day is the best you can do. Or, when you are a teacher, reaching one kid a week is the best you can do. Or…

When you would accept the above as a First Principle, you can start living towards it, conditioning yourself and, eventually, subconsciously live by it.

Conclusion

A First Principle is a fundamental truth from which all other truths are derived.

And you determine this (first) truth.

Elon Musk

After reading (or listening to) the biography of Musk (by Ashlee Vance) I decided that Musk might not be the sweetest or most thoughtful person, but he is a genius and a great thinker. He gets things done.

And one thing he does is apply a First Principle to his endeavours.

Appendix A

(possible) Guiding Principles;

• Client satisfaction is absolute paramount
• We deliver on time
• We produce the highest quality possible
• Communication benefits all
• Ideas and suggestions are always welcome
• Teamwork sparks creativity and innovation
• Supportive criticism equals growth (respect)
• Personal growth is encouraged
• Professional growth is required
• Everyone benefits

As you may notice, only the last clearly states a benefit (or the actual word benefit). In other words, “we should have fun doing what we’re doing” doesn’t need to be a principle. It is a by-product of the existing principles.

Statements like: “You can ‘dress up’ your desk” or “bring a plant, or something decorative to the office” or “play some music” or “take your time with lunch” shouldn’t be explicitly mentioned (there’s no end to that list). These are earned benefits, not given upfront. A privilege, not a right.

The company culture which flows from the principles provides the mentality. This goes both ways. The company needs to provide the culture in which the principles can be uphold.

This means that, yes, you may ask a lot, especially when deadlines are lurking, but, when times are mellow, the mentality should reflect this.

Or, we are pretty mellow in the office. We want you to be comfortable here, but, when we’re facing a deadline, we deliver , with the highest quality possible.

This is, in essence, Quality.

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I have had a reasonable successful career as an office administrator for the last 25 years. Successful because I have almost always had a job. I started out working for employment agencies in a time where jobs were plentiful, job hopping from one to the next. To be honest, I can’t even count the amount of job interviews I have done.

You can rest assured that I have seen it all.

Last week I had another job interview. As always I prepared a little by going over the companies website. Preparing some clever questions to show I am interested in the company I might be representing in the near future.

I am greeted at the reception by the lady from HR. No reassuring smile, and with a somewhat disapproving face she installs me into a small closet kind of room (there are cupboards, but no window, and the walls are unfinished concrete). Here she tells me I will be having the interview with the department manager. She leaves with a sigh of relieve and without offering me a drink of water.

The manager

The manager enters 5 minutes later, with my CV in hand he sits down across from me and starts to study it. I have seen this happen so many times before. I prepare myself for an interview, why doesn’t he? So we go over my CV which is a 2 page deal with the emphasis on the last 10 years or so. After my part of the interview is over he starts to talk about the job.

It is clear that he is not a trained interviewer. In his honesty he discloses everything unpleasant about the job. The company has been sold recently and lots of people in the department have problems with this. They are on the brink of retirement, and clearly show their discontent. I should be aware of this before I start working, oh, and their IT systems are out of date so most of the time you can’t even do a proper job, but we still expect you to do so regardless.

Not once during the talk did it became clear why I should WANT to work there. I ask him about the company, the department and more questions that show I am interested, and to get more information. He was somewhat caught of guard, not expecting these questions… After 20 minutes he says goodbye and tells me I will now have a talk with the HR lady who will give more information.

The HR lady

I wait for another 10 minutes in that depressing little room until she enters. She immediately gives off a vibe that she dislikes me. I have seen this happen as well. Dear HR people, it is OK to be nice in an interview, and smile occasionally, you are not superior beings, you are Human Resource people, the human part is in front of the resource for a reason.

She picks up my CV and says she does not understand why there is no mention of the early years of my career, from 1989 until 2000. I told her there is, that I have grouped these years together, and have mentioned them as “diverse administrative duties via various employment agencies”. If I would mention all these jobs my CV would be 10 pages long. She said it is not on my CV which is another indication that she did not read it at all.

Again I have to go through my entire CV, the same conversation I had 20 minutes before with the manager. It is a mystery to me why they could not have done this interview together.

When she starts to ask those typical HR questions I am getting irritated. “Where do you see yourself in 5 years”. How would I know! Hopefully still in good health because that is the most important thing in life, right? was my reply. I asked her if she knew how she sees herself in 5 years. Big mistake of course because I am the interviewee, I am supposed to listen, smile, be enthusiastic. She continues with the ubiquitous standard questions; what my weak and strong points are. At this moment I have a hard time being that enthusiastic smiley-face job seeker.

So guess what, after 2 weeks they came back to the employment agency that they are not going forward with my application. They do not think that I am enthusiastic about the job or interested in it.

Two Way Street

Good jobs are hard to get by these days. That does not give companies the right to treat job seekers in a demeaning way. A job interview goes both ways. The people who seek employment are going to spend an enormous amount of their time at work. It should be a good fit. We should be made feel welcome, give the impression that we could already belong there. At least give off the vibe that you are happy I am there. Do not only tell me why I shouldn’t want to work there, bring something positive to the table.

But above all else, when you promise to call with a final decision the next day, do so. People are waiting for that call. They are sitting next to the phone in the hope that the next call will be you with good news. There might be a hundred reasons for people to change jobs, one of them could be that they really would like to work at your company. Your arrogant way of handling these situations must reflect in your daily business which eventually will cost you more than it should.

Go back to the human part in human resources. Remember why you are there. Without good personnel you have no company, and you are looking for good personnel, right? Because why else would you advertise these jobs on the job market.

The post Interview or Interrogation appeared first on Rogier Noort.

Middle managers tend to get a bad rap, and I believe this should change. Like it or not, they are the keystone in the new world of Digital Transformation.

Fight or Flight

Being in the middle is only a good thing when the herd, or flock, or school is in danger. In most ‘human’ situations it always seems a bit uncomfortable.

