Friday, September 26, 2008

Resisting Change

Change can be a good thing and often is. I love it, personally. But, things can change for the worse, and sometimes smart people know that. C.S. Lewis said


“We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.”


Purposeful change is often a good idea, in my opinion. But change for its own sake is risky, it might be good and it might not. Since stasis is impossible in this universe directing change is necessary. Intelligent people may resist change they see as unwise. We, who embrace change, must also embrace the resistors.


Here is a great article from John Maxwell’s Maximum Impact site: Viva La Resistance.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Who is the client?

A great government newsletter is The B&G Report. In the current issue they say:

“One of the big questions in evaluating education is this: Who is the client? Is it the student? The parents? Future employers?

Many rankings focus on the students. But now the Boeing Company has come up with a means for evaluating the quality of students it gets from various colleges, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Boeing's work is coming out in a few weeks, and we wonder how it will impact the "best colleges" business.”


Who are the “clients” of the Division of Employer Account, NJDLWD? The employers themselves? The workers whose UI/DI programs we help run? Or the taxpayers on NJ in general? All of them?


Each of those groups has expectations of us. We should have goals that address all those expectations as far as we are able. However priorities have to be set in light of a finite amount of resources.


What is our best use of those resources to benefit all our “clients?” Is it being decided or are we putting out fires and just moving along, day by day, year by year in an effort to keep up with the rapidly changing business and political world? If these issues are being addressed, we, the front-line employees charged with dealing with our “client” should know what those priorities are.


A related article is in this month’s Behn Report.

$700,000,000,000.00

$700,000,000,000.00 is a big number. That’s how much they are proposing for the Federal Buyout. I have a problem with a number that big. I don’t quite know how big it is. So I worked out an approximation. (It is a round number, we all know it’s not EXACTLY what they need.)


So…


I was born on October 11, 1954 (hint, hint.)


If I had a rich uncle (Sam) who gave me $410.49 a SECOND since the day I was born…


By my 54th birthday, next month (second hint, hint,) I would have $700,000,000,000.00.


That would be nice.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Working hard or hardly working? - Compared to what?

We all know people that we know work hard. We all know people who hardly work. We all have some internal standard that tells us which is which. What is that standard? Where does it come from?

We are mainly knowledge workers. Our tools are words, paper, phones, faxes and computers. It's hard to break a sweat. Office ergonomics aside, it's not physical work. It's mental. We tend to think of people who do heavy physical labor as hard working. What are the standards to determine how hard a knowledge worker works?

Is it time engaged in work related activity? What is a reasonable expectation of a knowledge worker? An assembly line worker must be engaged 100% of the time. A firefighter has periods of downtime between periods of intense activity. What percentage of our time is spent in work related activity. Some of us spend nearly 100%, some, honestly, less than 50%. Some come early and stay late and some do the opposite. Where do you fall on the continuum?

Is it quantity of work, product produced? Is more always better? How about quality? What is the correct quantity/quality balance? Some people should slow down and do better work, some should not be so picky and do more. But what is the standard for making that determination?

Developing these standards is an art and a science. It is what management is about, management, not leadership. Performance data-based management is making it's way into government. But we all know the enormous obstacles facing such an endeavor. It is what really needs to be done if we are ever to "increase productivity and cut waste," the mantra of the politician and taxpayer. But bureaucratic managers can never take such a bold step on their own.

Implementing change like that takes leadership. Leadership from the top down and leadership from the bottom up. Leaders who believe we can and should work harder and smarter. Leaders who believe people should find satisfaction and pride in their work. Leaders who believe that people can actually enjoy work.

I've said before that I feel leadership occurs at all levels of employment, it is not just for supervisors and managers. We all take a part in the process of leadership.

As for me, I'm going to take a look at how hard I work and see where there could be improvement. Time on task? Quantity? Quality?

Care to join me?

Friday, September 19, 2008

Some thoughts about the future (around here)…

80% of workers were here 10 years ago.


80% of workers will not be here 10 years from now.


The loss of institutional knowledge will be huge.


Those who remain will be needed to step up.


We have skipped a generation in this division.The members of Generation X are few.It will be Generation Y, those who have grown up on the Internet, which will take over.They are very different from the Baby-Boomers in work-related values and work-style.Changes will be needed to recruit, manage and retain them.They will not be coming here out of school and staying for life.


What do you think of when I mention a work-world without personal computers, DVDs or CDs in our cubes?I think of the future about 20 years away.


But that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong… :)

The Cycle of respect.help.grow in Yourself and Others

Respect others as they are…


Help others get what they want…


Grow by respecting who you are and by
helping yourself become all you can be…


Then, as you grow…


Respect the possibilities in others


Help others reach their possibilities…


Support their growth by encouraging them to start this cycle again.

