Comments on: 3 reasons why smart people in organisations do stupid things http://justindavies.wordpress.com/2007/01/30/3-reasons-why-smart-people-in-organisations-do-stupid-things/ The essence of getting it right... Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:08:48 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: justindavies http://justindavies.wordpress.com/2007/01/30/3-reasons-why-smart-people-in-organisations-do-stupid-things/#comment-17 justindavies Sun, 04 Feb 2007 09:35:37 +0000 http://justindavies.wordpress.com/2007/01/30/3-reasons-why-smart-people-in-organisations-do-stupid-things/#comment-17 Nick, thanks for the post, and I like your tilt at customer focus. Even government agencies are now starting more to focus very much on customers, but typically have the most conflicting priorities due to legislative and reporting requirements. Add to that the tension between: - centralisation and decentralisation - command and control versus empowerment - front of house (customer facing) versus back of house (support and administration) - empire building and flattening structures And you have a recipe for a bit of fun! Managing in that environment is a tough ask.... but is a challenge that can be met. Bill's suggestion is good, so I'll add a category called Stupid Management to this blog, should make for some interesting posts! Nick, thanks for the post, and I like your tilt at customer focus. Even government agencies are now starting more to focus very much on customers, but typically have the most conflicting priorities due to legislative and reporting requirements.

Add to that the tension between:
- centralisation and decentralisation
- command and control versus empowerment
- front of house (customer facing) versus back of house (support and administration)
- empire building and flattening structures

And you have a recipe for a bit of fun! Managing in that environment is a tough ask…. but is a challenge that can be met.

Bill’s suggestion is good, so I’ll add a category called Stupid Management to this blog, should make for some interesting posts!

]]> By: NickC http://justindavies.wordpress.com/2007/01/30/3-reasons-why-smart-people-in-organisations-do-stupid-things/#comment-15 NickC Sun, 04 Feb 2007 01:41:41 +0000 http://justindavies.wordpress.com/2007/01/30/3-reasons-why-smart-people-in-organisations-do-stupid-things/#comment-15 I have to slightly agree with billjw... the problem we face these days i feel is that when procedure minded senior managers attempt to burdan company actions with narrow cumbersome rules... employees get confused and then the customer suffers WHAT YOU ASK ??? Lets use organisations that provide a service for instance as an example (this being becuase nearly every business provides a service to the customer) Now.. those companies whose purpose it is to provide a service for their own sake rather than for the sake of the customer (eg local & state government) can afford these stupid burdensome rules since the customer is not the priority ... The managers in these places can get away with it BUT SHOULDN'T (now bear with me im getting to managerial idiocracy in a minute..) Business Aggressiveness, flexibility and creativity, however govern innovation and growth. An effectice manager must thrive on uncertainty and ambiguity.. I have not met to many managers around like that.. very rare. If you have seen any around lately ... Id like to apply for a job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to slightly agree with billjw… the problem we face these days i feel is that when procedure minded senior managers attempt to burdan company actions with narrow cumbersome rules… employees get confused and then the customer suffers WHAT YOU ASK ??? Lets use organisations that provide a service for instance as an example (this being becuase nearly every business provides a service to the customer) Now.. those companies whose purpose it is to provide a service for their own sake rather than for the sake of the customer (eg local & state government) can afford these stupid burdensome rules since the customer is not the priority … The managers in these places can get away with it BUT SHOULDN’T (now bear with me im getting to managerial idiocracy in a minute..)

Business Aggressiveness, flexibility and creativity, however govern innovation and growth. An effectice manager must thrive on uncertainty and ambiguity.. I have not met to many managers around like that.. very rare.

If you have seen any around lately … Id like to apply for a job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

]]> By: billjw http://justindavies.wordpress.com/2007/01/30/3-reasons-why-smart-people-in-organisations-do-stupid-things/#comment-13 billjw Sun, 04 Feb 2007 00:58:34 +0000 http://justindavies.wordpress.com/2007/01/30/3-reasons-why-smart-people-in-organisations-do-stupid-things/#comment-13 Hi Justin, can't resist commenting on this one. Today, there needs to be a book written on "Stupid Management - Buy This Book and Do the opposite!" Too many managers are asking their people to do things without real thought about the strategy or the competency of their people. It really is S.T.U.P.I.D. And email, don't get me started. How many people have had real training on Outlook? Fantastic IT departments create stupendous business cases to implement new software ... and don't factor in effective training. and that is the STUPIDEST management of all! Ok, I feel better now! Hi Justin, can’t resist commenting on this one. Today, there needs to be a book written on “Stupid Management – Buy This Book and Do the opposite!” Too many managers are asking their people to do things without real thought about the strategy or the competency of their people. It really is S.T.U.P.I.D. And email, don’t get me started. How many people have had real training on Outlook? Fantastic IT departments create stupendous business cases to implement new software … and don’t factor in effective training. and that is the STUPIDEST management of all!
Ok, I feel better now!

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