You’d rather have a house on the corner than in the middle.
The middle child is always gets the short end of the stick.
Standing in the middle of the room at a party can be mightily uncomfortable.
And middle management “gets it” from both ends, from above and below.

It’s my believe this puts more pressure on a person than they really need, or more often than not, can handle.

Power

Here’s the tricky bit, and the bit that drives so much of the behaviour we really don’t want;

In order to feel any control at all they have to exert their “power” over their employees. Despite the fact they have no real power.

They usually just head up a team, or maybe a department, and their main task is keeping one-level-up-management happy with the right numbers.

Nothing else matters.

And when you focus solely on the numbers, you lose.

Middle Management

Sometimes “they” are promoted simply because the vacancy needs to be filled and s/he is the next batter up. And once a decision is made, it is rarely revisited.

Meaning, if someone performers below par after promotion, s/he won’t move further up the line (probably). But, s/he won’t be demoted either. Leaving an incompetent person on a position where s/he is uncomfortable. And then bad stuff might happen.

As a leader you want the right people in the right place at the right time doing the right thing, that’s how you get the maximum out of people (this is not breaking news).

This goes for every level, and every position within a company, the more you can optimise this, the better results you get.

Despite this being applicable to all positions, middle-management seems especially wanting in this area for three possible reasons;

• there’s a lot of middle-managers, and it’s usually fed from the bottom up,
• filling these positions are usually a second (or third) thought,
• it’s a good politically strategical choice (having allies in the right places).

Example; at a friends workplace, a position is created, an extra layer, between a middle manager and the team (leaders). Making it even more difficult to connect, or make suggestions, or improve anything. But, comfortably buffering the manager from the noise coming from below.

The Trouble Makers

What I’ve learned over the past three years is that the relevance of middle management has gone up.., dramatically so. Where at first we didn’t really know what to do with them, and holding to a philosophy where change happens from the top down and from the bottom up, eventually hitting bedrock in the middle.

The best way to deal with this is to simply blast through it, and if a person wouldn’t budge, well, than s/he better find another place of work, and be annoying there.

The Change Makers

Now things are different, the Social Business movement (now Digital Transformation) has learned that middle management is the most precious of layers within a company.

They are the ones who are in contact with the upper and the lower layers. They are the ones who are the filter between the layers, the communicators, the facilitators.

Of course, any all encompassing change within a company needs to happen on all levels. But, when you start, when you need some surgical precision, where better to start than in the middle?

Leaders vs. Managers

Education, training.., growth.

Where middle management is traditionally the layer that makes sure people are trained and growing properly, we now start with them. But not the regular training and coaching, the classic how-to’s for conflict handing, or the use of software, or (old school) management basics…

No, we will focus on change, on collaboration, trust, empathy, and relationships. We’ll teach them how to be great leaders (instead of sufficient managers), and how to bring out the best in people.

We’ll teach them compassion, and show them what it means to be on the receiving end of an evaluation (because these are hard to get rid off). We’ll teach them how to properly deal with peoples emotions, in a constructive and sustainable manner.

From the Middle

Then.., when the people go through their daily routines at work and see that the person who is in charge is turning into a real leader, a person they can trust, who is there for them, to help, to guide, to listen and support.., then the magic happens.

Then people start to feel less disconnected, become more involved.

The “employee engagement” goes up, will become tangible.

And if you have employees that want to work for you, want to be involved, want to care and invest.., well.., that can only be good for the bottom line, right?

And then the numbers which are pushed upstairs will turn out to be even better, and less of a worry for the manager in the middle.

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Calling Céline Schillinger a (Digital) Heroine is no exaggeration. She is transforming one of the heaviest regulated industries on the planet, pharmaceuticals. How? By noticing a problem and dealing with it.

And in doing so she has managed to touch an astounding number of lives.

I’m lucky to know Céline for some years now, and her first story, that of WiSP (Women in Sanofi Pasteur), was an intriguing one, not very well covered in this chapter, however. Reason for that? Céline is a busy woman, she’s done a lot more since then.

Since I’ve met her she’s moved from France to the US, Boston. There she’s heads up Quality Innovation & Engagement. An interesting position, and an even more interesting combination.

When we know pharma is (one of) the most regulated industries, and Quality one of the most buttoned down departments in any industry. Then it’s safe to assume that Quality within Pharma is a very, very serious and strict business.

And then the idea of placing such a disrupter as Céline (a registered Change Agent) in there.., well, I’d say somebody made a brave decision.

As it turns out, Social Business and the Digital Transformation can (and should) happen everywhere. In fact, if you want to make a point, if you want to learn it the hard way and prove it can be done, then that’s probably the best place to start.

It’s like New York, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

The Heroine

a woman admired for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities

So why this title then? Anybody can come in and have an effect on a department. Well, yes. But not everybody does, in fact, almost nobody does, and certainly not on a level as my guest. Did I mention that she was chosen as Woman of the Year in 2013 by La Tribune? Well, she was…

And I think her Break Dengue campaign (also) proves my point. Having now reached close to a quarter million likes on Facebook, it is one of the most successful campaigns out there. It even won an award, and Céline had been invited to explain herself during a TEDx Talk.

Not bad for a corporate rebel.

You can connect with Céline on LinkedIn, Twitter, and her blog; We Need Social.

Enjoy the interview.

The post The Heroine – Chapter Four with Céline Schillinger appeared first on Rogier Noort.

Anyway.., finding my strengths seemed a logical next step, so I decided that to take the test/assessment at gallupstrengthscenter.com. I opted for the $15 version, this will give you your 5 best strengths.


After taking the test, you can opt for paying the full amount and receive your 34 strengths, which sounds a bit nuts to me.., if I would have 34 strengths, how many weaknesses would I have then?

No, I’ll stick with 5, assuming there needs to be a balance, that would, psychologically, also reduce the amount of weaknesses.

I’m doing this experiment out of curiosity, and, if all goes well, I might even learn a thing or two, and improve a thing or two, wouldn’t that be something. I will discuss some proceedings with Maureen, in order to get a better understanding of the theory behind this focus on strengths, rather than improving or eliminating weaknesses.