Two Rules of Internet Validity

RULE 1



> > ANY EMAIL MESSAGE THAT LOOKS
> > LIKE THIS AND TRIES TO TELL YOU

> > SOMETHING FACTUAL
> > IS ALWAYS FALSE!

> > except this one.
>:>
> >
> >
> >
> >

> >

RULE 2

IF AN EMAIL INCLUDES A LINK TO THE SNOPES SITE, READ IT BEFORE THE EMAIL.

IT USUALLY CONTRADICTS THE EMAIL. THEY JUST ASSUME YOU WON’T TAKE THE TIME TO CHECK!

Flip-Flopping

This is not really about politics, it’s about us.

“Flip Flopping” is a currently popular political phrase. It is used every time a politician reverses a previously held position on the War in Iraq, off-shore oil drilling, tax-hikes, etc. It is a deadly insult. We seem to want to elect politicians to come into office, or even the campaign for office, with developed opinions on every issue, set in stone, never to change.

I used to love the old Dennis Miller Show on HBO. Each week he would do a long rant on a particular topic using strong language, numerous allusions, heavy sarcasm and an extensive vocabulary. He would go on and on for five minutes, getting more worked up and more extreme in his opinions. Then he would stop and say “But that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.” I use that phrase a lot.

But a politician can never say that. They can never be unsure, admit to not knowing something or not having an established opinion on every topic. They cannot risk saying something the networks can play over and over and over to embarrass them. They cannot risk contradicting a previously expressed opinion. It might look foolish, stupid or untrustworthy. It would NOT make them look like someone we could trust, elect and then forget about, sure that they were busily at work serving our, and only our, interests.

We have seen, too often, that politicians can change their minds for money. We hate corruption and any change of opinion makes us suspicious. We know that politicians will say things to get votes, whether they mean it or not. This is why we fear the flip flop, we worry that we are being scammed, manipulated, used.

So we expect our politicians to be a little close-minded. At least, close-minded about the things that WE don’t like.

This occurred to me when I read about a debate between two popular writers of economics books, (yes, there really are two.) Malcom Gladwell (The Tipping Point, Blink) was talking about his opponent, Steven Levitt (Freakonomics.)

“Levitt got up and made his case. I got up and made mine. But halfway through, I glanced over at Levitt and had a realization that I’m not sure that I’ve had before with an intellectual opponent – that if I made my case persuasively and cogently enough, he would change his mind. He was, in other words, listening.
…Levitt believes that if we are to have an honest conversation about things like crime and abortion, we are obliged to consider those phenomena in all their dimensions. It takes a certain amount of courage to make an argument like that. And by the way, if you can come up with some good evidence to the contrary, Levitt will listen, and if you’re really convincing, he’s the sort of person that will change his mind. That takes courage too.”

We can admire a scientist who changes his mind based on ever increasing information, but not a politician. That is sad, but is partly the fault of the politicians and their campaign committees. They must be presented as all-wise, all-knowing Paternal Figures that we can believe in. And we DO want to believe in them so we may turn these pressing matters over to them to take care of for us. That is why we feel betrayed if they neglect their duty or, worse still, change their mind and side with the opposition.

Could we ever see a major policy shift as an act of courage? Only if a politician doesn’t deny changing and takes personal responsibility for changing, such as:

  • Here’s what I previously thought:
  • Here’s why I thought it was right: (this step is necessary)
  • Here’s what I think now:
  • Here’s why I think this is better:

They should not distance themselves from their previous positions; rather embrace them and their adherents. Then show the new, better way and inspire others to evolve also, Like Saul of Tarsus or Malcom X.

I have said before that I believe we currently have two presidential candidates with character and patriotism. I suspect that over the next few months we will hear a lot about flip flopping. It has become a major tool in the professional political consultant’s arsenal. But look harder, look past the sound bites that are offered.

Is there any real reason or explanation for the change? Is it just political expediency or were they actually knocked off their horse on the road to Damascus? Did they sell out or were they open-minded and convinced by persuasive and cogent arguments? We live in a time of rapid change, but that is not a reason to change rapidly without thorough investigation and analysis. Can they show us evidence of this investigation and analysis?

In a time of rapid change a leader and/or manager must master the skills a rapid investigation, analysis and dissemination of the new information. This is true especially when the new conflicts with old beliefs or patterns of behavior. Then the leader must do what all great leaders do, motivate and inspire to advance the common good.

It could even work here.

“But that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.”

I have this friend...

