Gary --
Being up close and personal to a corporation, I think the issue is not one of
indifference, but of group good versus individual good. The best managers care
about people who work for them. The best managers also understand that they are
responsible for the livelihoods of -- in the case of Bean -- 5,000 people and
their families, not just those the 20 or so who work in their department.
Managers perceive that at times they must be demanding of people, at times ask
them to give up something in order to work on a corporate problem. The
individual has the right and responsibility to say no if that is how they feel.
The manager has the right and responsibility to ask. It breaks down when the
individual says 'no' and the manager resents it or retaliates.
On the other hand, when someone says 'no' they also need to understand that
there are consequences. No matter how enlightened the manager, the manager is
dependent on people who will get the job done when it is needed. I think, for
example, that I am well above average in working out alternative work
arrangements for people who have special family needs. On the other hand, we
are a line department with urgent day-to-day needs, and it is impractical for
someone with these special needs to take on the greater responsibility that
would be involved in a promotion. Thus, the promotions will be less likely for
these people unless special circumstances can be found that allow the promotion
to work in their unique circumstances.
Once the unique circumstances come to an end, as they frequently do, when
children grow up, then the opportunities will increase again.
As for the idea that corporations are dying out, it may be so. At the moment I
incline to the notion that we are going through a cycle, and there will be a
reaction that pulls us back to a more reasonable position. When I compare
today's corporations to the great robber baron corporations of John D.
Rockefeller, and JP MOrgan, today's over-paid execs appear to be repeating an
old story, one which will eventually rebound in some fashion.
Food for thought.
Rol
--Rol Fessenden <76234.3636@CompuServe.COM>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>