Comments on: Bad systems or wrong people? http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/ Chief Information Officer for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:46:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1707 Anonymous Fri, 08 Feb 2008 01:25:26 +0000 http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/#comment-1707 It is a poor carpenter who blames his tools. It is a poor carpenter who blames his tools.

]]> By: J. M. Hooper http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1650 J. M. Hooper Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:14:53 +0000 http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/#comment-1650 Great post. Perhaps, the greatest advantage of getting the right people on bus will be their ability to create superb systems. Quality guru, Dr. W. Edwards Deming taught: "The worker is not the problem..." So often it's poorly designed systems that [create/allow/perpetuate] problems. IT differs from auto manufacturing, but there are also many similarities, and I believe the principle holds true- the most valuable people will be those who help to create an extraordinary system. The Ray Krocs, W. E. Demings, and Fred Smiths of the World. Great post. Perhaps, the greatest advantage of getting the right people on bus will be their ability to create superb systems. Quality guru, Dr. W. Edwards Deming taught:

“The worker is not the problem…”

So often it’s poorly designed systems that [create/allow/perpetuate] problems. IT differs from auto manufacturing, but there are also many similarities, and I believe the principle holds true- the most valuable people will be those who help to create an extraordinary system. The Ray Krocs, W. E. Demings, and Fred Smiths of the World.

]]> By: Jim Cheney http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1447 Jim Cheney Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:04:40 +0000 http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/#comment-1447 So if you are already on the bus but the seat you are in is uncomfortable, but you like being on the bus and you would rather not change seats. You have been on other buses in those kind of seats and you were successful in those seats (You just didn't like the bus!) You really want to succeed in the current seat. Do you have the time to make it in the place you find yourself? Or do you jump seats just because another seat fits you better (regardless of your lack of desire to be in the other seat.) Is this a scenario where some makes the decision for you? Can you (through training and study) hang on by the skin of your teeth until you fit the seat better? When the boss realizes that that is what you are doing, do they support you or do they either force you into another seat or worst yet, toss you off the bus because they don't have the time to wait for you to remake yourself? Hmmm. <em>[Joel: My feeling is that you always try to do work you love and are excited about. Always. You'll give a better effort and do a better job. If management can afford to be supportive and is willing to take the risk in letting you grow into the position, then huzzah! But management can't always afford that luxury, in which case it is better to find a company that will let you do what you really want to do. Life is too short to be in a job you dislike.]</em> So if you are already on the bus but the seat you are in is uncomfortable, but you like being on the bus and you would rather not change seats. You have been on other buses in those kind of seats and you were successful in those seats (You just didn’t like the bus!) You really want to succeed in the current seat. Do you have the time to make it in the place you find yourself? Or do you jump seats just because another seat fits you better (regardless of your lack of desire to be in the other seat.) Is this a scenario where some makes the decision for you? Can you (through training and study) hang on by the skin of your teeth until you fit the seat better? When the boss realizes that that is what you are doing, do they support you or do they either force you into another seat or worst yet, toss you off the bus because they don’t have the time to wait for you to remake yourself? Hmmm.

[Joel: My feeling is that you always try to do work you love and are excited about. Always. You'll give a better effort and do a better job. If management can afford to be supportive and is willing to take the risk in letting you grow into the position, then huzzah! But management can't always afford that luxury, in which case it is better to find a company that will let you do what you really want to do. Life is too short to be in a job you dislike.]

]]> By: Sanford Loobins http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1441 Sanford Loobins Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:39:56 +0000 http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/#comment-1441 I feel empowerment and role clarity are very important. You can have the smartest and most skilled people, but if they are not empowered or do not understand theur roles, they, like your organization, may fail. I feel empowerment and role clarity are very important. You can have the smartest and most skilled people, but if they are not empowered or do not understand theur roles, they, like your organization, may fail.

]]> By: Joe Lindsey http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1440 Joe Lindsey Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:53:48 +0000 http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/#comment-1440 One of the reasons I left the employ of a well-known high tech software company at which I had been employed for some time was for the very comment you made about having the time to do my job or floundering in adminstrivia. When I started with that company I made the comment that I couldn't believe they were paying me to have so much fun in my work. Later, when the administrative restrictions were piled higher and higher, I said "When this job quits being fun, I am going to leave." I left. I started my own consulting business. At last, I was back to the fun I had experienced earlier. One of the reasons I left the employ of a well-known high tech software company at which I had been employed for some time was for the very comment you made about having the time to do my job or floundering in adminstrivia. When I started with that company I made the comment that I couldn’t believe they were paying me to have so much fun in my work. Later, when the administrative restrictions were piled higher and higher, I said “When this job quits being fun, I am going to leave.” I left. I started my own consulting business. At last, I was back to the fun I had experienced earlier.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1439 Anonymous Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:54:25 +0000 http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/#comment-1439 I do not wish to offend in anyway. But this prompts the question - is it possible many who are not being hired are also not hired for this reason? There is a protection in place to keep these people from coming to work there and failing. Just something I wish you to consider. I do not wish to offend in anyway. But this prompts the question – is it possible many who are not being hired are also not hired for this reason? There is a protection in place to keep these people from coming to work there and failing. Just something I wish you to consider.

]]> By: Jake Munson http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1438 Jake Munson Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:38:19 +0000 http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/#comment-1438 I like this. I sent it to some people I work with, we could really use some common sense like this where I work... I like this. I sent it to some people I work with, we could really use some common sense like this where I work…

]]> By: Chad Petty http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1437 Chad Petty Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:16:01 +0000 http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/#comment-1437 It may not always be the system -- as Collins says, it's also important to make people are "in the right seat" on the bus; that is, working in the areas of their strengths. See _Now, Discover Your Strengths_ by Buckingham and Clifton for a thought-provoking exploration of this concept. It may not always be the system — as Collins says, it’s also important to make people are “in the right seat” on the bus; that is, working in the areas of their strengths. See _Now, Discover Your Strengths_ by Buckingham and Clifton for a thought-provoking exploration of this concept.

]]> By: Joe Nay http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1436 Joe Nay Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:04:03 +0000 http://www.ldscio.org/2007/11/27/bad-systems-or-wrong-people/#comment-1436 This is great advice, last year at SAPHIRE '07 in Atlanta I had the opportunity to hear Marcus Buckingham speak about leadership and management. He is the author of “First, Break All the Rules”, “Now, Discover Your Strengths”, and “The One Thing You Need to Know”. The biggest take home from his speech and his book “First, Break All the Rules” is to give your employees what they need to be successful today. If your team has what it needs to be successful then it is much easier to see if it is, as you put it, “wrong people”. This is great advice, last year at SAPHIRE ‘07 in Atlanta I had the opportunity to hear Marcus Buckingham speak about leadership and management. He is the author of “First, Break All the Rules”, “Now, Discover Your Strengths”, and “The One Thing You Need to Know”. The biggest take home from his speech and his book “First, Break All the Rules” is to give your employees what they need to be successful today. If your team has what it needs to be successful then it is much easier to see if it is, as you put it, “wrong people”.

]]>