It’s a Start

The number one thing to remember is that this is a process. It’s a journey, and probably one that will never end. Personal development is of such a nature that there is always room for improvement, there’s no such thing as perfection.

The StrengthsFinder is simply a way to determine your starting point. Like Maureen says:

We don’t end with strengths, we start with them. What happens next is critical to your ability to integrate your rock star awesomeness into your work, with intent and focus.  – Maureen Monte

The Test

As far as starts go, the Gallup StrengthsFinder test is easy enough, even the texts are suitable from 15 years and up, so there really isn’t any excuse not to do it. There are 177 statements, you have to pick between the two, and you have 20 seconds for each. Average time on the test; 35 minutes.

As opposed to previous tests (and I’ve done many), the choices given don’t make me too uncomfortable. Whether you lean more towards the left or the right doesn’t really matter (as far as feelings go), you never really have to choose between two evils. In previous tests I’d done, this was the case and many left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.., nothing positive about it.

Finding my Strengths

The result of the test can be mighty surprising.., but the more conscious you are of yourself, the better you’d be able to anticipate the results. If you are really, really surprised by the results, then you have a lot to learn about yourself. Either way, the results are strengths, and should be perceived as such. They are not weaknesses, so it shouldn’t be really bad news.

Also, the questions and results are not something somebody just thought up. These are developed over the years with the participation of tens of millions of people. So we can safely assume the results are accurate…, as long as you’ve been honest during the test. Lying to yourself would defeat the purpose of the test and would skew any result, and any journey afterwards.

My results then:

• Intellection
• Positivity
• Consistency
• Futuristic
• Strategic

In that order, meaning Intellection is my strongest strength. As mentioned, these are my top 5 results, if I give them more money, they will tell me the other 29.

What does it all mean?

Well, the point is that any goal you set becomes more achievable because you are now aware of your strengths.

And, judging from the fact that there at least 29 more strengths available, you can get a very, and I mean very, detailed idea of what it is you are capable of. So, at one end I’d say stick with the 5, these are plenty of work and are, after all, the top 5, so there’s that. But.., talking with Maureen about it, having the other 29 would paint a (much) better picture of your character.

See it as painting with just 5 colours, or with 34, you can do more (update: I did buy the rest, and it’s quite a list).

Personal or Teams?

Your strengths are personal to you, not only does the assessment provide you these strengths, it also gives a extended explanation of each strength. Providing a welcome insight into what it all means. And this is personal to you. The texts are put together based on all the information you’ve given, my clarification of Positivity will not be the same as yours. Simply because of the other strengths.

Discussing certain philosophies, theories, or concepts with them might prove to be exhilarating – Excerpt from Intellection

The cool thing is, when you have a team/group/department take the assessment you will have an insight into all their strengths. The advantage being, you have a collection of strengths that is broad across the spectrum.., and that means you can implement each strength where it is most effective.

So, instead of having one person performing a certain task, simply because it’s on their desk, might not be the most productive idea. Having tasks match strengths within a team makes much more sense.

There will be some strengths which might seem a bit out there, difficult to connect with. This is not necessarily an individual sentence, it can be the entire text which accompanies the strength. And it’s the entire list of personal strengths which compliment each other, and others within a team. So, it can become a complex web to figure out.

Interpretation

This is where we separate the wheat from the chaff.

See, having all these words is one thing.., knowing how to interpret them is something completely different, and, honestly, not that easy to do.

Maureen describes it as learning to read all over again. The results of the assessment, your strengths, are merely your ABC… Putting these letters into words and into meaningful sentences takes practice. And having a certified instructor (by Gallup) to help you with this is not just a good idea, it’s essential for success, depending on the level of success you want of course.

The Journey

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step –  Lao Tzu

I know, a cliché, but man, was he right or what? In the most literal sense you cannot deny this truth. In a metaphorical way, it is so profound that people still use this quote two and a half thousand(!) years later.

Anyway, where the assessment is your first step, your goal is your destination. See, you need to work towards something, this is key. You cannot just, or simply, implement the strengths, some sort of meaning has to be put to them, a guidance, a goal.

What lies between is your journey, and according to Maureen, this can be a tough one.

Not only do yo need to work on developing your strengths, you will also find out what is holding you back in the first place. And this can cause some.., well, uncomfortable moments, because usually it’s those weaknesses you’re all to familiar with which stand in the way of you succeeding. But, now that you have something positive to focus on, that might become easier.

Still, even though a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, you still have to walk the rest of the bloody thousand miles.

To Be Continued

As I’ve mentioned, finding my strengths is just the beginning of the journey, meaning there will be no conclusion in this article. I still have to do the walk.

And I do not know how my journey will be, I hope I can make it to the destination, but that will be up to me. Strengths don’t tell us what we want, they tell us how to get it. Of course, your goal has to be in the realm of reality. I can’t simply pack up and choose a totally different career, although, when you know your strengths, this would be a great advantage.

Anyway, judging from Maureen’s success stories, this journey should be more than worth it.., but I will let you know.

The post Finding my Strengths with Gallup’s StrengthsFinder appeared first on Rogier Noort.

But, in the western world (and the eastern, northern and southern), it’s inescapable. More and more of our daily lives are digitized. It’s inevitable.

The question is.., how do you deal with this? And do you even want it, or one step deeper, should you want it?

The Professional Side

I had a discussion with John Wenger about this subject and it seemed to us that digital is not always the preferred way to go. However, there is a huge difference between your personal and your professional life.

In your personal life there are some things you can still control, you can switch off certain things. At work, the use of certain tools is often forced upon you, leaving you no choice but to use them, or it. And now, with the onslaught of the digital age, the shift is omnipresent and you, like so many others have to deal with it.

This is does not merely pertain to the individual worker however, they are simply the end-users who have to adapt. The decision makers within a company are the ones whom are really in a pickle. They have to choose the path travelled, the software bought, the consultants trusted and convince/train their employees to make use of that often very significant investment.

And why do they do this?

Because it exists.

Why do you get the latest iPhone? Because it exists. Or at least many people only get the latest version of anything simply because it is the latest version. As is often the case with tech within companies.

They don’t necessarily want to, or even need to, but market driven developments make them to. If a competing company invests heavily in digitising it’s infrastructure.., how can you not? You have to, if only for the reason that ‘they’ do it too. I know it sounds ridiculous, but that’s how many people decide if they need something. The neighbour gets a new car, you need a new car.., heck, it’s why car manufacturers invented ‘GL’ ‘XL’ ‘GLS’ ‘GTI’ or any other badge with which you can show your car is just that little bit more expensive/luxurious/faster than your neighbours.

And ask the question.., are we really getting so much more done by sending all those emails? I doubt it.

Anyway, back to business.

Digital Transformation

There are, of course, many positive things to say about digital, and I’m not going to bash it, not in this post. This is about the transformation, the digital transformation. Because whether you like it or not, it is happening, and it’s happening at a staggering rate, and if you do not get on board.., well…

See.., this is what I mean. That last sentence, you have no choice. A business has no choice.

It’s evolution, baby!

And, survival is not won by the fittest or the smartest, but by those who are the most adaptive.

And adapting to the digital age is not an easy task. And I hear you say; “But I already use a computer and a smart phone, I am digital, so what’s the problem?”

Many people, especially non-generation-y people still write emails like they write letters.., we start with “Dear whomever…”, then a small pleasantry, a how-do-you-do, then slowly we get to the point, and then we sign the email appropriately with the kindest regards. This is of course very civilised, but not very effective, or speedy. And whenever we get a reply, we print that out, so we can read it easier, and make notes on it.

What I mean is, we use our very analogue mind and layer this upon our very digital tools. We’re not thinking digital.

As a human, I guess that is very difficult to do, especially if you’re old enough to remember black and white TV. The younger generations are much more adaptive, they are growing up with that digital mindset.., one could argue that they almost think in ones and zeros (which of course they don’t). They are learning this digital language from birth, we have to adapt to it far later in life, making it very difficult.

This is the problem many companies face. It’s hard work when the average age of your workforce is closer to 50 than it is to 30. It’s like having a kennel filled with old dogs and learning all of them a new trick. It can be done.., but it takes a while.., and a boat load of treats.

Not All Is Lost

You’ve guessed by now that I’m not offering a solution to the Digital Transformation Challenge, I’m merely acknowledging that the problem exists. And that’s a good place to start.

The good news is that you’re not alone. Whether you’re an individual or if you’re representing a company, you do not have to (re)invent the wheel. Like with most things, most of the time, with most of the people, by the time you think of it, somebody else has thought about too. And usually they figured out how to deal with it.

And luckily, I know a bunch of people who take this exact subject quite seriously. They even create an event around it, the Enterprise Digital Transformation Summit. Formerly known as the Enterprise 2.0 Summit, this is the place where many case studies are presented that show that it is possible to adapt successfully to the modern way of working. It also allows you to connect with like minded people whom are in a similar situation as you.

I know it sounds like I’m selling this event (and I guess, in a way, I am), but it is a serious point.

The digital transformation is too big for any individual to wrap their heads around it. There’s too much at stake, the investments are to large and it can literally make or brake a company.

It is a complex subject, and dealing with all the vendors that our out there can be daunting, not to mention the actual implementation and all its consequences.

So, first step is acknowledging you have a problem.., then.., get help.

And yes, I do know how that sounds (or reads), and no, I’m not making fun of this or any real-world addiction. What I am doing is trying to convey the severity of the issue. The digital gap between the haves and the have nots is growing larger with every new development.

The post The Digital Transformation Challenge appeared first on Rogier Noort.

Next to the fact that many forget that it is humans who do the actual work and who are responsible for the actual change, many forget that creating the right environment is the one decisive element for any success.

The Gardening Metaphor

It’s easy to draw parallels between the office and a garden. Just like an office with a great variety of individual characters, a garden can (or should) be made up out of many different kinds of plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables. There is no way that you can grow all of them under exact the same conditions.

Some need a lot of care and attention, while others are more of the plant-and-forget variety. Some need to be in a green house, others thrive outside. Some need a lot of sunlight, others fair better in the shade. Some need sandy soil, others do well in clay. Some take a lot more time to bear fruit, others can be harvested throughout the season and grow back their leaves for more picking. Some survive the winter, others need to be brought inside.

One size most certainly does not fit all.

Biodiversity vs. Monoculture

The idea of a healthy grow-your-own garden is partially based in permaculture. A wide variety of species which complement each other. One plant is grown for food, another is grown to attract a specific insect to kill a specific pest.

The idea is to create a long lasting, multi disciplined and healthy environment where each species has the best possible circumstances to become as productive as it can be. Why else would you go through all the trouble if not for the best yield.

To have a culture which can sustain itself is beneficial on so many levels.

Many managers (and HR departments) would like a monoculture. Here employees dress the same, come from a similar background, react in a predictable fashion and adhere to the rules you set in the environment your create and control.

This is how we farm these days, and how we maintain our ridiculous suburban lawns (seriously people, grow some veggies there). Here the metaphor takes an ugly turn, but the opportunity to make an excellent point can not be ignored.

Monsanto (and others) is a monoculture specialist. This monstrosity of a company creates genetically modified organisms that are resistant to a very specific poison. Any other species of plant or animal will be killed by it.., leaving only the chosen plant to survive. This is uncontrollably dangerous, and is created for one purpose and one purpose only, control (in this case our food supplies, an unending source of revenue).

Once you go GMO, there’s no turning back (physically or legally).

Here, I’m sure, I do not have to explain how detrimental a monoculture is to a corporate culture.

Seedlings

Sowing is a process many underestimate. Just like any idea or transformation, it takes skill and knowledge to give a seed(ling) the best start in life as possible.

