Guest Blogger: Russell Justice Offers His Gems From Oops!

I just finished reading and studying a new book by mentor and friend Dr. Aubrey Daniels - OOPS! 13 Management Practices that Waste Time & Money (and what to do instead). Below are my gems.

Top Dozen (tried to pick 10 but couldn't) Gems (in priority order):

1. Solutions that involve tweaking the current process must be rejected. It is up to leaders to establish a context to which alternatives are vigorously examined (pursued, and deployed).

2. Skilled people are often in short supply but people with the talent and brains to develop skills are most likely already in your employ.

3. Each incident of non-contingent reinforcement is a plank in the house of entitlement.

4. Eliminate jobs. I didn't mean within your company. I meant in the workplace of your competition. That's the game.

5. You don't teach someone to the limit of their ability; you teach them to the limit of your ability.

6. We say "people are our most important asset" - then dispose of them the instant the organization is in trouble.

7. Negative reinforcement effectively places a ceiling on accomplishment.

8. Rank and Yank produces an environment where employees compete with each other more than with competitors in the marketplace.

9. It is management's responsibility to create a workplace that causes employees to do their best every day.

10. Many "pay for performance" systems are actually pay for "compliance".

11. The threat of another layoff probably increases the behavior of looking for another job far more than it increases better performance. Threat of another layoff no doubt increases feelings of depressing and hopelessness which is more likely to increase the downward performance spiral rather than stop it.

12. The question shifts from "Why are some people more motivated that others?" to "Why are some situations more motivating than others?"

Top Half Dozen Gems from Other People quoted in the book (in priority order):

1. Go as far as you can see; and then you will be able to see farther. (Thomas Carlyle)

2. But for me, the fear and ill feelings that arise from intimidation, punishment, and cruel words have far less power than pride. (John Wooden)

3. We tend to meet any situation by reorganizing, and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralization. (Gaius Petronius, AD 66)

4. We cannot command nature except by obeying her. (Francis Bacon)

5. Any frivolous use of money weakens its power. (Thomas Gilbert)

6. Experience is a dear school and fools will learn in no other. (Ben Franklin)