October 1, 2007

"COMPANY PARTIES"

The following is an excerpt from my new book, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. The book offers considerable advice regarding how to manage our personal and professional lives. As a part of this, I found it necessary to discuss how to behave at company parties.

Company Parties

During your employment, you will undoubtedly have to attend some company sponsored parties, be it a year-end party or simply going out for a drink with the boss. Your attendance is important as the company is trying to relieve some stress and promote camaraderie among the workers. If you are married, bring your spouse (if they are invited) as companies tend to like to create a family-like environment. If the spouse refuses to attend, it will send a negative message. But assuming they are going to attend, be sure to brief your spouse prior to the function on any pertinent politics so he/she will not accidentally say something inappropriate thus causing an embarrassing situation to make you look bad.

Yes, it is time to relax and unwind, but it is also time to be on your toes. Alcohol tends to loosen the tongue so do not imbibe to the point of drunkenness. Now is not the time to tell off your boss or coworker. Do not say something you will live to regret, such as revealing a dark chapter of your past or how you screwed something up at work, which is how rumors are started. Keep cool and collected. If you are leery of alcohol, order something that looks like a regular drink, such as club soda and lime (which could pass as a gin or vodka tonic) or apple juice (which easily passes for whiskey). This leads people to believe you are a social drinker, yet allows you to maintain control over your faculties.

Aside from this, company parties tend to loosen up inhibitions and allows you to get to know your fellow workers and boss on a more personal level. Also observe protocol in regards to smoking. Some people enjoy a good smoke, others vehemently dislike it. Do what is suitable for the occasion.

If you are ever put in charge of coordinating a company party, make sure it is a success and accommodates everyone, especially if it is the year-end holiday party. Companies take such parties seriously and you are often measured by how successful the party is executed. For example, I have a friend who served at IBM in New York years ago, and was saddled with the company holiday party where families were invited to attend. He quickly found this to be a big responsibility. Nonetheless, he put on a great party where everyone enjoyed themselves. He even had a Santa Claus there to deliver a present for every child in attendance. And best of all, he delivered the party under budgeted costs. In fact, the party went off so well, that his career at IBM took off immediately thereafter.

If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.

OUR BRYCE'S LAW OF THE WEEK therefore is... "Do not underestimate the power of the company party."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, as mentioned, we have just published a new book entitled, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. Reviewer Bill Petrey praised it by saying, "Every young person entering the workplace for the first time should be given a copy of this book." The book includes chapters to describe how a young person should organize themselves, how to adapt to the corporate culture, develop their career, and improve themselves professionally and socially. Basically, its 208 pages of good sound advice to jump start the young person into the work force. Corporate Human Resource departments will also find this book useful for setting new hires on the right track in their career. It not only reinforces the many formal rules as contained in corporate policy manuals, but also includes the subtle unwritten rules we must all observe while working with others. The book lists for $25 and can be ordered online through MBA or your local book store. Complementing the book is a one day seminar of the same name which can be purchased separately for $4,000.00 (U.S.) plus instructor travel expenses. For more information on both the book and the seminar, visit our corporate web site at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/morph.htm
ISBN: 978-0-9786182-5-4

LIKE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY NEW BOOK? Be the first one to e-mail me a message with your name and shipping address. In the SUBJECT or BODY of the e-mail, be sure to write "Morphing Book 100107". E-mail it to me at timb001@phmainstreet.com. Only one free book per person. I'll announce the winner on next week's broadcast.

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "LABOR FAKERS"

Not long ago Budweiser put out a funny TV ad about their fictitious Bud Lite Institute who had invented the "Fake Cup of Coffee 3000" which a person could program to steam at any given time thereby giving the illusion the person was hard at work somewhere in the office when, in reality, he was slacking off somewhere. Maybe you've seen it as it was very funny.

I have met quite a few labor fakers in my day. Most dress the part quite well with sleeves rolled up, ties undone, or shirts pulled out of their pants, anything to look like they're hard at work. They also like to keep their desks cluttered and always carry a lot of paperwork to meetings. Maybe you haven't noticed but it's the same papers they've been carrying around for weeks and are of no material significance. As the Bud Lite ad indicates, labor fakers like to arrive early but make themselves scarce to find.

Labor fakers believe its the time they put in during the day that is most important, not what they produce. I'm sorry but it's just the opposite. Managers really don't care how much time you put in during the day, it's what you produce that concerns them most. If they believe otherwise, then they are as incompetent as the labor faker.

I'm also seeing a lot of young people pick up on the habits of the labor faker, particularly the disorganized look in the office. Let me ask you something; Since when can a slob outperform someone who has got his or her act together? Frankly, I would rather see people clean up their personal appearance and desk. This would tell me they are at least organized and disciplined, and not trying to hide something.

Yes, appearances are important, but being able to produce quality goods and services on time and within budget should be considered of paramount importance.

Such is my Pet Peeve of the Week.

"BRYCE'S PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK"

Folks, a couple of years ago I started to include my "Pet Peeve of the Week" in these "Management Visions" podcasts. They have become so popular that I now syndicate them through the Internet and they are available for republication in other media. To this end, I have created a separate web page for my writings which you can find at phmainstreet.com Look for the section, "The Bryce is Right!" Hope you enjoy them.

AND FINALLY...

I received quite a few comments regarding my "Pet Peeve" on "Panaceas":

A T.C. in Deerfield Beach, FL wrote:

"You might be interested to know that the field of education is among the worst offenders in terms of looking to technology as a panacea. We seem to jump on every new technological innovation as if it is the long lost panacea we have been searching for. The result is that a lot of valuable time is wasted in education learning technologies that are soon discarded. Furthermore, technological razzle-dazzle too often supplants quality teaching. So goes my rant..."

