The Bryce Is Right! The Lost Chapter

"If we lived in a perfect world, there wouldn't be a need for managers."
- Bryce's Law

INTRODUCTION

My new eBook, "THE BRYCE IS RIGHT! Empowering Managers for Today's Corporate Culture" was published on June 13th and started receiving excellent reviews shortly thereafter. Interest in the book was so great that I used it as the basis for developing a new one-day crash course in management (using the same title). But developing a training course is a lot different than writing a book. Inevitably, it led me into some other areas not mentioned in the book and, as such, this essay represents the "lost" chapter of the book.

In addition to supplemental tutorials on general management issues, I added sections describing Information Systems theory and how to deal with I.T. people. I have been teaching I.T. professionals how to deal with end-users for the last 30 years. Now, the shoe is on the other foot and you might find my comments and observations interesting in this context.

SUPPLEMENTAL SECTIONS:

ACCOUNTABILITY

Throughout the book I discuss the need to manage "from the bottom-up." In other words, delegate responsibility, empower people, and hold them accountable for their actions. This is consistent with a Theory Y form of management. To implement this approach, I strongly recommend the use of Time Reporting such as that found in a Project Management system. To do so, I recommend a couple of things:

1. Tie your project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to deliverables (the work products to be produced). By doing so, we can tell whether the product has, in fact, been produced or it hasn't. If the worker indicates there is no more work to be performed on a task, then he/she must have produced a reviewable result to substantiate the claim. This is consistent with the book's approach to focusing on results.




2. Differentiate the use of time. I am most definitely not a proponent of the "man hour" approach to reporting time. Instead, time should be reported in terms of time spent on "Direct" activities (executing assignments), and "Indirect" activities (interferences). From this, an "Effectiveness Rate" can
   be devised showing the balance of the two. Office workers are typically 70% effective, meaning in an eight hour day, 5.6 hours are devoted to "Direct" activities. This is not a measurement of efficiency, but simply an analysis of the use of time. For example, one person can have a high effectiveness rate, yet be your most inefficient worker (he simply knows how to manage his time). Conversely, a person with a low effectiveness rate
   could possibly be your most productive worker. As an aside, a manager typically has a low effectiveness rate as he/she is trying to solve problems and meeting with people. Also, it is not possible for a person to be 100% effective; we all take some form of break during the day.

All "Indirect" activities should be described by the worker, be it a meeting, a training session, breaks, personal time, etc. This accounting of time should be reviewed and approved by the manager. This review is extremely important as it represents a critical point in holding workers accountable for their actions.

The differences between "Direct" and "Indirect" are not insignificant: "Directs" are the responsibility of the individual to manage; "Indirects" are the responsibility of the manager to manage in terms of controlling the overall work environment.

One of the byproducts of "effectiveness rate" is to use it in the calculation of a project schedule.

Although time reporting can be easily performed using an automated Project Management system, there is nothing wrong with using a manual system and a simple Time Sheet (of which I provide samples in the course).

ALIGNING MOTIVATION WITH INCENTIVES

Important to the management of people is understanding their motivation and aligning your corporate incentives to satisfy them.

In terms of motivating factors, people are primarily interested in:

• Security/Reward - financial compensation that will comfortably support their lifestyle. This includes such things as salaries, bonuses, pension and profit sharing plans, health insurance and other corporate perks (e.g., vacations, use of a company car, etc.).




• Ego - a job that is challenging and meaningful to them; something that adds to their personal stature. Ideally, they are looking for a professional job that is compatible with their personal lives.




• Corporate Trust - people will treat a company loyally if they believe they can trust it, e.g., protects their interests.




• Confidence of Abilities - people will tackle those assignments they feel they believe they have an aptitude for; if they don't, they'll shy away from the work.

To satisfy worker motivations, a company basically has two types of incentives at their disposal:

1. Financial Compensation - e.g., salaries, bonuses, pension and
   profit sharing plans, health insurance, vacations, holidays, insurance, etc.




2. The Corporate Culture - representing a work environment conducive for enabling the abilities of the workers. Unlike financial incentives, this is often overlooked or underestimated. As mentioned, workers are looking for a company that conforms to their personal interests; a company that offers meaningful work without the hassle of cutthroat politics, that is clean, trustworthy, profitable, and seemingly on the cutting-edge of their industry. Ideally, workers want to work in an environment where they think of it as their second home.

To this end, employees want certain guarantees that companies are not prepared to offer. And frankly, it is not possible for them to do so. Without a certain element of risk, a company would become stagnant and less productive. Risk is necessary to motivate not only the company, but the individual as well. Interestingly, employees believe they assume all of the risk working in a company. In reality, it is the company that assumes all of the risk. If something goes wrong, it will more likely be the company that suffers, not the individual worker.

