How Do You Think of Metrics?

Earlier today I was recording a podcast with a guest and had my own aha moment. When I reflect on my consulting/coaching practice, I think of infrastructure design and of personal development of employees. I assist individuals, teams, companies, and organizations as a whole to BE their best. I’ve always shied away from metrics.  

In a conversation with my guest Belinda DiGiambatista I had a powerful reframe. It got me wondering how many of you, like me, were stuck in a rigid definition of the term metrics. 

My work focuses largely on the human aspects of management. I’ve always thought of metrics as related to financial information: P&L, expenditures, the purview of accountants and financial analysts, etc. 

As I commented on my practice being one of avoiding numbers, Belinda helped me to rethink how I work. While sharing that I work with strategy, culture, structure and people, she helped me reframe metrics as the purpose or goal the person, group, or company is focusing on.  

I was then reminded of a very old visual I used to make the point of everyone rowing in different directions versus all rowing in the same direction. Strategy, vision, and mission must be aligned for an organization to function well. All employees need to know what those dimensions stand for as it relates to the whole company but also–and perhaps equally as important–how they fit into their specific role and into the complex whole. You have to go slow to go fast. You must stick to your value proposition and what the company stands for. 

All too often I’ll see gizmos on employees’ desks touting the company’s mission or values. In conversation I often hear something 180 degrees different. Workers are not stupid. They want to see, hear and feel congruency between actions and words. 

I was reminded of this leaked video of the CEO of MillerKnoll berating her employees during a Zoom call. 

The meeting starts off well enough: the CEO acknowledges her employees' concerns about their rescinded employee bonuses. Great! She then reminds her employees of what their team’s focus should be. Ok, good!  But then things go wrong, as she mocks and berates her employees for inquiring after their bonuses–on a company wide Zoom call. Eek! 

Judging from how many people shared this video on social media, this CEO did some real damage. This CEO has eroded her own employees’ faith in corporate goals, and she has likely made employees of other companies feel the same about corporate culture.  

Millions of dollars are spent on cards and desktop reminders every year while many managers are acting out their company frustrations. Companies need to build trust-inducing work systems. Can you imagine what corporate America could be like if that was the goal? 

What is your company like? Are you willing to bring up the subject of aligning company values, mission and vision with your management? I invite you to share so we might all learn from your experience.

ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence: The Road to Productivity or Path to Employee Obsolescence?

“We have built and now are training our obsolescence. We are training Artificial Intelligence (“AI”)  to effectively take away our jobs, infiltrate the way we educate our future generations. If evolution has taught us anything it has taught us that survival is for the fittest.”

― Aysha Taryam

“As more boneheads use ChatGPT to cheat, worth of excellence will skyrocket globally.”

― Abhijit Naskar

ChatGPT is the hottest topic of conversation in the business realm and beyond. According to OpenAI, the tech company that designed the product, ChatGPT is a technology tool that utilizes “artificial intelligence trained to assist with a variety of tasks." When I heard this definition, I thought: “Assist with a variety of tasks. Hmm. It sounds like a human employee, sans human limitations. Could this be a manager’s dream come true? Or will this destroy entire sectors of the job market?” 

I wondered if ChapGPT represents the axis of human and robot, or if it's simply replacing the human plane altogether. This technical service, powered by artificial intelligence (“AI”) indeed seems more human than artificial. ChatGPT was carefully designed to mimic a human-like manner of speech. 

What can you ask ChatGPT to do? Nearly anything! With a few prompts from the user, it can write a cover letter. It can create a retirement announcement. It can design a logo for your business. It can compose a song. It does this by scraping the internet for similar results, aggregating the results, and mimicking an output similar to what a human would produce. It does this at an incredible speed, once given instruction from a human, such as: “Write country song lyrics about a well respected TD Bank manager named Linda from Kankakee, Illinois.” (Did you just stop to do this, reader? Did your jaw drop?) 

Many predict it may heavily transform the future of work. It’s easy to see the advantages from a managerial perspective: ChatGPT can save employees time, which saves companies money. Employees may ask: but at what cost to me? Even tech experts have strong feelings about it. The former CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, has warned that ChatGPT might present a threat to American democracy.

During WWII The Manhattan Project was the first time humans figured out a way to kill off their own species. What will advanced AI do? Psychologists are concerned about the negative effects that technology has on children, teenagers, and adults. A manager may wish for a flawless employee, but at what cost? People bring the sturm and drang of the human experience to their workplace. Might AI obliterate this?

Faced with my own doom-and-gloom attitude, I scolded myself: “Well, what’s the big fuss? Times change! The workplace will adapt. If I need butter for my kitchen, I don’t milk my cow and then reach for my butter churn. I buy it from a grocery store.” This has probably saved me several years of work over my lifetime. 

As a management consultant, I’m excited about this leap forward in efficiency. As a people-focused coach, and as a human, I’m hesitant. Could there be a happy medium? I welcome your thoughts.

Nature’s Wisdom

I’m veering off from my usual commentary about managerial accountability this week. We are in the midst of the holiest season of the year. Ramadan began last month and continues till April 20th. This date is also the day of a Solar Eclipse (not visible in North America but nonetheless powerful) and the New Moon, which is a time of reflection and dreaming. 

Passover began on April 5th and ends the evening of the 13th. We’ve just celebrated Easter in the Catholic Church this past Sunday and Orthodox sects will celebrate it on April 16th. For others who may be celebrating their holiest times of the year, I send blessings to you. 

I want to share with you a confluence of synchronicities I have recently experienced which has heightened my awareness.I recently came across a PBS special on Pope Francis’ Laudato Si, his 2016 Pastoral Letter to the world. In this letter, he implored human beings to address climate change and to develop a relationship with nature. 

The filmmakers asserted that, over the past ten years, the Pope has done more for climate change than any other human being.

The program brought together a Chief from the Amazon Rainforest, a young woman from India, a young man from Zaire, and some of their contemporaries. This small group had received a personal invitation to travel to Assisi with the Pope.

The Pope shared the Bible story about building the Tower of Babel, which reached for the sky. If a worker carrying a block dropped the block, he or she was severely punished. If they fell to their death or were maimed, they were swept up and discarded. Rather harsh treatment, I think!

