Category Archives: Management
UNDERSTANDING THE NATURAL SYSTEM
BRYCE ON SYSTEMS
- Systems always find a way to produce information to support the needs of the enterprise.
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Every now and then I encounter a programmer who adamantly contends you cannot have an information system without some form of computer support. Actually, we’ve had such systems well before the advent of the computer. As we jokingly contend, the first on-line, real-time, interactive, data base system was double-entry bookkeeping which was developed by the merchants of Venice in 1200 A.D. It may have been a manual system, but it worked rather effectively, and still does. Suggesting you can’t have a system without a computer reveals the person’s naivety. Admittedly, computers can now be found throughout the corporate world, be it large corporations or small businesses, but systems transcend the use of the computer.
Information systems are born the moment a company or organization goes into business. They may lack automation and are not the most sophisticated, but they exist nevertheless. The system may not be well organized as a Systems Analyst may design it, but it is what is called a “Natural System” which is born out of necessity by people charged with performing the work. Since information is consumed by people, they inevitably invent systems to produce information to support business needs. Not surprising, a Natural System lacks documentation and, in all likelihood data redundancy is introduced, as well as redundant work flows. Nonetheless, a system inevitably takes shape the same way water runs down a mountain and forms into streams with all of its twists and turns.
I have seen this phenomenon occurring recently in a new media start-up with some rather bold ambitions. Over the last few months they have assembled a team of rather smart and ambitious people. Even though they lack a systems department (or even an I.T. department), they have been forced to create all of the systems themselves. Is it perfect? Hardly, but they are persevering and assembling the information to make the company a success. They either do so, or the company will perish before it ever gets off the ground.
If the company survives, it will inevitably blossom into a big business requiring full-time systems analysts, programmers, data base personnel, and other technicians. Undoubtedly, these people will be faced with untangling the Natural Systems and organizing them into something more efficient and effective which will be no small task as such systems normally resemble a plate of spaghetti rather than anything structured.
No Virginia, information systems have been with us literally for centuries. The computer is simply the latest twist. Just remember, even in the absence of Systems Analysts, systems always find a way to deliver information. It is what Les Matthies, the legendary Dean of Systems, called, “The Natural System.” Such systems may be quick and dirty solutions that are wasteful. The remarkable thing about them is simple; they work!
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: ARE WE BECOMING MORE TOLERANT, OR LESS? – Ask yourself the question, who was more tolerant, your parents or yourself?
LAST TIME: STAYING HEALTHY ON THE JOB – The realities of playing sports as we grow older.
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern), KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays, 6:00-10:00am Mountain), and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington “The Morning News with Dave and Lance” with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
STAYING HEALTHY ON THE JOB
BRYCE ON WORK & PLAY
- The realities of playing sports as we grow older.
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Before graduating from college, I played my fair share of contact sports, including football, baseball, hockey, and rugby. Like a lot of kids, I got pretty beat up in the process, such as cuts, scrapes, bruises, sprains, and a particularly nasty knee injury which sidelined me for the remainder of a season. Nonetheless, I loved playing and think back fondly on those years.
As I entered the workforce though, I came to the sudden realization my playing days were over. I could no longer afford to become sidelined from my job due to a broken bone, sprain, or some other serious injury. Plain and simply, it would affect my livelihood. It’s hard to give up such sports, but it became clear to me it was time to find something less brutal to do. This explains why activities like golf, tennis, racquetball, fishing, etc. are popular among those in their middle age or older, there is less of a chance to suffer a serious accident.
Some time ago I helped establish an “Over 35″ coed softball league in my area which has since become rather popular. I found our games to be a great stress-reliever and the hub of social activities for the many people who played the game with us over the years. I admonished my players not to get injured. I wanted them to have fun, but if it was a matter of losing a game or facing an injury, particularly at our ages, let’s take the loss. While others played as if they were in the World Series, we played smarter and survived the games with no significant injuries. We may have been beaten by other teams, but they paid for it in injuries, or should I say their companies did.
Young people typically find it difficult to accept the fact they are getting older, and occasionally you come across someone who has seriously injured themselves foolishly. I remember one young man in our print shop who broke his collarbone playing touch football (not tackle). This obviously hindered his effectiveness as a printer. He may have thought the injury was funny, but we made it clear that it was not.
