Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Clear Thinking

"In a classic study, two groups were asked to read the same book. The first group was told that they were 'responsible for the whole book.' The second group was given the objective of discerning only the book's three major themes. When tested, the 'three themes' group did better on all aspects of the exam, including questions that were unrelated to the three themes. Formulate specific objectives... and write them down." - Michael Gelb

A manager once remarked "If you're overwhelmed, that's good." Joking or not, that strikes me as a statement that can drain effectiveness out of an organization. Management sets team members up for success, not hopelessness! My reaction in that situation would be to revisit job duties and staffing as needed.

No comments: