The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 3 (of 5)

Leadership memo of the week

http://www.internalmemos.com/memos/memodetails.php?memo_id=2075

"The executive leadership held a meeting with representatives from staff to understand the morale problems."

Okay, it's very, very simple - if you have to pull random members of your staff to understand the morale problems, you've identified the root cause: YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR COMPANY.

Take the hours you probably spent drafting and polishing this memo, and spend them walking around the halls talking to people. This really isn't rocket science.

Very, very sad.

Philo

Philo
Monday, January 26, 2004

"The beatings will continue until morale improves."

m
Monday, January 26, 2004

After layoffs, salary freezes, mandatory vacations... I am *truly* surprised that any management could not realise there would be significant morale problems. Are this people just stupid or is it "ignorance is bliss"...

fire people => morale falls => management shocked??

Unbelievable.

Shodan
Monday, January 26, 2004

Good thing and bad thing!

Good thing is that the newly appointed Chief Conservation Officer and Chief Administrative Officer (what the hell do these designations imply anyway!!?) are aware that there is a morale problem and they want to do something about it.

Bad thing is that they're going in a typical Dilbertish way by holding meetings.

I agree with Philo that the best way is to go around and talk with the people. Most (ok some at least) will just whine about things being bad and this and that, but they (CCO, CAO et al.) will get some real insight into what's really happening.

Related question in my mind is that why do (senior) management people think that they can sit in their holy chambers and resolve all the issues from there? Whatever happened to direct interaction with the people or the concept of "leading from the front"?

T-90
Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Senior management do it because that's what's most comfortable for them. When analysing their actions, don't make the mistake of assuming that they actually care about the success or failure of the company.

After all, management morale may be equally low!

Sum Dum Gai
Tuesday, January 27, 2004

There are, in my opinion, precious few people, let alone organisations, that grasp the meaning of leadership. The people who spring to mind are all senior non-commissioned officers and middle ranking commissioned officers in the military, and a number of people I've met in charities.

At first I was surprised about the later, but in retrospect they are people who need to persuade others to do something, often voluntarily, that, if not against their own betterment, is not necessarily for it.

In business the handful of people that I think of have three things in common. First, they radiate enthusiasm for what they are doing. Second, they care deeply about their 'people' - note the word is not 'employees' - and view the necessity to harm them as a culpable failure of their own. Third, their people trust their judgement.

Gaius
Tuesday, January 27, 2004

On the same lines as the OP.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/7/35123.html

David Roper
Tuesday, January 27, 2004

You have to understand how modern business managment works.

The role of managers used to be to ensure staff were well looked after so they could do a job.

Then it was discovered that more profit could be obtained by just pretending to look after staff, while actually underpaying and screwing them.

CEO On The Take
Tuesday, January 27, 2004

***
Then it was discovered that more profit could be obtained by just pretending to look after staff, while actually underpaying and screwing them.
***

You forgot to add ...

...while giving onself huge raises and stock options!

:)

Makes me wonder, how long before the call goes up:

Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your (in-efficient) managers!

T-90
Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Hmm... How much does a CxO make per hour. How many hours do they all pow-wow on these things.

Morale Improved = ( (hours) (CxO $/hour) (# of CxO) ) / (# of Emp)

m
Tuesday, January 27, 2004