Contact sports is for people who can afford to be injured, such as youth. It is certainly not for adults who have to make a living to support a family. Risking injury in some frivolous game is just plain stupid and should be rebuffed as opposed to celebrated. An injury sets the company back, your workload, your coworkers who must pick up your slack, and your family.
As I warn young people entering the workforce, let’s leave the contact sports to the fond memories of our youth. For example, one day I’ll have to tell you about the Sycamore game in 1971.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: UNDERSTANDING THE NATURAL SYSTEM – Systems always find a way to produce information to support the needs of the enterprise.
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern), KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays, 6:00-10:00am Mountain), and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington “The Morning News with Dave and Lance” with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
DEALING WITH OFFICE CLUTTER
BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT
- The fundamentals are not as complicated as you might think.
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I cringe when I hear someone say, “A cluttered desk is the sign of a brilliant mind.” I don’t know who invented this little gem, some say Albert Einstein, but I can’t seem to find any record of it. More likely, it was some slob who got called up on the carpet by his boss for running a pigpen.
It has always been tough to run an organized and efficient office, but this seems to have been compounded in recent times when PC’s started to pop-up all over and we allowed employees to eat at their desks. Now it is not uncommon to see a number of wires running everywhere, overloaded electrical sockets, and empty fast food bags and cups laying around. We used to complain about ashtrays, but this appears to be a thing of the past. Instead, we find cigarette butts on the ground just outside of the office or outdoor ashtrays overflowing with them. Very professional.
Since I believe our work is an extension of our personal lives, I tend to think of the office as our home away from home. This makes me wonder what we might find if we visited some employees homes. Are they as big a slobs at home as they are at work? If not, why do they find it necessary to trash their office as opposed to their homes?
Office clutter is indicative of management’s organization and a part of the corporate culture. Some believe the sloppier they look, the more they give the appearance they are hard at work. Not necessarily. More likely, sloppiness is indicative the person is trying to hide something and is actually quite lazy.
The military understands the need for organization and keeps their facilities spotless; you are expected to either work on something, file it, or throw it away. If you need new file cabinets, buy them. Your work is obviously not important if you keep the same clutter on your desk all of the time. In fact, such clutter will grow over time. For example, have you ever seen someone with a plastic tray on their desk? Theoretically, such trays are used for work in progress, but you’ll notice the trays never empty and, if anything, the paperwork grows. Every now and then you have to simply throw the contents in the plastic tray into the garbage can.
Programmers typically like to keep a cluttered desk. To overcome this problem we warned our programmers to clean them up or they might find the debris in the trash. At first, they thought this was a hallow warning. They found we were serious when they came in one day and found their desks spotless (and their paperwork in the garbage). We didn’t have a problem with office clutter after doing this a couple of times. Some programmers are aghast when I tell this story, but following our cleanup of the office we actually experienced an increase in productivity simply by enforcing a little discipline in the workplace. This required the programmers to organize themselves better and they were able to focus on the problem at hand as opposed to wading through the mess on their desks. I guess I see programming as a profession in the same sense as I see engineers, architects, and accountants as professions. They also require discipline in order to productively perform their work.
Office clutter is a reflection of a person’s professionalism and, as mentioned, a part of the corporate culture. It can be remedied if management is so inclined to do so. I admire an office that is well run and organized. It tells me the people are serious about their work and a company I want to do business with. Just remember, a cluttered desk is the sign of a lazy mind, not a brilliant one.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: WHO IS TEACHING MORALITY? – And why it is important to our survival.
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:30-3:00pm ET), and KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays. 6:00-10:00am MST). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
ALL I ASK ABOUT RUNNING A MEETING
BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT
- The fundamentals are not as complicated as you might think.
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
I wonder how many meetings I’ve attended in my lifetime. It must be in the thousands. Of course, there have been the multitude of corporate meetings I’ve participated in, either with customers or internally. Then there are the many meetings I’ve attended over the years from the many nonprofit organizations I’ve belonged to, not to mention several meetings for the Board of Directors I have been involved with (more than 50 now). Sometimes I feel like I am more in the business of attending meetings as opposed to doing anything else.
I do not mind attending the nonprofit related meetings as I see it as a way to volunteer my time for some worthwhile causes, which is the least I can do. What I do mind though is to attend a poorly run meeting regardless if it is for a commercial company or for a nonprofit. I find it a bit disconcerting when a meeting is run badly. Then again, many well-meaning people participate in nonprofit organizations, be it a homeowners association, a sports club, a special interest group, or a religious/fraternal organization. They may have plenty of time on their hands to participate, but they haven’t got a clue as to how to run a business and, not surprisingly, run some of the worst meetings imaginable.