In his letter, the Pope referenced Nature screaming, crying out to humanity to help her. He shared that presently, many humans do not have good relationships with Nature. These are times of violent exchanges and spiritual confusion. Once aware of what is happening, we can’t look away. 

All creatures, brother sun, sister moon, and all of the stars must be viewed as a choir, each having their own parts to sing and create magnificent harmony. An orchestra works precisely because of its diversity. The poor and indigenous cultures suffer the most from what the Pope labels economic arrogance and power over others. 

The April 3, 2023 edition of the New York Times has a front page story of Tulare Lake in California’s Central Valley, the largest body of water west of the Mississippi. This lake was drained in the mid century to create agricultural land. The recent drought and now excessive rain has filled the lake bed and the Lake has resurfaced. In less than three weeks this parched land has been transformed. Melting snow from the mountains will add to its width and depth. Birds that once flocked there are returning. A disaster for agriculture, a reclamation for nature. What is Mother Nature telling us? 

I’ve also been reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, her book of essays written from the perspective of a Botanist as well as a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Kimmerer describes the book as “an invitation to celebrate the gifts of the earth.” Discussing the unconscious polluting of Onondaga Lake outside of Syracuse, she discusses how nature always comes back, perhaps not how it once was but as a reclaimed land. 

I was deeply touched when she wrote about the need to have a relationship with the land. I yearn to experience this heartfelt connection, to appreciate and accept the awe and beauty of that which humans did not create. The Spirit that created humans created all creatures, the earth and all living things. I wonder how we have gone so far astray. 

It’s the first time in 30 years that Ramadan, Passover and Easter coincide and yet fighting is raging in the middle east, as well as in Ukraine. Why???? I am asking you to reflect during these most Sacred of times. What is truly important to you? How much money do you need? Are you fulfilled? What does relationship with Nature mean to you? Do your children need to receive a cadre of gifts every holiday? What does love mean to you? 

What legacy are you planning to leave to your children, grandchildren and as the Hopi say going forward Seven Generations?

I welcome hearing from you. 

Are You Hearing or Listening?

Listening to my favorite Sunday morning show, CBS Sunday Morning, I heard an analysis by author Dan Lyons on the need for more listening. He suggested that we need to stop speaking so much and start listening. He spoke of the fact that some people feel the need to keep speaking, which has to do with how their brains are wired. I enjoyed his analysis on the importance of listening and actually hearing what others are saying. In other words, we must avoid formulating a response while the other is still making his or her point. This got me thinking…

Many years ago I used to teach communication skills to managers and their employees. I’d noticed people in managerial positions would often share their ideas while setting the context for a meeting with their staff. They’d then ask those present what they were thinking about the subject. Only a very courageous individual or one who had a trusted relationship with the manager would dare to speak up. Perhaps some shared their true thoughts privately with their manager after the meeting. 

A new insight has emerged as to why people are compelled to share. Apparently new findings say their brains are wired this way. A challenge then comes to mind: how to embrace not speaking. What is it that makes people uncomfortable about silence? Time? 

I’ve been working with a physical therapist recently. One activity he has me doing is climbing steps. If made to climb steps for a full 60 seconds, you’d be surprised how long a minute is. In our face-paced culture, a minute or even thirty seconds seems unbearable. 

A brief moment of silence used to be referred to as the “pregnant pause”. So how do we shift our feelings and behaviors about silence and really start listening? 

First of all, become aware. Awareness is the necessary first step to changing beliefs and behavior. 

Secondly, notice whether or not you are formulating a response in your head while another is speaking. You can take a deep breath and stop this. You can even ask the speaker to restate what they just said, by saying “I think I missed something you said.” 

Many of today's work systems suffer from disengagement. This is a problem for the company as well as for the society as a whole. Work systems must be grounded in trust in order to stay competitive and innovative. Having two-way dialogue amongst managers and their subordinates or even amongst colleagues builds a trust inducing environment.  

Managers, employees: are you listening? And what will you hear if you do?  

Who Gives a Hoot?

New Yorkers were fascinated last month with a story about Flaco, the rare Eurasian owl raised at the Central Park Zoo. Flaco’s enclosure was vandalized and the owl flew out of the only enclosure it has ever known.  

This story was in every New York City newspaper. Bird watchers flocked to the park to see the majestic creature with a wingspan of six feet. Flaco’s fans soon became concerned the owl was not eating. They knew the bird had been on a daily feeding schedule during its lifetime. Now that Flaco is no longer being monitored, his natural instincts have turned on.

Many years ago I spent a month on the Big Island in Hawaii. My trip coincided with a significant birthday. A group of us, which included native Hawaiians, went out to celebrate my birthday. The roads were very dark and somewhat scary. On the return trip, ours the only car on the pitch dark road, we saw a white owl in our headlights. Immediately the Hawaiians mentioned how auspicious a birthday gift this was for me. Although I'm not a bird watcher, I knew how special this was, and I'll never forget that special birthday gift.

I recently read this article about how the medical community has begun to take more seriously looking at the natural world for answers to health and wellness. Ever keen to think outside the box when it comes to the business world, I wondered: what can managers learn from observing the natural world? The diversity, harmony and that which is not yet seen to the naked eye is a powerful scaffolding that strengthens the natural world. I wonder: do owls give a hoot about management systems? (Dear reader, I plead with you: grant me this one owl pun?) I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

Avoiding The ‘Wolfpack’ Mentality

Perusing the Saturday edition of the New York Times, I noticed an article entitled A Question Of Supervision In The Nichols Case. Those who read my blog from Feb. 26 know that I juxtaposed Mr. Nichol’s experience with my very different experience of getting pulled over by the police. I then questioned the lack of supervisory accountability. 

This article addressed the need for policing organizations to address the systemic problems that are rampant in policing culture. What allowed this group of men to act “with a wolf pack mentality”? 

Police serve the public and have the sacred duty of protecting citizens. They stop or eliminate crimes from happening. The “supervisor” in this case did not ride with the squad. Apparently, a lieutenant arrived approximately 6 minutes after the horrific beating. Has the public heard anything from immediate supervisors or managers?

Words have power. Language and titles in work systems are important. Supervision is about overseeing. Dictionary definitions say nothing about what supervisors must account for or what authorities might be associated (travel with) the title. 