Sure, you can buy a plant, or a small (fruit)tree, it saves a lot of time, and in some cases it’s even better. But most things you grow, you grow from seed. And you do this every year (preferably with seeds you harvested yourself).
This way you know what you get, know what you plant.., and know what you eventually eat.

For each species there is a best time to sow, some you grow rapidly and can be sown throughout the year. Others, like chillies have a very long growing season and require a really early start (and a nourisching environment).

Taking care of your employees the minute they walk through your door is a precious first step. Like bringing a puppy into your house, or, indeed, sowing your own produce.
It’s important new members are made to feel welcome, that they can find their way within the company and that other employees are aware of their arrival. Don’t just drop them in the deep end and expect them to grow to what you want.

It doesn’t matter how professional they are and how high your expectations are, a little bit of support and guidance goes a long way.

Success Not Guaranteed

And no.., not all seeds germinate. Nor do all seedlings survive. And along the way some plants will die, get infested or get eaten. Up front there is no telling what might happen, there are no guarantees in gardening, nor in business.., nor in life.

If you want guarantees, buy a Nissan, you get 5 years worth of them.

However, as mentioned above (and probably below too), creating the best possible environment gives you a much, much better chance of actually achieving what you want.

Employees need to be able to grow, to breath, to think.., to spread their wings and soar (I know, it sounds a bit corny, but it holds true). If you stifen an employee too much, too many rules and regulations, put them in a cubacle and tell them to sit down, shut up, and do their work. All sorts of maladies can turn up, boredom, stress, irritation.., leading to sickness, errors, or unproductivity.

I goes to the point that many initiatives and ideas drop dead, simply because of the wrong environment.

When a person has an idea, a brilliant spark of genius, this thought needs to be able to be heard, to be discussed. It needs to be nurtured and be allowed to grow.

The person having, and sharing, the idea needs to trust it’s received with understanding and handled with care.

Harvesting and Conserving

Sure, there are additional benefits to a garden, it’s pretty, it smells nice, it attracts many insects and other wildlife, it is a win/win kind of thing.

But, the main point of a garden (or vegetable plot) is to end up with food. Preferably such a continuous amount that it can sustain you throughout winter (and the hunger gap) until the next season starts the cycle anew.

In order to gain the best yield, the right environment for the plants needs to be monitored all the time. This means you have to take care of the garden throughout the seasons. You have to clear weeds, fight pests (organically of course), water everything when needed, any many other small recurring chores to make sure all is well. If the weather turns ugly, you might want/need to add some extra protection for the more vulnerable plants.

You Reap what you Sow

When harvesting time comes, you’ll know if your efforts have been successful. Some plants might give an abundance of fruit, so much that you might not be able to eat it all, and need to be preserved. Others might be disappointing, or not productive at all. For these you need to figure out what the cause of this is, rectify it next season and hope for better results.

You cannot determine at the beginning of the season if all seedlings are producing what you hope. All you can do is create the best possible conditions, and then let nature do the rest.

You can be 100% in control, but that requires a 100% controlled environment, leaving nothing to chance.

Let it Grow

You can’t pull on the plants and expect them to grow faster.  – John Wenger

Most current corporate cultures do not sustain any individuality, serendipity or even productivity. Management is so disconnected from the workforce that they have no clue what ideas might be sprouting. The control (power) they desire so much kills all ideas and initiatives. Only those introduced by themselves are allowed to stay on.

This brings us back to the monoculture, and why it is such a bad concept.

The holistic approach of permaculture farmers have an average yield 3 times more per square meter than highly industrialised farmers.

In the beginning it takes a bit of extra work to set things up, to make sure all elements are in place. But, once things are running, a lot of it will take care of itself. Plants know very well for themsleves how to grow, when to grow a flower and when to turn that into a fruit.., you don’t have to tell it to do it.

All you need to do is make sure the conditions are just right.., that the enviroment is just right. Then, be it a plant or a human, they will find there way.

And trust me, the results can be phenominal.

The post The Gardening Metaphor for your Corporate Culture appeared first on Rogier Noort.

Image by Katie Tegtmeyer (CC)

Note; I do hold the readers of this blog and the people in my network in high regard. Insult is not intended. Yet, if you do feel offended, don’t start yelling at me, but try and figure out why you are offended. And, if you wish, we can always have a civil conversation about it.

The past year or so has provided us with a whirlwind of disturbing information. Information which is widely available and has a profound impact on our society and mental well being.

My opinion? We are controlled.

We don’t like to be, we pretend not to be. We pretend to be the deciders of our fates. But we willingly accept our inability to control what we see, what we read, what we write… even what we think.

Everything is fed to us by news outlets, cable companies.., and the government. The illusion of choice is everywhere, and we all believe we have that choice. While in reality, science (i.e. clever people in marketing) has found a way to convince you to buy something you don’t want, or need. We are confused.., despite of all the available information we no longer know who to believe, so we choose what is most convenient for us, what has the least impact on our time and/or wallet.

This perpetual state of confusion is the perfect control mechanism. At one hand we are told not to text while driving, on the other hand we put up billboard video screens distracting us from the traffic in front of us.

Propaganda might have been popularised by Goebbels, but it certainly did not die with him. Quite the opposite. US cinema is a convincing tool for the armed forces to fill the public with a sense of invincibility, patriotism and justification for the ridiculous amounts of money spend on US’ defence budget. And they are extremely skilled at it.

The notion of an opinion is concealed by a false sense of patriotism and a skewed sense of morality.
The notion of an original thought is drenched in a deluge of information and regurgitated nothingness.

The anonymous postings on various “social” channels drag mediocrity to an all time low. Having people focus on senseless and mundane topics, and feeding young girls a “belieber” state of mind which is outright worrisome.

The relentless sexism, racism, and narcissism has been given an uncontrolled worldwide and lightning fast outlet. No need to confront, to apologise or take any responsibility.

The complete inability to see beyond the high definition screens in front of us is as worrisome as dehumanising a specific demographic.