Regardless of the organizations I’m involved with, all I ask is that the meeting…
1. Start and end on time. Not a minute before or after. This includes not waiting for someone who is running late thereby creating a problem for others. This is simply discourteous.
2. Follow an agenda. Print it up and distribute it accordingly, preferably prior to the meeting so others can prepare themselves accordingly.
3. Maintain order to eliminate distractions and focus on business. Got a gavel? Use one. Haven’t got one? Get one. No, you do not have to be Genghis Khan to run a meeting, just someone with a little common sense, patience, discipline, and a sence of fairness. If this sounds like a baseball umpire, it is.
4. Be meaningful and interesting. Avoid boring subjects and speakers. Make the meeting something people “want” to attend as opposed to feeling compelled to do so.
Nobody wants to attend an inconsequential meeting. If treated frivolously, people will become apathetic and attendance will drop. I can remember my homeowner association board of directors meeting would literally go on for hours with nothing of any substance resulting from it. When I finally assumed the presidency, I set new records for conducting such meetings. Instead of hours wasted, I completed the business of the association in less than an hour. The first time I did this, one member of the board asked, “You mean, we’re done?” After I confirmed his suspicions, I invited him to have a libation at a nearby watering hole.
Unfortunately, after my term of office was completed, the group returned to its long-winded ways. I was asked by others to stay on as President, but I feel it is important to rotate such officers. Besides, I do not want to turn the presidency of a homeowner association into my life’s work. I have other fish to fry.
One last point, I have little use for people who come to meetings unprepared. If you serve on a Board of Directors, regardless of how frivolous it may seem, you are doing a disservice to it by coming to a meeting unprepared. And for God’s sake, bring a pen or pencil and something to take notes on. Only an idiot comes to a meeting without anything to write with.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: DEALING WITH OFFICE CLUTTER – Regardless of your profession, is it really necessary to work in a pigpen?
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:30-3:00pm ET), and KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays. 6:00-10:00am MST). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
HOW INFORMATION AFFECTS MICROMANAGEMENT
BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT
- Information requirements gives us insight as to why people micromanage.
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
A friend recently confided in me he had a new Regional Manager to report to. His company is a national distributor of industrial supplies sold primarily to manufacturing companies. He didn’t know too much about his new boss other than he suddenly wanted to monitor all of the sales activity in all of the offices in the Southeast, of which there are several. To do so, he asked the sales force to e-mail him directly all of their daily customer contact lists and sales transactions for the day. In other words, the Regional Manager was interceding and performing the analysis typically performed by the local Sales Managers. The Regional Manager took it a step further and began contacting the sales force directly as opposed to going through the Sales Managers. Translation: the Regional Manager had embarked on a program of micromanagement as opposed to letting the local Sales Managers do their jobs.
This got me thinking about how the Regional Manager was going about his job and the systems supporting him. In specifying information requirements for a company, you have to consider the types of actions and decisions to be supported which can be classified by P-C-O, meaning Policy-Control-Operational. Within any enterprise, there are three fundamental levels of business functions to be supported:
* Policy information – used by executive management to steer the business and includes such things as operating summaries, forecasts, and trend analysis.
* Control information – used by middle management to control operations and report to executives; this typically includes status reports, departmental summaries, quota analysis and schedules.
* Operational information – used to support the daily activities of the business, such as placing and processing orders, checking on order status and a myriad of other activities to support customers.
Information also has the nuance of being time dependent in order to perform the various business functions in a timely manner. Not surprising, a business requires a more rapid response at the Operational level than at the higher levels. To illustrate:
* Operational information is typically required “On Demand” (aka, “Upon request”) or daily. This ultimately represents the basic transactions of the business to collect data. Daily information is also useful for such things as end-of-day summaries, and for formulating daily schedules.
* Control information typically consists of daily, weekly, and monthly summaries so middle management can monitor operations. Random “On Demand” queries may be made periodically, but are not typically a part of middle management’s normal routine.
* Policy information normally includes weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual summaries and projections needed for long-range planning. Again, random “On Demand” queries may be made periodically, but are not typically a part of executive management’s normal routine.