Workers carrying supervisory titles assist those with managerial accountability in their managing duties. They are usually more “seasoned” than an officer or general worker. But it is critical to understand that supervisors are not managers. Managers-in this case policing-must account for the outputs of the people under their command.

How did we get to this place in policing and many other work systems? Years ago academics at some of the most prestigious colleges and university MBA programs began touting the importance of Leadership. The country was fed up with military management models used in the unsuccessful Vietnam War. Many professors used this dissatisfaction to introduce a new concept: leadership. This created significant notoriety for the professors, as many of them had little or no corporate experience.

Just think about this. Higher education is a collegial work system, not a managerial work organization. Professors don’t manage one another. Department chairs are not held accountable for the work of professors in their departments. Leadership, albeit a required characteristic of some managerial roles, is about getting people to follow. Where or what are they following? To what end? 

Management, on the other hand, is an actual role in a work system. Managers are held accountable for assigning tasks to others to produce a product or service. Managers are then held accountable for the outputs of their employees. The employee is accountable for bringing his or her best to the assigned tasks.

The last 30 years have resulted in the demise of managerial accountability. Workers are increasingly encouraged to be leaders. Management training programs have effectively disappeared in companies. Universities have created a new revenue stream: teaching about corporate finances and leadership. Unfortunately, these programs do not teach about the human side of work systems. The importance of caring for and valuing workers or how the lack of accountable structures can negatively impact employee performance.

It's time to get back to basics and refocus attention on management: not the management of the past which some sum up as “do what I say, not what I do”. The accountable managerial leadership I refer to is built on trust, fairness, integrity, accountability, and fair compensation. Structure plus accountability create massive results.

Let me share how your organization can establish solid footing. Contact me today to schedule an audit. 

Join me for a LIVE STREAM on Thursday 03/02 at 11:15 am PST (2:15 Eastern Standard) where I will be a guest on Mission Matters Live with Adam Torres. Below are the platforms you can view the live stream on. 

Subscribe to Event on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwdSxy9zd0c

RSVP on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7033325481760358400/

Follow/Get Reminder on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/MissionMattersBusiness

Follow on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/askadamtorres

Tyre Nichols

If I’m ever pulled over for a minor infraction by local police I’m overcome by fear. I get anxious, break into a sweat, and fumble to get my driver’s license.

I am a white female, over 60. If this is how I react, I can only imagine how people with black or brown skin or who are Asian or speak with heavy accents react. Recently I heard a discussion on the news that got me thinking. 

By now most of us have seen the horrific videos of the fatal beating Tyre Nichols received at the hands of five officers. The CBS This Morning co-hosts discussed this recently with Keith Taylor, a former NYPD Assistant Commissioner who is now a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Joining the conversation was Alexis Hoag-Fordjour, co-director of Brooklyn Law School’s Center of Criminal Justice. Ms. Hoag-Fordjour said policing is based upon  “control, subordination, and violence” which have been tried and true methods. 

I’d add intimidation: consider the power those flashing lights have to make you anxious. Professor Taylor focused on the need for “accountability measures” in law enforcement. You all know how dear to my heart accountability is, especially in managerial work systems. So let me do some weaving here.

The officers who stopped Tyre Nichols need to be held accountable. However, I’d propose that the policing work system itself is also in need of accountability. Although we did hear from the Chief, who acted promptly, we've heard nothing from the offending officers’ supervisor. Plenty of others were present watching, in close proximity, and did not intervene. Why? Perhaps we’ll never know. Did they fear being called a “RAT”? Not a member of the team? 

A work system that fosters non accountability also fosters the behaviors we saw displayed in dash and bodycam videos. No person should be beaten like that. Accountable managerial work systems inform everyone who can do what to whom, especially when it comes to co-workers (aka a policing squad) or even those from other agencies. 

Granted, this was policing where officers were carrying weapons. The escalation that occurred from a routine traffic stop should never have happened.I fear officers working within a system that lacks accountable leadership at every level will find another outlet for their aggression.

We need accountable managerial work systems. A proper system holds managers accountable for the outputs of their employees and allows for each employee to be at his or her peak performance. 

Perhaps Tyre Nichols was placed on this earth to heighten all of our awareness. 

Rest In Peace, Tyre.

Converging Trends Can Cause Chaos

Pepsi, among other companies, laid off workers before Christmas. Although the inflation rate is slowing, companies like Amazon, Salesforce, and Goldman Sachs are also scheduled to lay off thousands of workers. 

At a Brooklyn Chamber Of Commerce meeting last month, quiet quitting was mentioned. One of the attendees mentioned ghosting which was a new word for me. Ghosting occurs when new hires complete the interview process, accept an offer of employment, sign all the documentation, and never show up to work on the start date. I asked myself: what would compel a new hire to “ghost” an employer? Not knowing how to say ‘I’ve changed my mind?’ Lacking re-negotiation skills? Perhaps not understanding how to navigate face-to-face conflict in the increasingly digital workplace?

Employers are at wits’ end with new work norms, yet employees increasingly demand changes to workplace culture. The onus to comply is on the employer, and making sweeping changes can cost a great deal of time and money. It can also have an invisible impact on corporate culture. A December downturn in the stock market, especially in tech-based stocks, has left companies wondering what’s next.  

Individual workers are coping with increased prices of food and gasoline, as well as decreased 401K  values. They are scared of losing their jobs. On the human interaction plane, managers need to get a handle on what is going on. 

Salesforce will be laying off 10% of its workforce. This makes me think: DANGER AHEAD! Asking all departments to cut a percentage of their workers inadvertently leads to the removal of important roles. A Requisite Analysis will identify crucial roles, protecting the company from glaring holes in its infrastructure. 

As I elevate my interpretation of this situation to a 30,000-foot view I recognize this as part of a trend that has been developing for decades. During WWII, women replaced many of their male coworkers who had left to fight in the war. Thanks to these women picking up the slack, companies ran smoothly during the war. 

Once the war was over, thousands of veterans returned to the workforce. Ready to give their all, and perhaps worried about job security, the veterans re-entered the workplace with a renewed dedication to workplace success. This change, coupled with the ever-existing tension between workers and management, resulted in longer work hours and devalued the importance of vacation time. Vacations allow for creativity and innovation to emerge. And yet, I ask you: How many people do you know-perhaps yourself- who’ve never taken a two or three-week vacation? 