Darker Thoughts of Late

I talk about stuff like Prism, the NSA, the environment, and decisions made solely for the sake of profit, in the attempt to explain certain concepts and consequences.

And lately my writing about social business and its sociological impact has become somewhat polluted by these big real world problems. Problems seemingly far removed from the office.

More and more I tend to believe that the wishes we have for our workplace, the improvements we seek, the happiness we seek are not just related to our jobs. I more and more tend to believe it is merely a subconscious expression of the gargantuan problems our society faces, now and in the near future.

The current technological developments and philosophies might just be the enablers for the change we seek so dearly. Just maybe we can have that little bit of control we desire so much. Just maybe this gives us a fighting chance of regaining the individualism and personal freedom we need as humans. We sure as hell can’t expect this from our governments.

Bears vs. Eagles

I am a realist, have an open mind and a vivid imagination, I consider myself a eagle, rather than a bear.

The one being able to see the bigger picture, to connect the dots between seemingly unrelated events. I’m wide awake (at least I’d like to think so).

On the other hand, a bear has tunnel vision, limiting what it sees. Unable, and sometimes unwilling to see there’s more to the world than meets the eye. Hibernating for a good part of its life.
And yes.., unfortunately there are far more bears than eagles.

However, whatever narrow-mindedness you have bestowed upon yourself (if any of course), there is no way you can deny that developments of late do not have an effect on the individual.., this does include you!

I certainly believe it does, and whether you like it or not is totally irrelevant. How can you not be affected by it?

How can you not worry about climate change?
How can you not worry about the relentless (and very illegal) information gathering by our governments?
How can you not worry about the continuous warmongering and the absurd glorification of dying for your country?
How can you not worry about the ongoing misuse and abuse of religion?

How can you not worry about that?

Dystopia

We’re taught to worry about Orwell’s dystopian view in ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four‘, and this does seem far removed from our reality, at least for the western world. North Korea springs to mind as a nation which utilises this view through an extreme version of communism.

Meanwhile, in the west we think we are under no threat of such an extreme form of control. But there’s more than one way to skin a rabbit. Huxley wrote very prophetically about our Brave New World back in 1931. Foreseeing our current information overflow, perfected distractions, and love for things. (edit: Richard Martin reminded me of ‘The Circle‘ by Dave Eggers, a more modern take on the subject)

These distractions are perfect for those in control. News is old as soon as it leaves your screen. A Twitter stream goes so fast, only when something goes global does it stand a chance to be picked up long enough to mean something. The revelations Snowden and Greenwald brought us are of such significance that it should shake the very foundations of our democracies (the NSA did respond, take that as you will).

And yet, what has been done about it in the past two years.., nothing. No political outrage, no heads rolled, no policy changes, no impeachments, nothing. No (significant) government and ally of the United States dares to oppose them.., or wants to oppose them, as they benefit as much from all the surveillance as their big brother.

Too many people are more concerned with who wins The Voice than who collects your private data. And all are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new Apple Watch. Our priorities are skewed, unrealistic even.

Those things we so love and which we find so important really are not.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

The greatest trick the Devil pulled was making people believe he didn’t exist.

Part of our current crisis is that most of us believe there is no problem, or at the very least the problems portrayed are not related to them. Most have their own cross to bare.

With the economic crisis, which is well into its 6th year, people are very anxious about their jobs and pay-checks. And I don’t blame them. Loosing your job leads you directly to the food bank and welfare. Or at least that’s the common perception., and again.., I don’t blame people for thinking this.

All this is coupled to a continuous news stream of terror, war and violence.

I don’t blame people for choosing the secure road of keeping ones head down, do your job, don’t ask to many questions and above all.., do not take any risk. Most people are left with little to no choice. Fear is a powerful means of suppression.

More and more we fear those in charge. And more and more those in charge fear us less and less. The trick is not just to have the right propaganda and legislation, the trick is putting your citizens in a position where they no longer dare to step out of line… not because of anything they’ve done wrong, but because of the consequences any observable action might have. Former East Germany had this system perfected.

Where the people fear the government you have tyranny. Where the government fears the people you have liberty.- John Basil

Sound of Silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence.

The Sound of Silence was recorded in 1964, 51 years ago, and I feel it was, at the time, prophetic. Its exact meaning isn’t entirely clear, but I guess that doesn’t really matter.

As with most songs, either there is a very clear message, or the writer is poetic and the message is left up to the interpretation of the listener. I had been listening The Sound of Silence for years now, but lately it fell more in place than usual.

To me, now, it resonates so well with the signs of our time.

Hello darkness, my old friend,
I’ve come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
‘Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence.

“Fools,” said I, “You do not know –
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you.
Take my arms that I might reach you.”
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made.
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming.
And the sign said, The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sound of silence.

The post The Sound of Silence appeared first on Rogier Noort.

Don’t.

There, that was an interesting post. Short, but interesting.

Maybe I should explain that most insightful conclusion a little bit.

Again.., a dear (anonymous) friend told me a great story about what happened at work. This time around it was a bit darker than usual. This time there were victims. This time people got sacked, fired, let go, made redundant. Come in to work in the morning, leave jobless before lunch.

And nobody saw it coming, no one knows why, and no one knows if these fired colleagues are the only ones.., or if there are more to follow.

Now, I can imagine that under extreme, and usually misguided reasons a company feels forced to lessen the number of employees, it’s money in the bank.

In that case the title could actually be “How to fire employees humanely”.

Necessary Evil

OK, let’s assume a company has no choice. It simply can’t hold on to the workforce as it stands, and it needs to let a number of people go.

(But, let’s face it, if you reach this point as a company you have made some pretty stupid decisions. And (top)management’s activities, reasoning and processes deserve a long hard and critical look.)

Having an employee come to the office in the morning only to tell them they’re being let go that same day, without any warning is simply cruel. And I do not mean that as a metaphor, I really do mean cruel. In my friend’s case (who didn’t get fired) one of her colleagues was part of that company for 18(!) years.

cruel |krʊəl|
adjective (crueller, cruellest; US crueler, cruelest)
wilfully causing pain or suffering to others, or feeling no concern about it: people who are cruel to animals | a cruel remark.