If a manager is spending an inordinate amount of time conducting “on demand” processing, as my friend’s new boss appears to be doing, it means a couple of things: First, in all likelihood, the manager is not delegating responsibility properly and has set his area of the company on a path of micromanagement. Second, it either means the company’s information systems do not adequately serve the business, or the new Regional Manager simply doesn’t know how to use it and, instead, is attempting to reinvent the wheel by devising his own system for obtaining the information. If the latter, he may be working at odds with the company’s systems department, thereby introducing redundant processes and data which may lead to conflicting results (aka, “dirty data”). In my friend’s case, I suspect the Regional Manager is guilty of all of the above.
There is certainly nothing wrong with wanting to obtain the proper information to support the business functions you are charged with, but if it results in creating problems of employee morale or invalid information, you have to wonder if the wrong person is running the show.
Managers should do some soul-searching; do they really need that information or are they interfering with the responsibilities of others? My advice to managers is simple: Delegate responsibility, hold people accountable, and get out of their way. “Manage more, supervise less” – Bryce’s Law
Keep the Faith!
P.S. – “April Fool” everyone! – Today is our company’s 42nd anniversary.
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: QUICK, WHAT IS THE NAME OF YOUR CONGRESSMAN? – And how about your other government officials?
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:30-3:00pm ET), and KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays. 6:00-10:00am MST). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
POST OFFICE INEFFICIENCIES
BRYCE ON POLITICS & MANAGEMENT
- How far behind is the USPS operating behind its competitors?
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently announced it is going to suspend Saturday deliveries of mail. Actually, we shouldn’t be too surprised as paper based mail has been diminishing over the years, thanks to e-mail, electronic banking, and rising postal costs. I know many businesses who avoid the USPS as much as possible and prefer the service of other carriers instead. All of this adds up to a decline in revenues and an increase in expenses for the USPS who is now scrambling to reorganize themselves in order to survive.
One of the key lessons I preach when working with young people is, “Everything begins with a sale.” Business functions such as administration, engineering, research and development, and customer service are nice, but all employees should be cognizant of the fact that everything begins with a sale. Consequently, employees should be mindful that everything should be geared towards producing income and minimizing costs. In the case of the USPS, either the product isn’t priced properly, or they’re running an unproductive operation.
One clear indicator is the amount of profit associated with each employee. To illustrate, let’s consider a commercial enterprise, such as the Ford Motor Company, who in 2012 had 164,000 employees. The company had $136.26B in revenues and $128.632B in expenses, leaving an operating profit of $7.628B. If we divide the profit by the total number of employees we find each employee is responsible for incurring $46,512 of the profit. Think of this as a performance measure. It is an important figure which every employee should be cognizant of, yet few companies publicize.
Let’s next compare the USPS and its shipping rivals in the same light:
| EMPLOYEES | REVENUES | EXPENSES | PROFIT | PROFIT/EMPLOYEE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | 546,000 (2012) | $ 65.223 billion (2012) | $80.964 billion (2012) | $-15.741B | $-28,830/employee |
| DHL | 423,348 (2011) | $ 71.169 billion (2011) | $70.693 billion (2011) | $ .476B | $ 1,124/employee |
| UPS | 398,000 (2012) | $ 54.127 billion (2012) | $52.784 billion (2012) | $ 1.343B | $ 3,374/employee |
| FedEx | 300,000 (2012) | $ 42.7 billion (2012) | $39.494 billion (2012) | $ 3.206B | $ 10,686/employee |
NOTE: Latest available data, courtesy of the corporate web sites and Wikipedia.
Thanks to a considerable operating loss in 2012, USPS employees are operating in the hole. Also notice in the comparison, even though the USPS has the most employees, it has the worst profit performance. Not all of its shipping competitors topped the revenues of the USPS, but all were considerably less in terms of expenses. This may be indicative of the difference between running a commercial enterprise and one operated by the government.
There are actually many variables affecting a company’s performance, such as economic issues, changing government regulations, and business decisions, but making each employee mindful of their individual contribution raises their consciousness as to what should be best for the company overall.
Suspension of Saturday deliveries may be a good idea to reduce costs, but I suspect it is another example of a bloated government bureaucracy running amok and needs more serious cuts as opposed to minimizing service. I am reminded of the Bryce’s Law, “Do not try to apply a band-aid when a tourniquet is required to stop the bleeding.”
Perhaps it’s time for a little Enterprise Engineering to flatten this government behemoth. Otherwise, the taxpayers will be asked to once again bail out this model of inefficiency. If it was a commercial enterprise, it would have likely perished by now and its shipping competitors would have taken over (and we wouldn’t be discussing the suspension of Saturday service).
