MadTv did a good job of capturing iMania
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Robot Management
Today I read yet another article proclaiming the massive losses a sporting event will cause managers across America. A study conducted by Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. suggests the Super Bowl will cost American Employers $800 million in lost revenues. This article unfortunately made it to the top of Yahoo Today story's with the headline Super Bowl slowdown costs U.S. employers $800 million .
These calculations of lost wages severely underestimate the capabilities of the American workforce. The assumptions are that human beings function at work similar to machines. They plug in for 8 hours and then unplug, essentially they have an on and an off. Management is responsible for making sure that while at work employees are constantly on. There is one problem with this model of efficiency, humans are not machines. This model complete discredits the complexity and motivation of the American workforce. Events such as, the Super Bowl, NCAA March Madness, The Oscars, and Grey's Anatomy, are not purely distraction. These distractions help to fill a need for humans to have a connection with the other humans they spend a majority of their day working with.
Don't skip talking about the games and ads at the Super Bowl, World Series, NCAA tournament. This year make it a part of your work day. When you are watching the games take a look at what is happening on the field. What collective efforts are helping a team, and hurting a team. How does one persons mistake/success effect the team. How does a team respond to victory or failure. These same things happen are happening everyday in every office. No one works on an island, and their need for and work with other employees is crucial to their success.
Clever managers have already figured out how to use such events to build teams in the office. They will get more out of the combined efforts of their team than the input of the individuals who make up the team. Even the company responsible for the study believes a Super Bowl distraction can be an office space positive "CEO John Challenger suggests companies use the Super Bowl to build morale or encourage communication among workers, rather than focusing on lost productivity."
Friday, January 5, 2007
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