Def of Learning Org LO4808

Rol Fessenden (76234.3636@compuserve.com)
11 Jan 96 16:13:29 EST

Sb: Def of Learning Org LO4773

David Reed says, "Allow me to add to the rule: Any person of superior
status must protect their position by not providing information available
to their level to persons of lower status. If information is passed to
individuals of lower status, then they may benefit from this new found
perspective and arrive at conclusions and develop ideas of same value."

The alternative paradigm is that a manager will realize that anything she
can do to enhance the performance of her staff will naturally be to her
benefit as well. I find this to be a far more common point of view than
the one you suggest, but yours is certainly out there more than it should
be.

Then he asks, "How do others in the manufacturing environments treat cost
data at the shop floor?"

We have team-based manufacturing, and every member of the team knows the
cost structure of the product. It really is a powerful tool for getting
their involvement in work. The value of productivity leading to wage
increases becomes readily apparent.

I have a fair amount of experience with manufacturing teams, but teams in
a non-manufacturing environment seem to be more difficult. I think it is
because the environment is often substantially more complex.

However, in both cases, it is a well documented fact -- in our world --
that more information leads to better performance, and the supervisor(s)
benefit from that. Therefore I don't know of any supervisors who actively
with hold information.

--
 Rol Fessenden
 LL Bean
 76234.3636@compuserve.com