If the government is having this much trouble running a monopoly like the post office, imagine what they’ll do with Obamacare.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: MY “CROWNING” ACHIEVEMENT – Why my visit to the dentist was like digging the English Chunnel.
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:30-3:00pm ET), and KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays. 6:00-10:00am MST). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
LONG LIVE THE FAX MACHINE
BRYCE ON BUSINESS
- Why +830,000 physicians rely on this aging technology.
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
As a small businessman, I haven’t had to use a fax machine in quite some time. Like most people these days, I rely primarily on e-mail. If I have a lengthy document, I convert it to a PDF file and attach it to the e-mail. Many years ago, we relied heavily on fax machines to communicate with customers overseas (and TWX machines before that), but in recent times we have little use for such devices. We keep a fax machine in the office for “just in case” situations, but we mostly leave it unplugged to avoid the many spam faxes still plaguing the public. I am also able to interface with other systems to upload/download data in a variety of file formats with Delimited ASCII being the most prevalent.
I recently visited my doctor for a routine checkup. We’ve known each other for years and I am always fascinated by the latest medical technology in his practice. His office consisted of a modest sized staff with the typical number and type of computers you would expect to support administrative needs. Interestingly, I noticed he had a fax machine which was slowly chugging away and spitting out voluminous reports. Frankly, I was surprised to see a fax machine being so actively used; certainly he transmitted/received data by e-mail or some other computer protocol I thought. Actually, No.
Although physicians have abundant computer software available to them for communication purposes, it is not as actively used as the fax machine which is the true work horse of their office. The doctor claimed his office received on the average 18,000 faxes each year. This does not include sending documents which is probably just as voluminous. Patient records, test results, prescriptions, hospital reports, etc. are all regularly sent by fax, and no other device. This means the data has to be re-keyed into the doctor’s computers by his staff. It doesn’t take a systems man like me to realize this is not an efficient or cost-effective approach for operating any office. Frankly, I was thunderstruck just how primitive the office systems were, and this was just one office. As I was to learn, most doctors operate in the same manner thereby representing a model of system dysfunctionality on a colossal scale.
A mandate from the federal government a few years ago requires doctors to digitize all of their medical records (see “Turning Everyone into Data Entry Clerks”). This means every medical institution in this country has been busy entering data about all of their patients, a herculean task which the medical community is currently embroiled in. To accomplish this, a variety of medical software packages have been introduced with little or no compatibility between them. This means your medical records with your General Practitioner cannot be read by another doctor, unless he happens to use the same medical records software, which would be a very remote coincidence. There are, of course, strict privacy issues concerning the exchange of patient records. Regardless, assuming consent is given by the patient, there is no easy way to electronically exchange data.
Blame for this incompatibility falls squarely on the shoulders of the federal government who has not devised a standard file format for exchanging data. They may have mandated all doctors digitize their patient records, but they never devised a means for exchanging data. This incompatibility issue is so glaring, you have to suspect it is premeditated.
Now consider the enormity of this problem; there are over 830,000 physicians in this country, all of which are busily digitizing patient records, none of which can be exchanged electronically with other doctors. So how do they communicate? You guessed it; by fax. It also means all of these doctors and their staffs have to work double-time to record patient data as transmitted by fax. Doesn’t make a lot of sense does it?
Let’s take it a step further, assuming my friend’s office annual workload of 18,000 faxes is an average, and considering there are over 830K doctors, this translates into over 15 trillion pieces of paper being printed each year by physicians alone (not counting hospitals). This isn’t exactly environmentally friendly, but certainly supports the bottom-line of paper companies.
This system snafu places a significant burden on doctors and inhibits their ability to practice medicine and care for their patients. Not surprising, a mutiny is in the offing. Tired of growing governmental bureaucracy, many physicians are opting to retire early or quit their practices outright, thereby creating a shortage of competent doctors.
My visit to my doctor’s office taught me a couple of things; first, the fax machine is the Achilles’ heel of any physician’s office, without it, the doctor is lost. Second, this need not be the case if the federal government would just devise some simple standards for data exchange. However, knowing the government, I do not think I’ll hold my breath. I’m quite confident doctors will go on killing trees for many years to come.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: POST OFFICE INEFFICIENCIES – How far behind is the USPS operating behind its competitors?
