Traditional Wisdom... LO8880

Michael McMaster (Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk)
Mon, 5 Aug 1996 07:38:12 +0000

Replying to LO8857 --

The idea that managers are needed to set standards of performance
because people lack these does not match my experience. As Robert
points out, if we begin from such assumptions, there isn't much
chance for an LO to occur.

My experience is that most employees have standards that are higher
than their managers and are generaly frustrated by the low level of
standards - or even apparent unconcern for them - exhibited by
managers and the system at large.

The nature of our corporations and the larger society that they
emerged from gives us a message that management should set
standards. This leads to the crazy - and common - situation where
individuals who privately complain about the low standards of
management (many, many people) also believe that it is management's
job to set standards and seem to believe that even they need them.
This in the face of their own complaints which demonstrate that such
external standard setting is not necessary.

My daughter and her boyfriend, visiting with us these past weeks,
have stated clearly what this condition. He works for Hewlett
Packard and she for Sun. Both said in answer to the question, "What
value does your manager contribute to the company?" that there
managers set high performance targets and that they and others need
them. Both also complain about the things that occur that get in
the way of performance and that management initiates and won't
change. Both also perform to their own standards, are highly rated
employees in their companies and don't wait for management to take
action.

Michael McMaster : Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk
book cafe site : http://www.vision-nest.com/BTBookCafe
Intelligence is the underlying organisational principle
of the universe. Heraclitus

-- 

Michael McMaster <Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>