Paradigm shifts in the workplace are not new, but they can take employers by surprise. How have you attempted to achieve workplace equilibrium? I look forward to hearing from you.

Buckle Up!

The world of employment is changing. Institutions are crumbling. We are amidst a cosmic shift in how we organize and do our jobs. Workers want a decent wage but also the time to be with family and friends. They don’t want what my mentor referred to as the “iron fist in the velvet glove”. They want to be treated as adults, be shown opportunities to grow and develop, and be paid a fair wage. They want the freedom to choose. 

Millennials started a new trend by jumping from company to company and role to role. I see two reasons for this. First, many Millenials and Gen Zers saw their families suffer during the recession. They have begun to say, “I want more than working for the man to the detriment of my life and dreams”. Once this generation was primed by the recession, a second major factor affected the job market: the Covid 19 Pandemic. During this period of lockdown, people reflected. People found their passion. Creativity and innovation soared.

Taking this one step further to a planetary view Earth has been under the influence of a phenomenon: Pluto has been in the sign of Capricorn for the last 15 years. On or about March 23rd, Pluto will enter the sign of Aquarius which–unlike Capricorn’s rules and regulations–is about freedom, opportunity, and kindness.

On the local level, management must hire and onboard new employees, perhaps also contending with a new employee ghosting after being hired. Management may consider inviting others on the team to be part of the hiring and onboarding process. In doing so, they’ll demonstrate that the organization is welcoming, caring, and has a relational base. What a first impression for new hires! Instead of command and control, workers want clarity of assignments and direction. Recognize that people want to be valued and appreciated. Kindness goes a long way. 

Please put this into perspective for yourself. Think about the last 15 years of your employed life. Have you been on a treadmill whose elevation gets steeper while its pace increases? What workplace lessons have you gleaned from the Pandemic? How might you change your own attitude and behaviors to be more welcoming to new people and engaged with your workers? The workplace is changing. Are you buckled up and ready for the ride? 

The Power of Four

Most who know me know I am a lifelong learner. The emphasis on leadership over management these last few decades has been frustrating not only for me but for millions around the world.  So many managers want to do a good job but know nothing about what it means to be an effective manager. Couple that with “the great pause” (as I refer to the Covid-19 Pandemic), which has provided me with time to deeply reflect on the world of work and in particular my life’s work.  

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg recently fired half of its workforce. Elon Musk bought Twitter and let many of its key employees and employee benefits go.These are just two seemingly reckless corporate decisions that have been made recently.  

I am dubious of this attention to short-term corporate profits. The resulting imbalance has skewed our view of what is important in life and in corporate culture. Institutions are in shambles. 

Our youth, including many members of Generation Z, are seeking innovative career paths.I recently learned that the most desired job amongst Generation Z is to be an “influencer”. “And then what?” I ask myself. We’ve lost our way.

I’ve synthesized my work into a system called The Power Of Four. This system identifies four dimensions workers can utilize to rethink their unique approach to the world of work, their company, and even their career.  Seemingly simple, it has a potency that can ignite energy at the individual, team and corporate levels.  My short chapter in the recently released Mission Matters Tips For Success V8  begins to scratch the surface of this important body of work. Call me if you want to hear more! 

Distinctions

The world of corporate oversight, profitability, and managerial leadership has been muddied for decades. Using corporate earnings as a measure, we see profits skyrocketing. At the same time, employee disengagement is proliferating. The current buzzword, mentioned recently in a blog, is Quiet Quitting, whereby workers do only as much as required to keep earning their salary.  

A few years ago Disney CEO Bob Iger retired. Mr. Iger was replaced by his handpicked successor, Bob Chapek. With earnings trending down almost 40% under Chapek, recent headlines were abuzz: Chapek was fired and replaced by Iger. 

Recently, in another realm, we heard House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi tell House colleagues she would not run for a leadership position in the next Congress. I will avoid a partisan statement, encouraging us instead to examine some of Speaker Pelosi and Mr. Iger’s comments. They illustrate essential distinctions between management and leadership. 

First, Congress is a body of Representatives, not a corporate entity. It is, by its very nature, a Congress of elected officials each representing specific districts. Congress’ role is to come together to uphold our Constitution and work together for the betterment of the whole country as well as smaller constituencies.  

Second, ours is a two-party system in which each caucus elects one of its peers to lead the caucus. Their role is to lead and guide. They do this by engaging, persuading, influencing, and bargaining with members of their caucus. 

Speaker Pelosi was eloquent and inspiring in her remarks, providing a primer on the role of elected officials in the House. Although Congress has important work to do, this government body is not a business or corporation. There are no profits or earnings to be made while in service of the people.  

This differs dramatically from corporations, particularly large work systems, whose purpose is to provide products and services to the populus, allowing for the population and shareholders to thrive. Just think about it. Businesses are the bedrock upon which our communities are built. This is a key distinction. Management bodies, executives, business unit heads, managers, and directors are authorized to provide direction, oversight, counsel, and resources to their employees. The goal: to develop quality products and services.  

In corporate settings, this system is known as Accountable Managerial Leadership.  A company’s effectiveness is measured by the outputs of its employees. A boss’ effectiveness is, in turn, judged based on the outputs of their workers and their own personal effectiveness. 

The effectiveness of Congressional leaders and employed people with the title of leader is based upon their competency, trustworthiness, and persuasion skills. These leadership roles garner power over others.  

Leaders are not managers-they don’t have to account for the delivery of products and services to the public or worry about profitability. However, there is a component of leadership in all managerial roles. 

Words matter. Distinctions are important. Words set the tone and carry energy. What kind of tone or energy are you setting in your organization?

I’d love to know your thoughts on this. Write or call me.

My Mentors

Thanksgiving is a time that many of us reflect on our relationships with friends, family, and community.  I’m fortunate: my career–past and present–produces gratitude as well. During the Thanksgiving season, I like to thank my clients for trusting me to guide them to where they want to BE. It is indeed a privilege to work with people who recognize they need assistance to realize their greatness.  This week, however, I’d like to give thanks to two people who have impacted my career: my treasured mentors, Dr. Elliott Jaques and Kathryn Cason of the Requisite Organization International Institute. 

These two people were passionate about the world of work. They contributed to the body of knowledge about organizational design and structure. They understood the development of human potential capability throughout one’s lifetime.  A behaviorist until meeting them in the mid 80’s, I too was keenly interested in the concept of human potential. 

My consulting business was turned upside down when I met Dr Jaques and Ms Cason. Elliott’s findings, from years of social analysis of work systems around the world, made total sense to me. Kathryn co-authored Human Capability which emphasized the development of potential capability over one’s lifetime.  The book took a powerful stance, debunking the then-popular belief that people plateaued in their growth of human capability. 

At the time I was emphasizing employee behavior as a key factor of organization effectiveness.  After being introduced to Elliot and Kathryn’s research, I was stopped dead in my tracks.  I delved deeply into Requisite Organization (RO) and never looked back. I knew in my bones that what they uncovered in their research was essential to an organization’s success as measured by profitability and employee engagement. 

Both Elliot and Kathryn were brilliant, both as a team and as individuals. After Elliot died in 2003, Kathryn, along with the couple’s daughter Rebecca Cason, took up the mantle of the work. From that time forward Kathryn was always available to discuss client work in great detail. We’d spend hours on the phone or in one of our offices. I’m thankful that after Elliot’s passing, Kathryn’s mentorship continued to play a critical role in the arc of my career.  

I recently learned that Kathryn Cason transitioned in early 2022 without much fanfare.   It is with deep sadness that I acknowledge her passing. During this season of gratitude, I am deeply indebted to Kathryn and Elliot for their mentorship. 

What about you? Are you grateful for your mentor?  Are you thankful for your star employee? Does your intern make your day at the office even better?  I’d love to hear from you, so let’s chat today.

Although the photo on top of this blog is not as clear as I’d like, I hope you’ll indulge my including it, as I wanted to share a picture of Kathryn Cason with you all.

Quiet Quitting

In chatting with a woman who is doing some work for me she asked if I’d heard the term “quiet quitting”.  I hadn’t and she proceeded to tell me what it referred to. Simply stated, it's a condition whereby people do the minimum amount of work they are assigned and they do so without energy and passion.  I’ve been writing about the Disengaged Workforce for more than a few years now using Gallup’s Annual Research Reports on the World of Work. It's a serious problem.  

Within a few days of this conversation, I saw the term a few more times: once from Tony Robbins. Next, I noticed it was “trending” on LinkedIn. Soon, it began to show up everywhere!  The term is warranting greater press these days perhaps because members of Gen Z are digital natives and use social media almost exclusively as a means of workplace communication. . Employers are focusing the blame on their Gen Z employees.  They assert that Gen Z is lethargic and lacking in work ethic. I think this is misguided.  My years of experience have me viewing quiet quitting differently…

I believe that quiet quitting is a result of disengagement. Employee disengagement is an under the radar problem which I and Gallup have been addressing for years.  Why, you might ask?  A glance at the stock market demonstrates profits for some large corporations have soared during the Pandemic. Many continue to enjoy record profits, even as the stock market has been down over the last few months.

A large element of quiet quitting is that people are not receiving a living wage. Employers experience record growth as a result of the employee’s labor, and yet employees all too often are not able to live on the wages they are paid. Hence, many workers have left the job market to pursue other more satisfying and profitable employment opportunities or passions. 

Suddenly new terminology has arisen and employers are taking notice of this new phrase: quiet quitting. They now blame Gen Z for this phenomenon which has been emerging for decades.

Heaven forbid they should assume some responsibility for the seriousness of the problem now. 

Harvard Business Review estimates there is over $3 trillion in waste in today’s corporate bureaucracies. One Wall Street Journal Op Ed contributor commented how in most industrialized nations.managers have many more than 4 or 5 immediate subordinates, which is the norm in US workplaces. 

Architecture and interior design firms recognize that structure affects people’s behavior. It's an underlying principle of their studies yet we have not addressed it in our large work systems. 

If you have the good fortune to travel to Europe in August, you know that everyone except those in the tourist industry are enjoying their company sanctioned month’s vacation. Step away from work for a month and you return energized.  Most Americans don’t even take two consecutive weeks off.  

Requisite Organization (RO) is a comprehensive approach to large work systems established by Dr Elliott Jaques. This system, which has informed my coaching and consulting, consists of a core set of principles.  Briefly put, the work system can be viewed as a living, breathing, dynamic organism.  It has a purpose and core set of values around which the structure is built. Key to RO is a scientific grid which differentiates work from the simplest to the most complex.  For example, when in a consultative mode I teach that first line managers can manage up to 60 people. This enables workers to actually differentiate who their “real boss” is within a larger organization, eliminating the frustration and “bad will” that occurs when they ask their supervisor for a raise. Supervisors can only recommend a raise to the manager or “real boss”.

I love this stuff and know in my bones and by client comments that it works. It takes time for employers to get the hang of it.  Once that is accomplished, the culture of the organization is transformed as dialogue begins to occur at all levels. With the elimination of bureaucracy, space is made for creativity and innovation. and increased profitability blossoms.  

Employees who are engaged, appreciated, and empowered?  They have space to breathe and room to grow. As for “quiet quitting”? There is no need for it when an employee is excited about work! 

Let's ignite a dynamic energy in your company. I'm excited to get started, so call me today! 

Music As Metaphor

I’ve often struggled to characterize how working with Bova Enterprises (BE) could be distinguished from working with other executive coaches or consultative projects. I recall my attempts at creating an “elevator pitch”.  I'd been honing my craft for years. 

I knew what I needed to do: put my accumulated knowledge, skills, and experiences into a few engaging sentences.  Actually doing this? It was torture.  I needed some creative artistry. 

Recently I found a solution from a surprising source: Classically trained South African cellist Abel Selaocoe. In a recent interview, Mr Selaocoe spoke of the importance of fresh approaches and the importance of selecting the right collaborators.  He noted: “As soon as you have curiosity in the room, 70% of the job is done”. 

Aha!  As I enjoyed a glass of wine while listening to Mr Selaocoe’s music, I saw myself in his music: working intuitively and jamming as jazz musicians do.  Musicians are steeped in the structure of knowing their instrument but masters can trust themselves to go somewhere they haven’t been before. I caught a glimpse of my elevator pitch! 

Many years ago while I was studying organization and systems theory at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, one of my first assignments was to spend time in an organization without saying a word. The task was to observe and make observations about the organization. I was forced to use only my senses. We worked in small teams and then compared our observations. It was uncanny how effective the observations were in identifying the underlying problems. 

Classical music teaches the importance of structure and practice. Jazz, known as the American Creation, blends many musical sounds. It includes blues and African rhythms as well as those from Latin and Caribbean countries. The results? A“groove”! 

Jazz is built on improvisation. The beauty of jazz: the freedom to be in the moment and allow whatever needs to come through you (the instrument) to flow.

Abel Selaocoe, through his music, wants to offer routes to universally felt experiences. “There are things that go beyond language, the things that are just part of the human instinct.”  WHERE IS HOME is the title of his new album.  The question he’s asking is for the listener to go beyond geography.  Home could be an ideology, your artistic practice, or those you surround yourself with.  The Pandemic has forced most of us to pause.  During this period many have found themselves by experimenting with cooking, gardening, learning to play a musical instrument, developing a mindfulness practice, and other exciting endeavors. The outcome of this forced time off has perhaps anchored a new you. Perhaps you've even found yourself without realizing you were lost! 

Take a leap with me and let's shift from people to organizations. What if our organizations could embark upon a similar path?  I wonder: what would a new organization form look like? Imagine an infrastructure of roles, accountabilities and authorities built on trust, innovation, fair compensation, and employee profit sharing.  What might that look like for you?  

Speak to me.

Can Labor Organizers and Union Busters Reach a Compromise?

Do you ever feel bombarded?  Energies coming at you from different directions?  Now that the Pandemic has subsided, referred to as the new normal, we wonder what’s next?  We have a war waging on the other side of the world, as well as the rise of nationalistic leaders and points of view in Europe and South America. 

We watched a country mourn the death of its beloved monarch. Most of the world knew only one Queen during its life:  Queen Elizabeth, the longest reigning monarch in history, and a woman at that. 

We have fires raging in the west and Florida cleaning up after the catastrophic hurricane Ian. The remnants of Hurricane Ian will be here for a long time. Rebuilding infrastructure, homes and businesses takes time, perhaps as much time as repairing the effects of the Pandemic which have yet to be fully understood. The world has changed rapidly. As a result, the world of work has been transformed.   

In the wake of the Pandemic, corporations realize they don’t need as many offices or warehouses.  Employees have learned that by working from home, they can get a lot more done without having to commute.  Liz Shuler, labor organizer and President of the AFL-CIO recently said that there is labor organizing happening in every sector of the economy, including Gaming, Apple Stores, Amazon Warehouses, Starbucks, and even amongst Mt Sinai post-doctoral students.

Grassroots organizing has experienced a decades-long decline. In the past two years, we have seen a resurgence of grassroots organizing efforts. Along with this increase in grassroots organizing, we’ve seen a multi-million dollar new industry emerge: union busting. I’m puzzled. Why would a company pay multiple millions of dollars to undermine the development of a union when fair wages and other benefits would likely cost them less in the long run? Why fear an empowered workforce aligned with corporate values and goals? Historically I recognize the rapport between companies and unions has been adversarial. Isn’t it time to revisit that?  

Labor organizing and union busting demonstrate the tremendous strain workers and their employers are experiencing.  As human beings, we are goal-directed. We work towards something. Since the Recession in 2008 many have been doing not only their own work but also the work of people who were let go. They’ve put their nose to the grindstone. They fear they too might be in danger of losing their job.  How might they support their family?  Fear has infiltrated the workplace perhaps more than ever. This fear is unseen, yet present nonetheless. And so it's difficult for workers to address this invisible menace. 

There will always be companies and people who work for them. It is what societies are built upon. Some people are driven to create their own businesses, while others prefer working for a multinational, midsize or small business.  Eternal is the dynamic tension between workers and employers. I wonder what the world would be like if both businesses and their workers trusted each other? What would happen if people in different functional areas like marketing, finance, and sales were compensated not for the functional area they were in but for the type of thinking that is required of them? 

Over the course of my career, I’ve interviewed thousands of people. What have I learned?  Employees know their value. Some clearly will tell you (in confidence that is) they are overpaid. Others know they are underpaid but value their job satisfaction over salary. Still others are frustrated at being underpaid, which undermines both their trust in the organization and their productivity. 

Like acorns falling from oak trees, each acorn has the DNA to become an oak tree. Some will grow strong and tall and live a hundred years while others might only reach 30 years and be prone to illness.  In truth, each is an oak tree having unique internal coding and characteristics.  The environment in which the acorn falls also plays a key role in its growth. The soil, weather, and other factors all play a part in the kind of tree that will grow.  Similarly, each of us is encoded with capability. Some will thrive on assembly lines while others become professionals. Others climb the corporate ladder or create new and exciting businesses. 

Employees are not simply employees:  they are all human beings, are all coded differently, and are all influenced by the environments they have grown up in. Within large work systems, people of all levels of capability are required to ensure the business thrives.

We forget that our country is made up of immigrants, except for those who were here first: the Native Americans. Sometimes, in the service of “paying their dues”, immigrant groups have been hurt by stereotypical institutionalization of beliefs.  Isn’t it about time we take a deep breath and recognize we are all human beings? Those of us who are parents know that no two children are alike.  Some are academically brilliant, while others are satisfied working with their hands. You don’t value one over the other, or do you?

We are one country. Let us take a lesson from Ukraine.  They are fighting for their freedom, their values, the right to choose. We did that in 1776. Have you forgotten?

It’s important that we discuss this in the workplace. Let me know what you think, and please forward this to your friends and colleagues.  Contact me at info@bovaenterprises.com 

And a quick announcement:  I am proud to announce that my newly published book, a collaboration released with Mission Matters, will be out soon.  You may watch an interview about the book here. Stay tuned for more details.

Can You Guess Who Said This?

“I don’t respect the stock market at all.”  “Once you’re public, you have lost control over the company, and you have to maximize profits for the shareholder, and then you become one of these irresponsible companies.” “...they (my children) embody the notion that every billionaire is a policy failure.”