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:30-3:00pm ET), and KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays. 6:00-10:00am MST). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
A LITTLE STUG
BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT
- A simple little word that means a lot, at least to me.
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
On more than one occasion I have been complimented on my ability to get things done. As such, I am often asked my secret to success. I normally reply, “A little Stug,” a rather simple expression requiring an explanation.
It’s not that I am a technical genius. You must remember my background was in Communications, not Computer Science. True, I’ve been around computers a long time now, and have seen everything from mainframes to smart phones, but I think of myself more as a power user of the technology as opposed to a “techie.” Over the last 30+ years, I have learned a thing or two about how computers behave, but more importantly, I have learned the general thinking process of the people who program them. This has given me a definite edge in terms of conquering technical problems. Too often it is easy to surrender to the technology. Instead, I tend to persevere until the problem is resolved. If the problem cannot be fixed, I endeavor to find a workaround. I’m very resourceful in this regards. Perseverance is key.
Over the years, in talks with programmers, I refused to accept things on face value and would stubbornly ask them “Why?” until the rationale was made clear to me. I have always found it dangerous to accept the status quo based on blind faith. I like to know where I am going as opposed to operating in the dark. Unfortunately, many people do not, particularly programmers.
In my office, I have a framed quote from President Calvin Coolidge who said:
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
This quote greatly influenced my perspective on work, and to this day, I still believe it to be true. I have met a lot of brilliant and creative people over the years, but I have more respect for the person who simply knows how to get things done. Sometimes you’ve got to quit talking about an idea, make a decision and put your best foot forward, and “Get ‘er done.”
Oh yea, what does the word “Stug” mean and where does it come from? Actually, it was something my old high school football coach used to admonish us to do. Whenever we fell behind in a game or were physically hurting, my coach would tell us it was time for some “Stug,” which happens to be “Guts” spelled backwards. Whenever he would yell from the sidelines for a little more “Stug,” we would suck it up, refocus, and try even harder. Believe it or not, it worked. A little tenacity can go a long way, whether you are at work or at play.
So what’s my secret to success? Just a little “Stug.”
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: LIBERAL VS. CONSERVATIVE PERSONALITIES – Are liberals smarter or is it a matter of different wiring?
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:30-3:00pm ET), and KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays. 6:00-10:00am MST). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
HUNG UP ON JOB TITLES
BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT
- Which would you chose, better wages or a better job title?
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Not long ago I went to the drive-thru window at our local bank to make a deposit. I was dutifully greeted by the attendent who I had chatted with before on numerous occasions. On this particular visit, the attendant, who I judged to be in her mid-twenties, was delighted to inform me she was now the “Head Cashier.” I congratulated her on the promotion, finished my business and departed. Over the next several weeks though, whenever I visited the bank, she made a point of letting me know she was the “Head Cashier” with an air of boasting about her. I presume she did this with all of her customers, that I wasn’t just being singled out. She had even gone so far as to etch a new name plate with her title boldly printed on it. It was important to her that the bank’s customers recognize her authority. Frankly, I just wanted to process my transactions and go about my business. Although I initially commended her on the promotion, I really couldn’t have cared less.
I find job titles in business to be rather amusing. Originally, a job title was intended to denote the type of work a person performed, e.g., doctor, baker, banker, etc. Over the years though some rather avant-garde job titles have emerged which are intended to impress others. For example, we use “Software Engineer” as opposed to a mere “Programmer”; “Human Resources” as opposed to “Personnel”; “Branding” as opposed to “Advertising,” a “Mixologist” as opposed to a “Bartender,” etc. For some reason, the Information Technology field has more than its share of cryptic titles, for example: “New Metrics Analyst,” “Content Engineer,” “E-mail Channel Specialist,” “Metamediary CEO,” “Chief Knowledge Officer,” and “Chief Internet Officer.” I even ran into one entitled, “Webmistress Extraordinaire” (I think this last one is related to “Domestic Goddess”).
If you can’t invent a fancy new title, simply modify an old one by delineating the level of skill or experience required to perform it, such as junior or senior. For example, banks make extensive use of “Vice Presidents,” a much coveted title. Yet there are many permeations of it, such as Junior VP, Associate VP, Senior VP, Managing VP, Executive VP, etc. Banks make extensive use of such titles as opposed to paying a decent salary. Nonetheless, some people believe meaningless job titles are more important and will help them secure a better job in the future.
