dispatches from the new world of work

100 Ways to Succeed #160:

Show Me "The Money"!

Let us assume that you are the boss of a 63-person IS/IT department, or a 111-person engineering department, or a 37-person hotel housekeeping department. Let us further assume that you buy into my idea of organization-as-Cathedral-devoted-to-human development.

And let's also assume that I'm your boss.
And let’s assume we are commencing my annual review of your performance.

Want to guess my first and primary question, to which we will dedicate 50% of the entire review?

Here it is:

Please describe for me in exacting detail the top 5 examples of growth on the part of your staff. Among other things, on a scale of 1 to 10, describe where every person who works for you was at the beginning of the year (Mary was a high-potential "5"), and where they are at the end (Mary is a clear "7").

(If I am interviewing outsiders for a VP slot, I'll ask, "Please tell me in some detail the best 5 examples of people you 'grew' in your current job. In the job before that." Again, we will spend about 50% of the interview on this question, or some close kin.)

The point is, if you subscribe to the "cathedral model" of organization-human development, then individual Adventures in Growth are at the top of your accomplishments list.

(Incidentally, I'll also ask you, again concerning named individuals, about the Brick Wall case of no progress or even regression.)

You are the boss.
You are in the human development "business." So "show me the money"—the best cases of your success and the details of your approach.

Tom Peters posted this on 05/01/09.

Comments

TP,

You're getting ME fired up, now. Has me mentally replaying the cassettes (which I still have AND listen to occasionally) of "The Tom Peters Seminar. Crazy Times Call for Crazy Organizations" I actually have instructed people to write their own "Yellow Pages ads" describing what they do, including a description of how their contributions, network, and "braggables" had grown in the past year -- along with their creative failures.

They told me I was nuts. So, I did what any reasonable, intelligent human being would do... I blamed it on you. They did it. They loved it. They (slowly, reluctantly) "got it."

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 1, 2009 3:36 PM

Tom, I remember you writing something like this more than ten years ago. I decided then to add "Help my clients become heroes in their organization" to my goals for each project I managed in the interactive agency where I worked. I kept it up when I went independent--and when I took a wage job, added "my employees and business partners" to the goal.

No single decision has contributed more to my career satisfaction (and, though it's harder to quantify, my success). My deepest thanks and gratitude to you.

Posted by Dave Rogers at May 1, 2009 3:59 PM

Dan - I had the six cassette set too. Used to play them in my car all the time. Must dig them out... five house moves since those days but somewhere I think I still have them. Passengers in my car had the choice of Tom Peters or The Eagles :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 1, 2009 4:03 PM

Trevor,

You almost scare me. TOO much alike. Actually, if you can't find them, let me know. I'll send you my original cassettes if it comes down to it. I've long since copied mine to CD's. And yes, to answer your burning question, I do STILL have 8-tracks and reel-to-reels (in storage, just in case ;-)

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 1, 2009 4:11 PM

Tom,

I have to ask where you developed this slightly sadistic sense of humor? Posting topics like this late on a Friday afternoon. I'll be thinking about this stuff all weekend. Thanks a lot, buddy.

Seriously,
Thanks in all sincerity.
Fight the good fight.

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 1, 2009 4:13 PM