He has a problem. It looks as though he has to spend about the next 10 years working closely every day with someone he really doesn’t care for. This other guy’s not a real problem, he’s just boring, no fun to be around and negative in general. What would you tell my friend? Does he have any good options? Would some options be better than others? Brainstorming, we came up with:

  1. Quit.
  2. Act like a jerk and maybe the other guy would change or quit.
  3. Try to change the other guy.
  4. Ignore the other guy.
  5. Try to find the positive in the other guy and build on that.

Quitting was not an option, like all of us, my friend needs his job and has invested too much of his life to leave now.

Acting like a jerk might work (or might not) but the big problem is that it’s wrong. It would make my friend a bad person and probably pretty unhappy.

He could try to change this other guy, but our life experiences, up to this point, have shown us that trying to change others is pretty hopeless. Unless the other guy wants to change, he won’t.

Ignoring the other guy for 10 years is hard to do and would make for a terrible work environment. My friend would be miserable too. It takes a lot of negative energy to ignore and not care about someone you work closely with for 10 years.

So that kind of leaves us with goody-two-shoes solution 5. That means my friend has to change, change his attitudes and change his actions. That’s tough to do. But we decided it would probably be worth the effort. Can someone decide to change their attitude and make it last? Yeah, but it’s hard. But consider the alternatives… (options 1-4)

OK, I lied…

But you suspected that all along, didn’t you?

I don’t really have a friend with this problem. But I have a lot of friends with a very similar problem. The problem is not some guy that’s boring, no fun to be around and negative in general. The problem is that the job itself is boring, no fun and negative in general. But the options remain the same, quit, be a jerk, try to change others, live with it and be unhappy or…

Decide to change our attitude. Attitude really is a decision. It can be something that happens to us if we don’t exercise our right to choose, but it is up to us. Easy? Heck no! Particularly if we have accepted a negative or neutral attitude for some time. Don’t kid yourself. In this day and age there are very few people that have a naturally positive attitude. With all the negative influences around us a positive attitude has to be chosen. Worked at. Daily.

You want to be happy here for the rest of your time here? You have to choose to be happy. You have to decide and then work at it.

A happy life cannot equal life minus time at work. If you want a happy life you have to have a happy work life also. Is that hard to do? Yes, very. Is it worth it?

Consider the alternatives… (options 1-4)

My Dad

My dad dropped out of H.S. at 16 to join the Navy. The war ended the next week. He spent the next 2 years dispensing penicillin to sailors returning from shore leave in Puerto Rico. He spend the rest of his life working hard, usually at 2 jobs to support a wife (she worked too,) raise 5 kids, get a house in the suburbs and put all his kids through college. He never had a job he didn’t throw himself into fully and he had MANY jobs, machinist, welder, salesman, grocery cashier and stationary fireman. He taught me that all work had intrinsic value as long as it was honest. (Actually I’m pretty sure dad never used the word “intrinsic”)

I have worked at Arbys, in an x-ray darkroom, for the Burlington County Mosquito Commission in the swamps, a camera salesman, a cook at Denny’s, I have taught music at more schools than I can count (at one time I was working in 11 schools simultaneously,) I have worked in group homes for the developmentally disabled at minimum wage and I have established group homes for geriatric developmentally delayed men coming out of state institutions, I have been a Caseworker for NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities, done phone intakes for people who want to get off SSDI, scored standardized tests for up to 17 hours at a stretch and worked with math teachers from Maryland and Connecticut to determine the scoring rubrics for their state math tests… and I have worked here. (I know, I know, obviously, the man can’t hold a job…)

Because of my dad, I believe every day I have ever worked was important to me and to the others that my work touched. Everybody’s work touches others every day. People would get in the longest line at Pantry Pride in Delran so my father could be their cashier. I saw that and knew he was right.

Every EIN is my dad, or my wife, or my kid, or my friend. That’s what he taught me.

Fair?

There are quite a few definitions of the word “fair” in The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language. The one I think applies here is: “Just to all parties; equitable”

I was talking to a friend with small children yesterday who said she was explaining to her kids that the world isn’t always fair. That’s true. Fair is not the natural state of the world. Fair is an average, something most of us agree on that usually falls halfway between opposing points of view. Fairness implies that there are more extreme opinions on both sides of the issue. Notice that MOST people hold these more moderate opinions and that “MOSTness” is what makes them fair in any society. Society’s opinions change over time. This country once thought that “separate but equal” was fair.

We should teach our kids to be fair, to exemplify fairness in their lives and to work for more fairness in the world. But we do them a disservice to teach them that things usually are fair.

We always have to balance what is “fair” to individuals and “fair” to society. Attached is a copy of a news article about a little boy who is so good at pitching in his Little League that adults think it is unfair and frightening to the other kids. So he has been banned. Many are outraged about “punishing” a child for being “too good.” So, what is “fair” to the pitcher may not be “fair” to the other kids. How should we decide?

