Comments for NJ Hess Associates Blog / Patterns of Work http://njhessassociates.com/blog Musings of an organization consultant Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:39:27 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on We too can beat the odds! by admin http://njhessassociates.com/blog/2010/03/10/we-too-can-beat-the-odds/comment-page-1/#comment-1793 admin Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:39:27 +0000 http://njhessassociates.com/blog/?p=240#comment-1793 Mark, thanks for your insightful comments. A sudden shift demand seems like a good kind of crisis if it actually means the need for more human capital, or at least we frame it that way in the business world, but underneath, the "linear" principles play out and the inability to adapt, even to an upswing, will stifle the best organization. I can visualize the metaphor you offer, there is a difference between someone who jumps in and starts barking orders, without clear direction, and the person who sees beyond the horizon (which is after all, looks to be far away, but is really only 12 miles or so) and prepares the crew. Mark, thanks for your insightful comments. A sudden shift demand seems like a good kind of crisis if it actually means the need for more human capital, or at least we frame it that way in the business world, but underneath, the “linear” principles play out and the inability to adapt, even to an upswing, will stifle the best organization. I can visualize the metaphor you offer, there is a difference between someone who jumps in and starts barking orders, without clear direction, and the person who sees beyond the horizon (which is after all, looks to be far away, but is really only 12 miles or so) and prepares the crew.

]]> Comment on We too can beat the odds! by Mark A. Griffin http://njhessassociates.com/blog/2010/03/10/we-too-can-beat-the-odds/comment-page-1/#comment-1769 Mark A. Griffin Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:23:09 +0000 http://njhessassociates.com/blog/?p=240#comment-1769 Great article Nancy, I have worked in both environments, cyclical and linear. I believe a lot of the environment climate is related to the goals and objectives of the organization coupled with the life cycles of its goods and or services, but most importantly reflects the values and leadership capability of the organizations senior management. Often times companies fall into the linear model because of a shift in demand, and a lack of Human Capital to address this shift, they go into crisis mode as a means to survive. I believe it is imperative for leadership to infuse cyclical principles into the organization to both inspire employees and to spark innovation; linear employees are often stuck in the headlights and will ultimately assist the company in spiraling further downward. I believe the most important take away is to be aware of where you are, and how might shift and encourage behaviors to help guide the organization in the direction you want to go. Often times leaders fail to look closely at their organizations environment and just jump right in at guiding the boat! Great article Nancy, I have worked in both environments, cyclical and linear. I believe a lot of the environment climate is related to the goals and objectives of the organization coupled with the life cycles of its goods and or services, but most importantly reflects the values and leadership capability of the organizations senior management. Often times companies fall into the linear model because of a shift in demand, and a lack of Human Capital to address this shift, they go into crisis mode as a means to survive. I believe it is imperative for leadership to infuse cyclical principles into the organization to both inspire employees and to spark innovation; linear employees are often stuck in the headlights and will ultimately assist the company in spiraling further downward.

I believe the most important take away is to be aware of where you are, and how might shift and encourage behaviors to help guide the organization in the direction you want to go. Often times leaders fail to look closely at their organizations environment and just jump right in at guiding the boat!

]]> Comment on LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES IN YOUR HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS by Mark Hiester http://njhessassociates.com/blog/about/leadership-strategies-in-your-health-care-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-1660 Mark Hiester Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:02:33 +0000 http://njhessassociates.com/blog/?page_id=133#comment-1660 Thanks Nancy, an illuminating post. I hope to remember the key points in it as well as Hannibal's elephant's recalled the Alps. Reminds me of a book my wife (working at the unfortunately domained, www.adultlit.org) is reading: Icebergs, Polar Bears, and Change. Thanks Nancy, an illuminating post. I hope to remember the key points in it as well as Hannibal’s elephant’s recalled the Alps.

Reminds me of a book my wife (working at the unfortunately domained, http://www.adultlit.org) is reading: Icebergs, Polar Bears, and Change.

