Bresnahan's Shorts* - March 2006

*Short topics

Innovation

Innovation is becoming a household word. We continue to do more with less. Many people have been replaced by technology and automation. If you haven't been in a manufacturing facility lately, you can now see robots performing tasks. Secondary operations are less than a few years ago.

We have accepted that we are losing some jobs. Some workers have to learn new skills. The new skill set doesn't mean younger workers can come in and push a button. They still need good math and reading skills.

According to an article in Managing Automation's online newsletter, while the U.S. has lost 11.3% of its manufacturing jobs, so have China (15.3%), Brazil (19.9%) and South Korea (11.6%). I guess we have some similarities.

According to Edward Hill, economic development professor at Cleveland State University, "smaller manufacturers have to compete on value, not on cost." This is true for companies in other industries too. Voila! Innovation! Where does it come from? It comes from the people. Will people give innovative, creative ideas if they feel the work environment is controlling, untrusting and does not function like a partnership? I think not. Every employer wants a self-starter who takes initiative and is accountable. Mostemployees also want an environment where they can express themselves, trust their bosses, be respected and valued. Sounds like a two-way street is needed.

Want to know more about how to achieve such an environment? How can these factors be measured and necessary changes made? Are you encouraging innovation or driving the innovators out? Call the Bresnahan Group.

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Long-term Employees and Happiness

In a study by Sirota Consulting between 2001 and 2004 of 1.2 million employees, job satisfaction declines the longer a person works for a company. Job satisfaction averages as follows (on a 100-point scale):

• With six months with an employer - 80
• With 1 - 5 years with an employer - 69
• With 6 - 10 with an employer - 68

The decline is even greater than the number indicates because unhappy employees often leave and are no longer included in the data.

Low morale is a result of what the company says its goals are and the message sent of what really matters is different. For example, a company may say that "quality is job one" but only give the employees just enough time to get the product out the door.

In some high performing companies, such as Southwest Airlines, the values and the behaviors are consistently in sync. There is minimal bureaucracy. Even lower-level employees sense they are treated pretty much the same as senior managers.

Excerpted from Workforce Management, e-newsletter, February 2005

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Thoughts to Ponder

"A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year." - Paul Sweeney

"Success doesn't come to you…you go to it." - Marva Collins

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Big Lessons for Growing Companies

Start-up businesses often find as they expand that the loose, creative management structures that worked in the past become harder to maintain. An example would be a small four-person company started by friends who contributed where necessary. They grew to 10 people and now feel it is time to impose more structured systems and processes. Yet, how do they keep the culture and the freedom?

This is a common situation for start-ups.

The recommendation is not to adopt more structure unless there is a compelling reason to do so. Only adopt changes that contribute to the firm's "strategic imperatives." Ruth Spellman, chief executive of Investors in People, recommends that the firm improve its communication channels by allowing workers to give feedback and suggestions, by explaining jobs and expectations clearly, and by conducting regular appraisals.

From Independent (London) (06/26/05) , P. 13; Hilpern, Kate ASTD, The Buzz June 27 2005

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Client's Corner

A small five-person work team, by all accounts, was in conflict. The Bresnahan Group was invited to work with them. We used the DiSC behavioral assessment and learned that 80% of the group had similar behavioral tendencies.

It proved to be eye-opening for them to realize their similarities. The greatest learning was that the majority wanted to be in control and "win." Thereby contributing to an environment that was in conflict. The result was learning that there needs to be a clear focus on the goal(s) they are working to achieve and more communication of their thoughts.

Ah, you ask, what about the fifth person? They learned more about themselves and that they needed to be a little more straightforward with their team members. And, the team members needed to draw this person out, at times.

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"Nimble" Workers Win in New Age

We are leaving the "information age" behind and entering the "conceptual age," says Daniel Pink in his book on economic history. Those workers who are innovative and creative will be rewarded. Pink lists three other traits which will determine whether you will do well in the conceptual age:

• Empathy
• Aesthetic eye
• Ability to negotiate and navigate

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Management Trust

Less than 40% of employees trust top management "to always communicate honestly" and to "do a good job of explaining important business decisions," according to a Mercer survey of more than 800 U.S. organizations.

Of senior management, only 39% of employees say they do a good job of confronting issues before they become major problems, less than half say their organization is well managed and that a clear vision of the future direction is communicated.

From Workforce Management Week e-magazine July 2005

These numbers support that management looks for openness and reliability and workers look for straightforwardness and acceptance - the four elements of trust split. No wonder management and workers are not in sync!

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More Information

For more information about any of these topics contact us at 505-922-1973 or email BresGroup @ 4u.net.

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