Comments on: Scale and Consistency http://blog.geekmanager.co.uk/2007/05/08/scale-and-consistency/ Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:04:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Oliver http://blog.geekmanager.co.uk/2007/05/08/scale-and-consistency/#comment-2927 Oliver Thu, 10 May 2007 00:14:35 +0000 http://blog.geekmanager.co.uk/2007/05/08/scale-and-consistency/#comment-2927 I've seen a lot of these rules coming (and blessfully going again) during the times of strict TQM - some are still alive now. Procedures, standards and rules create measures - and a (illusive) feeling of security ("I have everything in control, since my key findings perform well"). Procedures with measurement and performance in mind have their values: 3-minute-calls, personal behaviour measured in percentages, evaluation of you last years' performance by cost center profit. These values - and this is my point - take over and replace the "real" values of your company and create a deep gap between the internal and external recognition of your company. I’ve seen a lot of these rules coming (and blessfully going again) during the times of strict TQM - some are still alive now. Procedures, standards and rules create measures - and a (illusive) feeling of security (”I have everything in control, since my key findings perform well”).

Procedures with measurement and performance in mind have their values: 3-minute-calls, personal behaviour measured in percentages, evaluation of you last years’ performance by cost center profit. These values - and this is my point - take over and replace the “real” values of your company and create a deep gap between the internal and external recognition of your company.

]]> By: pauldwaite http://blog.geekmanager.co.uk/2007/05/08/scale-and-consistency/#comment-2857 pauldwaite Tue, 08 May 2007 18:03:32 +0000 http://blog.geekmanager.co.uk/2007/05/08/scale-and-consistency/#comment-2857 Writing things down provides a record of knowledge, ideas and principles. If your writing is good enough, the spirit will shine through to someone reading properly. Deciding that a successful call must be finished in 3 minutes isn't anything to do with writing things down; it's an example of a silly rule that's far too specific to be useful, and should never have been suggested, verbally or otherwise. The only way I know to combat those is have smart people making the rules. Writing things down provides a record of knowledge, ideas and principles. If your writing is good enough, the spirit will shine through to someone reading properly.

Deciding that a successful call must be finished in 3 minutes isn’t anything to do with writing things down; it’s an example of a silly rule that’s far too specific to be useful, and should never have been suggested, verbally or otherwise. The only way I know to combat those is have smart people making the rules.

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