Next to the fact that these people never saw it coming, it leaves the rest of the workforce uncomfortable, restless and uncertain about their future. This too is cruel. And yes, the next day another was “let go”. Adding fuel to the fire.

There has to be a better way.

Compassion

That’s a dirty word, after all, it’s nothing personal, it’s just business. The fact that the company is putting you out to pasture after 20 years of service is, of course, nothing personal (note the sarcasm here, in case it wasn’t clear).

However, I can imagine that even companies with the best intend to change for the better may have to deal with some old fart’s legacy. Sometimes change hurts, even when it’s for the better.

Even then, you can have compassion, be courteous. You could even involve employees in the process, or at the very least keep them informed of the changes ahead. Let them know how many FTE’s need to be cut, then at least they know when it ends.

And maybe, just maybe, some employee might even have a good suggestion to help with the crisis. Or somebody might even volunteer to be let go, saving some other poor soul the grievance of being fired on the spot.

I do understand the rip-the-band-aid-off-in-one-go tactic. I really do. The process still hurts, but for a shorter period, although probably a lot more. And, those responsible avoid any situation where they have to explain themselves. Why would you take responsibility for something when you can avoid it.

Dying Industries

When I was discussing this with my dear friend and podcast co-host John Wenger, he brought up British Coal as an example of a business in a very tough industry. There are others to choose from of course, many are dead or dying, and many industries change all the time. The continuous development of technology happens quicker and quicker and we all need to keep up, or be left behind.

Anyway, John’s point was, what if you have no choice.

I’d dare say, you always have a choice. The sad thing is that most business related choices revolve around profit, and profit alone. And usually only for a few people who seek to make as much of it as possible in the shortest possible time.

They don’t care about long term consequences, whether they’d be sociological or ecological. most decisions they make won’t come back to them in their life-time, especially when they have enough ‘profit’ in the bank. Rendering them untouchable of the consequences.

This directly relates to people losing their jobs. It’s the direct consequence of bad and selfish choices of a few.

Wilful Ignorance

Politicians take the cake with this. And let me be frank, I loath politics. I think there’s no such thing as a “good” politician. Yes, you can argue all you want about those who truly believe in the positive change, are green(ish) and left(ish), and try and work the system from the inside.

In reply to that I say, how’s that working out for you?

No, in our current “democratic” re-elective system the focus is always on compromise and (re)elections. Leading to promises made and promises broken. And the ones who really matter, or really want to change the system are snowed under and kept short, because.., well.., they are annoying. And thus, effectively, quite useless. Without the aid of the masses no real change can happen.

James Hansen’s TED Talk is evidence of this reasoning.

Climatologist Hansen has been trying to convince governments of the severity of climate change for over 25 years. He argued his point in front of the highest echelons of many western governments. And where has all this effort led us… no where. What has been done? Nothing.

Now, sea levels on the North-east coast of the US have risen nearly 4 inches in one year (between 2009 and 2010). This is permanent, not due to (extreme) weather.

And yes, there is a point…

We know things have made a turn for the worse. Those in power have known for decades things are getting from bad to worse. Irreversibly so.

Tough decisions had to be made to save our living environment. Most would’ve had severe economic consequences. This is the one reason why nothing has been done. Sure.., now we acknowledge the fact climate change is real, and we come up with all sort of long-term solutions, like reducing emissions over a 50 year period, or something useless like that.

Problem is, it’s too little too late.

We knew, but did nothing (hence The Age of Stupid). Sitting government officials cannot (or will not) be held responsible for things they did while in office. So they’re good to go. There is no need to worry, it won’t affect them and they never lost the power they worked so hard to obtain by making unpopular (economic) decisions.

‘We’ still aren’t committed to reducing CO2 to an acceptable level. But, our generation doesn’t really need to worry about that. It’ll be our children who’ll reap that harvest.
(which is probably not true, because the changes in our climate happen quicker and quicker, the chain reaction has become unpredictable. We know what will happen, we’re just not entirely sure when)

Profit

As mentioned in my previous post, companies go to great lengths to please their shareholders. IBM even created a program to optimise the return on investment (ROI) of its shareholders, with the inevitable lay-offs following suit. I think Bruce Kasanoff got it right;

Protect the machine, not the people.

As I wrote about in the Bloodhound post, the initial attitude of any business determines a lot of its eventual outcome. A business build with the sole purpose to generate as much profit as possible is doomed to fail. It’ll lose its customers, partners or market share, or it’ll be bought out by a bigger player (this too is a goal for many who build a company).

Where was I?

Oh right.., how to fire people.

I guess I’m still trying to make the point that you shouldn’t have to.

Be Smart

A smart company has its focus on the thin line where customers and the company meet. Some say those who actually have contact with the customer are the most valuable people in the company. Managers three layers removed from the customer become less important.

I agree.

Also, a company should keep an eye on everything, the market, economical and political situations, the environment, their customers, the attitude of their partners, their employees… All should be continuously considered.

Not only will you be able to (partly) predict the market, which is good for your products, but you’ll also be able to (partly) predict big changes in any of these areas. Giving you a heads-up. This might give you enough time to adjust any parameters to make sure you stay in the game.

Couple that with an engaged workforce and you just might have enough fluidity to move with the current, instead of stubbornly fight against it. Which, in the end, will result in the need to fire people.

Just Don’t

So, there you have it. When you worry about how you’ll fire people, what you really should be worried about is why you need to fire people in the first place.

The post How To Fire Employees appeared first on Rogier Noort.

Disclaimer: I’m not a scientist and this is not a scientific article. Although it is a pretty clever article, I have no facts, surveys or statistics to back this up. Just a bunch of (life)experience, common sense, and a lot of absorbed stories about Why we need to socialise our businesses. It doesn’t come from nowhere. But, what if I didn’t write this article.

