Organization Design – Seek and Ye Shall Find
By Michelle Malay Carter on February 24, 2008
Thanks to David Zinger of the?Employee Engagement Network who pointed?me toward a stimulating poem by architect Moshe Safdie. He who seeks truth shall find beauty He who seeks beauty shall find vanity He who seeks order shall find gratification He who seeks gratification shall be disappointed He who considers himself a servant of his fellow […]
Filed Under Accountability, Corporate Values, Employee Engagement, Executive Leadership, Managerial Leadership, Organization Design, Requisite Organization | 3 Comments
Talent Management Systems Design – The Best Defense is a Good Offence
By Michelle Malay Carter on February 13, 2008
In my last post, I took a stand against annual, mandatory low performing employee cuts popularized by Jack Welch at GE.? I believe this practice is rooted in an untrue, negative belief set. Cutting the bottom 10% annually is a defensive, compensatory system for lack of understanding of work levels, human capability, and an inadequate […]
Filed Under Accountability, Corporate Values, Employee Engagement, Executive Leadership, Managerial Leadership, Organization Design, Requisite Organization, Strategy, Talent Management | 6 Comments
Where Jack Welch Got It Wrong – The Mandatory, Annual Low-Performer Cut
By Michelle Malay Carter on February 12, 2008
Don’t Hack Jack! Our underlying beliefs and values drive our behaviors.? Jack Welch believed, ?If you?ve got 16 employees, at least two are turkeys.??? From this belief flowed the talent management systems at GE.? One of the most controversial (and unfortunately?emulated) practices was that of cutting the bottom performing 10% of employees annually. Judy at […]
Filed Under Accountability, Corporate Values, Employee Engagement, Executive Leadership, Managerial Leadership, Organization Design, Requisite Organization, Strategy, Talent Management, Work Levels | 13 Comments
Felt Fair Compensation – She Said What?
By Michelle Malay Carter on February 7, 2008
Since my last two posts on felt fair pay were more technical in nature, I thought I would create a post on the subject that was more conversational. If a friend were to ask me about felt fair pay, here is what I would say: As it turns out, we humans have an internal sense […]
Filed Under Employee Engagement, Felt Fair Compensation, Organization Design, Requisite Organization, Strategy, Work Levels | 4 Comments
Just Fix the System Please – A Friday Funny
By Michelle Malay Carter on January 31, 2008
I’ve been called irreverent.? Sometimes I use sarcasm to get a point across, but Despair, Inc. has found a way to turn cynicism into cash-flow with an entire line of products for people?interested in responding to the well-intentioned but?impotent motivational words and techniques that?organizations attempt.? Just fix the system please! Below are my personal favorites.??They […]
Filed Under Corporate Values, Employee Engagement, Strategy | 2 Comments
Circumventing the Machine – Wake Up! The World is Changing
By Michelle Malay Carter on January 27, 2008
I watched a video presentation by two futurists called Media Megatrends.? In it, Glen Hiemstra mentions that his assistant, a member of the?younger?”digital native” generation, remarked that once her phone/mobile device?had projection capability, she would no longer need a computer.? With projection, she could watch video on any wall, and she could type on any […]
Filed Under Accountability, Corporate Values, Employee Engagement, Executive Leadership, Managerial Leadership, Organization Design, Requisite Organization, Strategy, Talent Management | 1 Comment
Changing the Conversation about Work – A Friday Funny
By Michelle Malay Carter on January 17, 2008
Have you heard – I’m OK.? You’re OK.? Let’s fix the system?? If you hadn’t noticed, I’m determined to change the focus of the conversations?being had about talent management, organization design, and leadership.? Why?? Because I imagine what work could be, and I want that for people.? AT&T does a great job of capturing “what […]
Filed Under Accountability, Corporate Values, Employee Engagement, Executive Leadership, High Potential, Managerial Leadership, Organization Design, Requisite Organization, Strategy, Succession Planning, Talent Management | Comments Off on Changing the Conversation about Work – A Friday Funny
Science Doesn’t Lie, But Liars Can Use Science (and Idiots too)
By Michelle Malay Carter on January 16, 2008
The Invisible Killer – Dihydrogen Monoxide Dihydrogen monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and kills uncounted thousands of people every year. Most of these deaths are caused by accidental inhalation of DHMO, but the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide do not end there.? Prolonged exposure to its solid form causes severe tissue damage.? Symptoms of DHMO ingestion […]
Filed Under Accountability, Employee Engagement, Executive Leadership, Organization Design, Personal Observation, Requisite Organization, Strategy, Talent Management | 2 Comments
Why We Resist Positional Power – One Third of Employees Have Managers Who Can’t Be Their Leader
By Michelle Malay Carter on January 15, 2008
Positional power, like hierarchies, is getting a bad rap from the kumbaya crowd these days.? No one appreciates abuse of power, and I am not denying its prevelance.?? However, eliminating positions within organizations is ludicrous.? Positional power is not inherently a bad thing.? What is bad is the confounded systems and unvalidated criteria that organizations […]
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Who is Accountable for Hiring Mistakes? Who Owns the Selection System?
By Michelle Malay Carter on January 14, 2008
Organizations have a habit of mismatching. Research shows that: 35% of employees are mismatched to their jobs, i.e. have problem solving capability over or under their job, leaving them bored or incapable. 39% are mismatched to their managers, i.e. their manager does not have problem solving capability exactly one level above the employee, leaving the […]
Filed Under Accountability, Employee Engagement, Executive Leadership, Managerial Leadership, Organization Design, Requisite Organization, Talent Management | 2 Comments