BEWARE OF PARKINSON'S LAW

Parkinson correctly observed that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." I'm sure we have all seen managers creating mountains out of mole hills; e.g., creating unnecessary layers of bureaucracy to justify their existence. Instead, we recommend you avoid building empires and, instead, flatten them, thereby causing your organization to focus on the truly important problems and issues of the day.

THE 80/20 RULE (PARETO'S PRINCIPLE)

Also as a follow-up to my "Individualism vs. Teamwork" chapter, I was asked why it seemed only a handful of people always carried the workload. This is not uncommon and is found in everyday life as well. It is commonly referred to as the "80/20 Rule" or "Pareto's Principle." Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian economist who observed in 1897 that 80 percent of the land in England was owned by 20 percent of the population. Pareto's
theory thereby relates to the ratio of input to output; e.g. twenty percent of your effort produces 80 percent of your results. From a time management perspective, it means that 20 percent of the people are normally responsible for producing 80 percent of the work.

As a manager it thereby becomes important to recognize your core 20 percent workers and concentrate your attention on them. It also becomes important to devise new means to squeeze out the remaining 20 percent of the work from the 80 percent who do not actively participate. This is not to suggest that the 80 percent doesn't care about their work, they just may not be as talented or experienced as your 20 percent workers.

With the 80/20 Rule in mind you must also be sensitive to a byproduct resulting from it: petty jealousy. Since the 20 percent performs the work, they are thereby deserving of the accolades for performing it. Inevitably, it is not uncommon for small minded individuals from the 80 percent to feel slighted and jealous of those doing the work and receiving the recognition. Such petty jealously should be overlooked and the person forgiven, unless something more malicious is involved, such as character assassination of which there is no excuse. The manager must carefully squash this behavior before it has an adverse effect on your 20 percent. If not, the 20 percent worker will question why he is working so hard if he is only going to be the object of ridicule and humiliation. If your 20 percent begins to believe they are "Damned if they do, Damned if they don't" in their assignments, then nothing will be produced and your 80 percent work effort will plummet.

The 80/20 Rule is an interesting phenomenon that every manager must be cognizant of to get the most out of their workers.

DEVELOPING AN INVENTORY OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

All operating managers should be intimate with the Information Systems affecting their departments. Here, I am not simply talking about software, but rather all of the business processes (sub-systems) affecting their area, including both automated and manual processes.

Drawing from our "PRIDE"-Information Systems Engineering Methodology (ISEM), I offer tips for identifying the system structure. And give tips on flowcharting sub-systems.

Such graphical diagramming techniques may be a lost art in the Information Technology industry, but they are invaluable tools for managers to get their arms around their systems and assure their workers are performing the tasks properly. I also offer instruction in how to write procedures using Les Matthies' "Playscript" technique.

WORKING WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (I.T.) PEOPLE

Coupled with the explanation of Information Systems, I offer some advice on how to work with I.T. professionals. First, I differentiate between the interests of the business manager versus the I.T. person who tends to be somewhat introverted and more concerned with technology than solving business
systems problems. Consequently, I offer the following advice:

• Do not accept gobbledygook - I.T. people like to cloud the issue with a verbosity of technical jargon. I argue they should be forced to talk in terms the manager will understand. Also, do not be dazzled by trinkets. Remember one of our Bryce's Laws, "An elegant solution to the wrong problem solves nothing."




• Defining Information Requirements - it is more important that the manager articulate the business problem as opposed to dictating a technical solution. Let the I.T. people do their job and determine an effective solution. Too often I see managers specifying screens and reports. Instead, they should be explaining the actions and/or business decisions to be supported. Remember, a problem well defined is half solved.




• Review Designs & Cost Justification - technology should not be obtained simply to "Keep up with the Jones'." Instead, there should be specific rationale for selecting a technical course of action, along with a good cost justification. Don't let the I.T. people off the hook, make them do their homework. Also, hold them accountable for what they promise to deliver (get it in writing from them). Force them to be as accountable as you are to your superiors.

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

My concluding comments in the course reinforce my position that managers are in the problem solving business. If everything was going well and everyone knew what they were doing, there wouldn't be a need for managers. A manager, therefore, is in the business of providing leadership, diagnosing/solving problems, and taking action. It is not about technology; it is not about numbers; it is about people.

Also in my concluding comments, I observe that the successful manager is one who does himself out of a job. In other words, he/she has conquered the problems of the department, set it on a proper course, and now seeks new areas to conquer.

CONCLUSION

So far, I have had no problem getting people to accept the lessons inculcated in the eBook and Training Program. I guess I shouldn't be surprised as it is all commonsense. But if I have learned anything in this business, it is that commonsense is not very common.

Finally, I'll close with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt, which I use to conclude the training course:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails Daring Greatly so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."

For additional information on the eBook, see;
http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/bryce1.htm