If there is one dominant feature that separates man from beast.., it’s the ability to ask the question; What if?

Think about this for a minute.

What if we turn that log into an axle and put some wheels on it?
What if we pre-slice that bread?
What if we come up with a philosophy that inspires a more engaged work force?

What if…

An animal never asks “What if?”. It just does what it needs to do. It doesn’t second guess. When it sees a threat it runs, when it sees a pray it attacks (albeit sometimes very calculated).

It doesn’t wonder, what if that snake is quicker than me? It attacks, experience might provide some caution, or tactic, but it won’t stop and wonder about all the possibilities of this life choice.

On the other hand, we humans do it all the time, in almost everything we do. Many great inventions and discoveries were conjured up this way. People asking questions like, what if the earth revolves around the Sun. That would make a lot more sense when looking at the heavens.

If nobody would have ever been able, mentally, to ask that question, we’d still be throwing stones at the other monkeys. Then again, some people are stupid enough not to ask the question and just do, and then the digital world amplifies our thoughtless act. Some learn the hard way that taking a moment asking ‘what if?’ is a very good thing.

Hindrance

Next to the wonderful stories where we invent stuff like electric light or the iPod, we also tend to limit ourselves by the question. In fact, with our current digital lives we enhance the subconscious notion of what might happen if we take a certain action. It often leads to second guessing. Something that can be useful, but not always is.

For some, this is a way of never taking any risk. Pondering about every eventuality and getting stuck on the worst-case scenarios will grind everything to a halt.., and very effectively so.

Insurance commercials, for instance, are experts in lettings us know what will happen if you do not have their insurance. What if you fall down the stairs?

We are trained to do so. In the office and outside the office.

Surveillance State

On a greater scale, our current surveillance apparatus makes us overly self-aware. We know “they” are watching. They admit they do. It is no longer hidden, it’s no longer covered up.

Of course we hear news about censorship in Islamic or communist countries like Iran or China. But in our wonderful western world they are a little more, let’s say… strategic about it.

Under the umbrella of terrorism we (and I do mean us all), we now have mass-surveillance on all citizens. And not just in the US.

Western-Europe also has its Big Brother mechanism well in place, and it works very close with the NSA, doing exactly what it is told.., like a good little dog.

The problem with this all-out surveillance is that it does not discriminate.., sure, you have an extra flag if you are a Muslim, or when you’ve enjoyed a vacation on Cuba, or even when you visit Boing-Boing (read the article at your own risk).

No, it applies to everybody.., no exception. Whether you are decent hard working white collar suburban Christian, or a Mosque visiting single dad with a beard, it really doesn’t matter.

The worst thing is.., the system doesn’t even do what they ‘promise’ it is supposed to do. It doesn’t prevent terrorist attacks. I think the events in Paris are testament to this point.

Besides.., if I were a terrorist and I wanted to communicate with my fellow conspirators.., I’d just get a postbox and send a letter.

Self-Censorship

This is the cause of the actions.

Glenn Greenwald opens his TED Talk with the anecdote of somebody being filmed, without his knowledge, while dancing in a room. The moment he realises someone is filming he stops, embarrassment ensues, the video is posted on YouTube and the odds are that person will never again dance like he’s alone in a room ever again.

This is the effect the awareness of mass-surveillance has. We no longer ask the question; What if somebody is reading this email? We know they do. And therefore we censor ourselves, we don’t speak our mind and we don’t write that email.

And this is not about sharing information about building a bomb.., no, much much worse.., this is about you expressing your displeasure with the current head state for example. Somebody who was elected through a democratic process. Somebody who can be impeached by that same democratic process. It’s about being a dissident.

Greenwald goes on saying;

A country is not judged on how it treats its citizens, it judged on how it treats its dissidents.

So, what if they did found out you were even thinking about this.., you better not. In North-Korea people are taught that their divine leader can read their minds. It sounds far fetched.., but the people of North-Korea are (mortally) afraid to even think bad thoughts.

Thoughtcrime is very real.

This is the world in which we all live.

The Office

This post was intended to be about working in the office, and how “What if…” could prevent you from expressing a great and innovative idea that just might save the company in the long term.

Instead it took a bit of a darker turn.., and now I am wondering if it is even relevant that somebody in some office is able to share a simple thought. Especially in the greater scheme of things.

Then I think.., yes it.

In fact, it just might be the most important thing at the moment.

All For Profit

This “rant” came about, in part, by an article written by Brian Solis; “Companies Profit When Customers Suffer“. And I’m gonna spoil it a little bit, but at some point he explains why shareholders take something that is working pretty good, and which leaves customers and those working with the customers quite happy, and break it. Simply because more short-term profit can be made.

Read the article for a more in-depth explanation.

So, here are some Wall Str. shareholders asking the question, What if we fire the CEO, and replace him with somebody who can be our puppet?

That was the wrong question to ask, but it makes them richer, and that, my friends, with so many things, is the bottom line.

And yes, this is what drives most behaviour in your office too. However misplaced, however short-sided or stupid it is, this is the reality in which we live.

Turning it Around

One of my major concerns is the attitude people adopt because of this retarded way of conducting business.

Employees in the above mentioned company were probably quite content. And the company probably had a pretty good employee engagement and retention. When stuff works and customers are happy, employees are too. It is not complicated.., really.., it’s not.

Turn that around, create unhappy customers and you’ll end up with unhappy employees.., there goes your engagement and retention, and your chance of having a solid and healthy company for the long-term.

To me, this is sad.

Chances are, this is also from experience, and I’m sure everybody can relate, when you have a good day, you bring that home. When you have a bad, that too comes home…

When you have a job which provides an above average amount of good days, you will become a more positive person. You will bring this home, you will bring this back to your local community, your family and friends. This positive outlook has the potential to change the world.

Turn this around… and you create a society where nobody cares.
A society where nobody feels the need to stand up and do what’s right.
A society where nobody stands up against the bullies of the world.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. – Edmund Burke

The post Our “What If” Syndrome appeared first on Rogier Noort.