A few months ago I wrote about Herman Daly, an economist whose life work has focused on creating a “steady state economy”.  Daly believed that the constancy of growth for the benefit of building shareholder wealth has eroded both our culture and values.  I’ve not even scratched the surface of his work, but my body tells me there is truth to what he is saying.  My mentor, Dr. Elliott Jaques, always said the purpose of corporations was to build communities, provide workers fair wages to support their families and community…to build a society.  He believed–and his analytic work proved–that trust based work systems not only build strong vibrant cultures creating opportunities for “all” but also create profit and build shareholder value.  

So who have I quoted?

These strong opinions come from Yvon Chouinard, speaking of recent decisions to continue his company and sustain his dedication to the planet. Chouinard, the owner of Patagonia,  is frequently considered a quirky billionaire. The Patagonia brand is highly regarded among outdoors enthusiasts for its quality and durability. It sells over $1B in outdoor apparel annually.   Chouinard is 83 and an outdoorsman himself. Chouinard, along with his wife and two adult children, are now setting a new stage. Their mission? For companies to thrive financially while also ensuring the global social issues near and dear to their hearts can continue to be supported in perpetuity.  Call it capitalism with a conscience. 

Patagonia will continue to operate as a privately owned company but will no longer be owned by the Chouinards. The family has innovated once again while staying true to its global commitments and values.  98% of its shares have been placed into an Irrevocable Trust called the Patagonia Purpose Trust.  This “set in stone” irrevocable trust demonstrates that Chouinard means business! Under this new model, Choinard family members will hold the company accountable to its commitments: to run a socially responsible business and to give away 100% of its profits. Not only that, but they have paid whatever taxes were/are due for this restructuring and gifting, receiving no tax breaks in the process. How refreshing!

Recently a senior executive from Patagonia has joined the Eileen Fisher Company as CEO.  Lisa Williams, formerly chief product officer at Patagonia, will be accountable for overseeing daily operations, sustainable growth and responsible business practices. Eileen Fisher will stay on to oversee brand design. The company’s mission is to transform the apparel industry by repurposing, recycling, utilizing organic fibers and reducing waste. Under Williams’ direction, the company will address the glut of fabric that is found in landfills all over the world.  I've been a fan of Eileen Fisher’s timeless clothing for over 30 years. I was disappointed to see how the company lost its way when she stepped away.  My closet and I are thrilled she’s back.

There is hope on the horizon.  It takes a person who is comfortable in his or her skin to create something that is outside of the norm. Both Eileen Fisher and Patagonia have sold a portion of their company to their employees.  They've shown tenacity and vision, believing in what business could be. These two profitable companies founded by exceptional people have stayed true to their values and beliefs despite the business community looking askance.  Now at a new phase of personal and business maturity, they still are moving forward to make sure their companies survive and thrive after their departures. 

What might our world look like with more courageous business leaders?  What might our children and grandchildren’s world look like?  With younger people at the helm, will we see a brighter future? Any thoughts? Contact me today. I’d love to chat!

Yes to Salary Equality, No to Gender Equality?

In the fall of 2015, a little-known company in Seattle called Gravity Payments made a big splash in the media and at the water cooler: the CEO of the company, Dan Price, announced that the starting salary at the small payment processing company would be $70,000.  

The CEO’s reasoning; a fair starting salary would accommodate Seattle’s high cost of living. Fair wages, he believed, would help the company keep qualified people.  I was intrigued. I am a proponent of Jaques’ Felt Fair Pay(FFP) system. 

I immediately contacted Mr Price, eager to introduce him to FFP–and suspecting I'd found a kindred spirit.  I thought to myself, finally, a CEO had intuitively recognized what Dr. Jaques had uncovered in his years of analyzing organizations and meeting with workers in different roles at different levels.  Briefly, the FFP system recognizes ranges of salary that are based upon what is called levels of work of the role. The FFP system does not differentiate between functional areas such as marketing, finance, and manufacturing.

Fast forward to late August 2022, when an expose of Dan Price and Gravity Payments appeared in the Seattle Times, talking about this CEO’s alleged sexual harassment of his female employees. You can read more here.

The story also appeared in the Sunday Business section of the NY Times, commanding the cover story plus four full pages inside!   One might think this is significant coverage for the CEO of a small company.  However, Price used social media platforms for company recognition and allegedly to harass women.  

The names of women who have accused him of assaulting them appear in the New York Times article. How sad to learn that a smart, perhaps brilliant CEO is allegedly a sexual predator.

You might ask why am I making this the subject of my blog?  As a proud feminist and female business owner, I am totally supportive of women coming forth about sexual assaults.  What may have been acceptable years ago is no longer acceptable thanks to the “Me Too” movement.  I welcome prosecution of sexual harassment and assaults. 

That being said, as a business consultant, one who is passionate about transforming people’s experience at work, I am thrilled when I encounter an innovative, progressive CEO. Although Dan Price exhibited these qualities, he has also proven to be regressive. How disappointing to learn that he doesn't respect gender equality as much as income equality.  I hope more CEOs will embrace the managerial acumen of the FFP system. 

One way to build trust in organizations is to create transparent compensation systems that focus on the kind of thinking that is required in a role, rather than focusing on whether the role is directly related to bringing in revenue. In other words, the roles are valued by the capability required to do them as well as the knowledge, skill, and experience. FFP is such a system.  

Over the span of my career, sharing salary information has always been taboo, especially amongst women.  NYC recently put into law a requirement that salary ranges must be included in hiring ads.  Unfortunately, the starting date keeps getting pushed back. Like me, you may feel happy but frustrated about this. 

So, my fellow sisters and supportive men, we are making progress. We must continue to fight for fairness and equality in the workplace while nurturing innovative practices that can transform the work-life experience for all. 

I'd love to chat about this conundrum. Contact me today. 

“BOSSWARE” OR ACCOUNTABLE MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP?

An interesting article appeared in the news recently discussing how technology is now quantifying and measuring the work people do. Some people–both employees and managers– like to know what their pace and production is.  Others recognize there are many other variables that go into working. Let us not forget people are human. Where do you stand?  Is “Bossware” on the horizon soon?

Over the years I’ve been employed I’ve seen how technology and robotics have changed the way in which people work, particularly in manufacturing sectors.  Used to be a skilled worker could actually listen to or feel for something not being right with their product coming off the assembly line. Bosses knew who they could turn to when trying to address a problem on the line. This no longer is the case. Can a manager ask a robot or the computer running the line for its educated guess? 