Personally, I think each individual (or parent, in this case) needs to decide for themselves. The pitcher’s options are to pitch, not pitch, or pitch in a more challenging league. All are valid options. The other kid’s options are to play, not play or play in a less challenging league. In that part of the world, I’m sure, that league is the most convenient, but not the “only game in town.” These are all possible individual choices and fair, in my opinion.

What seems unfair is banding together to force the young pitcher out when there are possible, fair, individual options.

That’s unfair to the pitcher. And it’s unfair to the other kids whose parents are teaching them that you should hold back others to make things “fair” for yourself.

But that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.

The only game in town?

Government agencies are seen as monopolies. There is no LWD 2.0, no Son-Of-The-Division-Of-Employer-Accounts. Who ya gonna call? Not UI Busters. You must belong to our unemployment plan, report and pay what and when we say and if you don’t like it your only choice is to elect legislators who may or may not change the law. Yeah right, like that’s going to happen. (I know, DI and FLI have a private plan option, but that’s mainly a perk for the already affluent, not a problem for employers.) We have no competition, we are not a business, we are government. Businesses need to make a profit, we don’t. “It’s good to be the King!”

Right?

No.

We have plenty of competitors and many of them are beating us. We are not competing for profit, we are competing for taxpayers.

We will always have the local businesses. Mom and Pop will always be looking for a shop on the corner. Ronald knows that we need a McDonalds every 1.7 miles. We will need local places to buy food, get or nails done or shop for a 239” HD TV. End all those places will have to do business with us on our terms. They need to be here.

But every day we hear from taxpayers who are fed up with us and the high cost of doing business in NJ. The state of Pennsylvania is less that a mile away over the Trenton Makes Bridge and they and Gov. Rendell are making an effort to get businesses to move over there and bring their taxes with them. And because PA is not in debt as bad as NJ they are able to make it attractive. My son lost a job recently because a big financial firm with one of those beautiful Princeton campuses is moving to downtown Philadelphia. That is obviously not as great a geographical site but PA made the deal so financially attractive they couldn’t refuse and NJ couldn’t match the offer. Delaware has always been the most business friendly state and New York, well, is New York, still the capital of the world. So a lot of those people we talk to on the phones do have options.

But even more importantly, we live in a global economy where information is the currency and where you set up your computer servers is of little consequence. These businesses can operate as easily in Indonesia as in Princeton. We have more amenities but they will make a bigger profit in Indonesia and profit is their reason to exist. We are losing these taxpayers.

Fewer Taxpayers = Fewer Jobs = Less Revenue for Us = Fewer Jobs at LWD (and the rest of the NJ government.)

This part of the country is not growing, people and business are moving away. And that means eventually even those businesses that must stay here (Mom and Pop, Ronald, food stores, nails salons and 239” HD TV shops) will be smaller, further apart, employ fewer people and only sell 193” HD TVs. And we will need fewer State Employees.

Want to keep your job? Help those employers that are here now. Give them good service. Make them HAPPY to be here. NEVER give them another reason to want to leave. We need them. I need them. You need them. We are not the only game in town any more.

We also have to look at the bottom line and that bottom line is $$$ from taxpayers even if it is not profit. If we cannot reverse the trends (as well as work to attract new businesses) NJ government will either shrink or go further in debt, or both. You can help.

Option 1 – (SMILE) “Employer Accounts, how can I help you?” (mean it and then do it)

…so we don’t end our careers saying :

Option 2 – (GROWL) “Sri Lankan Tax Collection, wadda you want…”

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Welcome to respect.help.grow!

Since 3/10/08 I've been sending out a "Happy ----day!" email. It has changed a lot since then. It was originally a quote and "today in history" and birthdays, that sort of thing. Then I started adding more stories to make points and adding my own opinions and ideas. It has become a hybrid newsletter/blog. It is time to split them.

I will simplify the "Happy ----day!" email considerably. It will have joke of the day for a little fun and a quotation on the topic of the week, something positive to start each day. That's it. Keep it simple, Scheharezade.

But, each "Happy ----day!" will begin with the link to my new blog,

respect.help.grow.
Working for Positive Change in Ourselves and Government Bureaucracy.
Working for the Public in the Public Sector.

You may not want to check it out daily, I may not even post daily, but if you do go there, all the posts will be on one page AND you will be able to comment on them. This is what I really want, to get some OPEN discussion of things that need to be addressed when you work for a government agency. We need imput from each other to improve things.

I will also include links to other things online that might be helpful. I would love to have you as a guest blogger if you would like to introduce a new topic to the group. Email it to me and I'll post it with your byline.

From bloggers and responders, all I ask for is common courtesy, common sense and no personal attacks. Other than that, it's up to you.