]]> Comment on Performance Reviews and Workplace Stress by HR Carnival: Be Inspired | HR whY? http://njhessassociates.com/blog/2010/05/21/performance-reviews-and-workplace-stress/comment-page-1/#comment-1614 HR Carnival: Be Inspired | HR whY? Wed, 26 May 2010 16:45:28 +0000 http://njhessassociates.com/blog/?p=266#comment-1614 [...] done on the TalentJunction blog.  Do performance appraisals freak you out?  Nancy Hess discusses Performance Reviews and Workplace Stress. var a2a_config = a2a_config || {}; a2a_config.linkname="HR Carnival: Be Inspired"; [...] [...] done on the TalentJunction blog.  Do performance appraisals freak you out?  Nancy Hess discusses Performance Reviews and Workplace Stress. var a2a_config = a2a_config || {}; a2a_config.linkname="HR Carnival: Be Inspired"; [...]

]]> Comment on We too can beat the odds! by Yaron Prywes http://njhessassociates.com/blog/2010/03/10/we-too-can-beat-the-odds/comment-page-1/#comment-1355 Yaron Prywes Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:07:59 +0000 http://njhessassociates.com/blog/?p=240#comment-1355 Great blog Nancy! Glad I found it. Great blog Nancy! Glad I found it.

]]> Comment on Labor Negotiation vs. Employee Engagement – Do they intersect? by Brad Shuck http://njhessassociates.com/blog/2010/01/28/labor-negotiation-vs-employee-engagement-%e2%80%93-do-they-intersect/comment-page-1/#comment-1159 Brad Shuck Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:48:14 +0000 http://njhessassociates.com/blog/?p=213#comment-1159 Thanks for using our article on engagement. Great blog and great insights! Thanks for sharing... Thanks for using our article on engagement. Great blog and great insights! Thanks for sharing…

]]> Comment on New Year, New Decade, New Conventions by Paul Bernard http://njhessassociates.com/blog/2009/12/31/new-year-new-decade-new-conventions/comment-page-1/#comment-1041 Paul Bernard Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:58:19 +0000 http://njhessassociates.com/blog/?p=185#comment-1041 I freely admit that for a long time in my working days I clung to the old ways, proclaiming loudly that the innovations my younger colleagues were introducing were trivial and counter-productive. What I failed to see was that I was, without realizing it, adopting them right and left for my own use. While my methods remained substantially the same, the substance of what I was doing shifted, so that I was myself asking the questions which the younger generation had raised. And the questions you ask determine the answers at which you arrive. I am aware now that I owe a great deal to the innovators but that at the time I was too stubborn to admit it. Still, having said that, I think it's important to understand that it is always a cardinal mistake to throw out the baby with the bathwater. My young colleagues on occasion dispensed with the rigorous methodology we had made our own, and their work didn't profit thereby. We, the older generation, very often didn't appreciate the ardor of their concerns and our work more often than not slid off into the irrelevant. All of us need to express ourselves in the language of our generation in order to be intelligible. Equally, we must strive to arrive at competent translations of the language of our predecessors as well as that of our successors, lest we end up existing in splendid isolation. This I believe to be a truth applicable to both the professional and the private spheres. I freely admit that for a long time in my working days I clung to the old ways, proclaiming loudly that the innovations my younger colleagues were introducing were trivial and counter-productive. What I failed to see was that I was, without realizing it, adopting them right and left for my own use. While my methods remained substantially the same, the substance of what I was doing shifted, so that I was myself asking the questions which the younger generation had raised. And the questions you ask determine the answers at which you arrive. I am aware now that I owe a great deal to the innovators but that at the time I was too stubborn to admit it. Still, having said that, I think it’s important to understand that it is always a cardinal mistake to throw out the baby with the bathwater. My young colleagues on occasion dispensed with the rigorous methodology we had made our own, and their work didn’t profit thereby. We, the older generation, very often didn’t appreciate the ardor of their concerns and our work more often than not slid off into the irrelevant. All of us need to express ourselves in the language of our generation in order to be intelligible. Equally, we must strive to arrive at competent translations of the language of our predecessors as well as that of our successors, lest we end up existing in splendid isolation. This I believe to be a truth applicable to both the professional and the private spheres.

]]> Comment on LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES IN YOUR HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS by Arrieb http://njhessassociates.com/blog/about/leadership-strategies-in-your-health-care-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-994 Arrieb Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:41:26 +0000 http://njhessassociates.com/blog/?page_id=133#comment-994 Great article! Informative and I love the Carthage analogy. Great article! Informative and I love the Carthage analogy.

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