If you are anything like me you want to first clarify the distinction between measuring and quantifying.  Simply put, measuring is objective, whereas quantifying leaves room for subjective (emotional) interpretation. A managerial role has always required two vital systems of accountability. First, a manager must account for the outputs of those in their unit. Second, the manager must apply their best judgment as to whether or not the individuals are using their full effectiveness while performing the tasks.  

Management is based on relationships.  As human beings we are relational beings.  Relationships build over time and are based on trust, an essential component of all relationships. How can we build greater trust in our companies?  In a work setting there is an implicit contract between the manager and the employee. The employee signs on to do or learn a particular job for which they will be paid a wage. The manager is accountable for not only assigning tasks but for ensuring the individual has what he/she/they need to to complete the assignment. Managers must also be able to coach their workers to do their best. 

By the way, this quote by Mark Nepo  came across my desk: “No bird can fly without opening its wings, and no one can love without exposing their hearts.”  Might I suggest a variation?  No bird can fly without opening its wings, and no worker can give their best without a trusted relationship with their employer.”

Please take a moment to ponder this.  What kind of manager are you?  Let me know.

Call Me Old Fashioned

The classic cocktail called “The Old Fashioned” has come back in fashion these days, according to my friendly neighborhood barkeep. I wonder, then: should it be renamed “The New Fashioned”? 

I’m delighted that many of you have commented on my recent guest spot on the Mission Matters podcast and social media posts. It's been rewarding to know that my thoughts have resonated with you. I am pleased to hear that many of you have reflected on your own work life and business. Having had the help of a social media professional, I was surprised at how many digital inquiries I have received from other small businesses who want to sell their services.  In some cases, my only connection was electronic, while others were total unknowns.  I wondered: “What ever happened to relationship marketing and sales”? Of course, I recognize that there must be a first step in any business relationship. Perhaps digital networking is that first step: throwing the bread upon the grass and seeing if birds will bite. 

Small businesses are growing by leaps and bounds. The fastest growing demographic? Small businesses owned by women, minorities and immigrants.  According to Freshbooks, there are roughly 600,000 small business start-ups each year in the US.  Many don’t last beyond 5 years.  The most common reasons small businesses fail include a lack of capital or funding, retaining an inadequate management team, a faulty infrastructure or business model, and unsuccessful marketing initiatives.

Like you, I hope that we are on the back end of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought about a global, seismic shift in the work-life experience. Two million women have left the workplace because they had to oversee their children's welfare and home school learning.  New York City, and cities like it, have a glut of empty commercial space. Many employees are hesitant to return to the office, preferring working from home. Meanwhile, residential rents in the borough of Manhattan have reached all time highs of $5,000 for a one bedroom apartment. Something is out of whack. How did we get here?

I recently read this article in the New York Times magazine section introducing Herman Daly, a progressive steady state economist who for many years has been touting an important theory of economic well being. The concept of “Economic Theories” may cause your eyes to glaze over, but I was transfixed by Daly’s thoughts here:  “The question is, does growth, as currently practiced and measured, really increase wealth? Is it making us richer in any aggregate sense, or might it be increasing costs faster than benefits and making us poorer? Mainstream economists don’t have any answer to that. The reason they don’t have any answer to that is that they don’t measure costs. They only measure benefits. …..” 

That quote hooked me! I've now begun to listen to interviews with Herman Daly.  Decades ago I decided to become an expert in Dr. Elliott Jaques’ Requisite Organization.  Deep in my bones, I knew his analysis of large work systems had uncovered something very important about the nature of work and the importance that structure has on human behavior in the workplace.  

Herman Daly, who builds on the work of his college professor, is of the same mind. The macro economic systems currently embraced by corporations and other institutions neglect to recognize a vital component of society: the human beings!  These people–your neighbors, the person sitting next to you on the subway–work to support their families. They want to ensure their children a good education and livelihood, allowing them to become good citizens.  

Is it old fashioned of me to want to bring the human side back to business? Or is it new fashioned?  

Like a good Irish barkeep, I'm ready with a listening ear and a good story to tell. Pull up a barstool, and let's chat about these new “Old Fashioned” ideas.  And please: make mine a double!

“...touched by the soft hand of grace”.

Many of you know I am an early riser.  This past Saturday my eyes opened wide at 4:05 AM.  I knew I was planning to write this blog as I had given myself that assignment. But I didn’t feel up to it so I picked up the novel a cousin gave me to read.  An Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle.

A light summer’s read about a young woman’s trip to Positano on the Amalfi Coast, perhaps a coming of age story. Not literature but a quick read that got me thinking.  When I came across “...touched by the soft hand of grace” I knew I had the bones of this blog.  So let’s begin….

Grace has always been one of those words I couldn’t get my arms around. Perhaps appreciating it comes with the knowledge and wisdom of age. As many of you know I have been working on a synthesis of my life's work.  Creating a tapestry for all to see that weaves together the threads of my work life experiences. A Labor Economics major, social caseworker for HRA, a degree in Social Work from CUSSW where I learned to listen, create a trusting relationship, and always start from the client’s presenting issues. A small private practice helped me to realize I wanted to “play” in a larger arena. Networking I learned about the field of Organization Development (OD) and Training. I moved to a small not for profit organization conducting training for school teachers and administrators and within a few years became executive director there. Although the agency was small the ED role was a general management role requiring working with an active Board of Directors, fundraising, policy, strategy and program delivery. Ravaged by the untimely death of a significant founding member of our Board, preceded by the unconsciousness or lack of commitment by another Board member, I recommended the agency close allowing for members and staff to go on to new, different and perhaps more satisfying assignments. I consulted for a year, before landing my first corporate position. When I left there to start my own business, I’d been managing a small management consulting and training unit in the Pension line of business.  Independent ever since, I have been navigating the world of work attempting to make people’s experience of work at whatever level in the organization a satisfying one.

Last Thursday, I was interviewed by Adam Torres of Mission Matters. I'd been invited to write a chapter for their upcoming Business Leadership book, to be released in September of 2022.

During our great conversation, we discussed how to build a work-life experience with an unshakable foundation. I told Mr Torres that one's work-life experience should be like a tetrahedron. A what? A huh? If you'd like to know more, you'll have to stay tuned for the interview link--which will be posted this week.