Even in nonprofit organizations, titles become rather important to people. I have seen people boast they were President of their Homeowner Association, VP of Membership for clubs, and Secretary or Treasurer of other groups. They relish such titles as it denotes they are a person of authority and should be taken seriously. Now I will admit such titles are important to define areas of responsibility, but there is little point in having such titles if you do not perform anything in return. Such meaningless job titles ultimately demean the office you hold and the organization you are supposed to be serving.
As for me, job titles tell me a lot about a person’s ego and his/her insecurities, particularly if they boast about it, such as the “Head Cashier.” In reality, most people are less interested in the job title you hold and more interested if you can perform the work advertised.
Executives couldn’t care less about job titles. To illustrate, I remember an instance where an Information Technology Manager was given an assignment to complete an important high profile project for his company. Needing programmers for the project, he sought permission from the executive committee to hire some more. In the end, the committee granted his request and told him he could hire as many people as he wanted, and give them any job title they desired, but when the project was completed, fire them all. It might have seemed cruel, but at least they got an impressive job title to post on their resumes.
As for me, if the choice is between a fancy new job title or better wages, you can keep the job title. I know who I am, what I am capable of doing, and am certainly not hung up on job titles.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: AN ASEXUAL SOCIETY? – Why are we trying to merge the sexes; what does this accomplish?
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:30-3:00pm ET), and KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays. 6:00-10:00am MST). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
DEALING WITH PETTY POLITICS
BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT
- Some alternatives to kissing someone’s ring.
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It seems petty politics is an inherent part of our lives. There is no escaping it. We find it implemented by government bureaucrats, corporate department managers and supervisors, and officers of nonprofit organizations, be they homeowner associations, club sports, religious orders, garden clubs, fraternal organizations, or whatever. In most cases, petty politics emerge over turf wars where people jealously guard the fiefdoms they have built for themselves. Somehow it reminds me of two sentry ants, each desperately guarding the entrance to their ant hill from each other, and both unaware the two ant hills are connected by tunnels underground. Neither realizes they are playing on the same team.
Petty politics comes about when small-minded people have been placed in a position of authority and take pleasure in being able to exercise control over other people who would normally smash them like a bug. They desperately want to prove they are someone of importance and should command respect. And therein lies their weakness: Ego. They want to dominate you, not so much as to fulfill their duties and responsibilities, but primarily because they want to neutralize you as a competitor or as someone who might spoil their plans. Ironically, the more they try to intimidate you, the more they lose respect, not just from you, but by others observing the conflict.
When you are faced with a person practicing petty politics, there are a few options at your disposal:
1. Play their game. This ultimately depends how long this person or yourself will be around. If it is nothing more than a short period of time, it might be more expedient to simply let the other person have his/her way. If the person if going to be there longer though, you may wish to consider other tactics, such as…
2. Challenge their authority. This is a “head on” approach that will naturally result in the creation of an enemy; then again, the person was already proven himself to be an enemy from the outset so it might be worthwhile to conquer this problem now as opposed to running into again in the future. This requires you to question their authority, thereby undermining them. Before you do this though, be sure to research the friends of your adversary as they will likely be called into play if you become a problem. In other words, you will not be just fighting the petty politician, but his friends as well.
3. Perform an end-run around your obstacle, either by way of his superior or another person who can perform the service for you.
4. Offering a bribe sometimes works, be it a small present, gift or some other form of remuneration. Know this though, once you have done so, the petty politician will expect it as a regular diet.
5. Ignore them. This can be the most devastating of the tactics taken. Since the petty politician craves recognition, do not give it to him under any circumstance. Do not say anything good or bad about the person, just ignore him. Simply go about your business as if the other person doesn’t exist. Find alternatives instead. If the person has something you need to fulfill your task, just take it; do not ask permission to use it as the other person certainly will not consent to give it to you. Just find another way to get the job done, but ignore the person completely. It will drive him crazy.
I have found over the years, when it comes to petty politics, you have to fight fire with fire. If you have a petty politician embedded in your organization like an Alabama tick, you can either pacify your antagonist, or yourself. Just remember, bureaucrats exist to impede progress, not expedite it. Consequently, they play dirty. If you plan to combat such a person, be prepared to get as dirty as he is.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: POLITICAL DEMOGRAPHICS – True, the president won Florida, but certainly not by a landslide.
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:30-3:00pm ET), and KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays. 6:00-10:00am MST).
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
