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Posts tagged ‘Organization Behavior’

Mar 1

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What’s your experience?

Today in his blog, Work Matters, Bob Sutton told an interesting story on the worst advice he was given and has this interesting paragraph at the end of his post:

One of my mottos in life (which I first heard from a Stanford undergraduate years ago named Kathy) is, “Don’t believe everything they tell you.”  This is especially true if they add something like, “I have been in the business for 25 years and I know what I am talking about.”  As one of my former students, Andy Hargadon used to say in response to this line, “Do you have 25 years of experience, or have you experienced the same year 25 times?” (bold face, mine)

I found this worth reflecting on for a mid-winter Monday. It also brought to mind the thinking I was doing in early January about goal setting.

Feb 28

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Idea for reflection – 2

For further reflection: a set of rules for “intelligent design” (with apologies to Darwin) from Tim Brown of IDEO:

  1.  The best ideas emerge when the whole organizational ecosystem–not just its designers and engineers and certainly not just management–has room to experiment.
  2. Those most exposed to changing externalities (new technology, shifting consumer base, strategic threats or opportunities) are the ones best placed to respond and most motivated to do so.
  3. Ideas should not be favored based on who creates them (Repeat aloud.)
  4. Ideas that create a buzz should be favored. Indeed, ideas should gain a vocal following, however small, before being given organizational support.
  5. The “gardening” skills of senior leadership should be used to tend, prune, and harvest ideas. MBAs call this “risk tolerance.” I call it the top-down bit.
  6. An overarching purpose should be articulated so that the organization has a sense of direction and innovators don’t feel the need for constant supervision.

– Tim Brown in Change by Design (p.73-74) 

Idea for reflection – 1

Feb 2

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Brain – Mind – Body

I read an interesting article today that summarizes several research studies about how our brain, mind, and body are connected. Cognitive and neuroscience are beginning to provide insights into our brain, mind, and body that will have real world applications. Researchers from the Institute for the Future imagine that a growing understanding of neuroscience and behavior will impact training programs as we learn how to influence students focus, accuracy, and efficiency.

As I imagine what the research data means for organizations. I can imagine tools that will allow organizations to use the research to select the best persons for each team as they configure project teams. I envision tools for educators and trainers to improve transfer of information in classrooms. I can imagine managers using it to create tools to optimize workflow.

We continue to live in a world where there are as many problems with solutions as there are dilemmas without clear solutions. Bringing together disciplines like neurobiology, sociology, psychology, and organization development may help organizations and the individuals in them to live with uncertainty and continue to be successful.

“Yesterday is regrettable, tomorrow still hypothetical. But you can always listen to your body, and seize today with both hands.” – Susan Goldin-Meadow, University of Chicago

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