A T.S.S. of Dallas, TX wrote:

"I would have to agree that most people are looking for the shortcuts in life. I truly believe that it is in the "crisis'" we experience in life that we truly find our truest meaning. Although I guess the shortcuts could potentially end in more crisis. Hehe.

I work as an information architect/UX designer and I spend most of my days collaborating with clients on their system needs, expectations, and how my team can create/manipulate systems that will actually help make the user's work life easier. It is very fulfilling to see a client's eyes light up when we discover that it is not just their systems that need updating but their business processes as well.

I look forward to reading other posts by you and plan on visiting your site."

I also received an interesting e-mail regarding the piece I wrote on "Common Courtesy" not long ago.

An M.M. in Pennsylvania wrote:

"Great observations. In particular I found the common courtesy missing in my last job. People did not respond to good morning or much else. I no longer work there."

Thanks for your comments.

Keep those cards and letters coming.

MBA is an international management consulting firm specializing in Information Resource Management. We offer training, consulting, and writing services in the areas of Enterprise Engineering, Systems Engineering, Data Base Engineering, Project Management, Methodologies and Repositories. For information, call us at 727/786-4567. For a complete listing of my essays, see the "PRIDE" Special Subject Bulletins section of our corporate web site.

Our corporate web page is at:

http://phmainstreet.com/mba/

Management Visions is a presentation of M. Bryce & Associates, a division of M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. The program is produced on a weekly basis and updated on Sundays. It is available in versions for RealPlayer, Microsoft Media Player, and MP3 suitable for Podcasting. See our web site for details. You'll find our broadcast listed in several Podcast and Internet Search engines, as well as Apples' iTunes.

If you have any questions or would like to be placed on our e-mailing list to receive notification of future broadcasts, please e-mail it to timb001@phmainstreet.com

For a copy of past broadcasts, please contact me directly.

We accept MP3 files with your voice for possible inclusion in the broadcast.

There is no charge for adding a link to "Management Visions" on your web page, for details and HTML code, see the "Management Visions" web site.

Management Visions accepts advertising. For rates, please contact yours truly directly.

Copyright © 2007 by M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. All rights reserved. "PRIDE" is the registered trademark of M&JB Investment Company.

This is Tim Bryce reporting.

Since 1971: "Software for the finest computer - the Mind."

END

September 24, 2007

"APPEARANCES"

The following is an excerpt from my new book, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. The book offers considerable advice regarding how to manage our personal and professional lives. As a part of this, I found it necessary to discuss the physical appearances of people and their work space.

Appearances

Your appearance says a lot about how you regard others. Someone who is well dressed and groomed will command more respect than someone who is not. Today, tattoos and body piercings are very popular among younger people. Regardless of your attitude towards them, there are still many prejudices against such body art in the corporate world. Understand this, the higher you go up in the corporate ladder, the more you become a visible symbol of the company you represent. If your body art doesn't convey the right image, you won't be going anywhere. So, if you happen to like that new nose ring you put in, don't expect that big job promotion anytime soon. Like it or not, if you've got body art, do yourself a favor and keep it under cover. The same is true in regards to unkempt hair, facial or otherwise.

If you have to wear a tie to work, make sure it is contemporary as well as conservative. Learn to tie a decent knot (people tend to giggle at clip-ons) and the length is somewhat important. For example, a tie resting well above your belt buckle implies inadequacies in the individual, and a tie resting below the belt buckle implies someone prone to excess. The tip of the end of the tie should rest on the top of the belt buckle.

One last thing in terms of dress, "business casual" certainly does not include wearing T-shirts, jeans, shorts, gym shoes or sandals. If you clean up your appearance you will be surprised how people treat you.

Office Appearance

Your desk and office space says a lot about your character. Because of this, you should make an effort to keep your physical surroundings as clean and up-to-date as possible. As an example, the military typically operates under a philosophy whereby you either work on something, store it away, or dispose of it. This forces people to be organized. There are those who would argue "A cluttered desk is the sign of a brilliant mind." Nothing could be further from the truth. A cluttered desk represents laziness and disorganization. People, particularly customers, prefer an orderly workplace. Think about it next time you go to a grocery store.

The point is, our physical surroundings affect our attitudes towards our work. For example, I know of a small print shop with a manager who insists on keeping it spotless. Their paper products are packaged and shipped promptly, inventory is well stocked and maintained, waste is disposed of immediately, and the machines are routinely cleaned and kept in pristine form. Further, the printers are dressed in uniform jumpsuits to keep ink and chemicals from soiling their clothes underneath. Contrast this with the typical print shop that is often cluttered with debris and the machines are infrequently cleaned. The printers of the "clean" shop have a much more positive and professional attitude regarding their work than other printers working in "dirty" shops. Further, absenteeism is not a problem in the "clean" shop and the printers are proud of the products they produce. Basically, they see their workplace as an extension of their home and treat it as such.

As a footnote, I asked the manager of the print shop why his printers kept the facility so clean when others were so dirty. He jokingly confided in me, "They don't know any better." In reality, the manager had set operating standards and routinely inspected the premises to assure they were adhered to. Over time, it became a natural part of the print shop's culture and now he rarely has to inspect them.

If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.

OUR BRYCE'S LAW OF THE WEEK therefore is... "Your appearance sends subliminal messages to those around you who will treat you accordingly."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, as mentioned, we have just published a new book entitled, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. Reviewer Bill Petrey praised it by saying, "Every young person entering the workplace for the first time should be given a copy of this book." The book includes chapters to describe how a young person should organize themselves, how to adapt to the corporate culture, develop their career, and improve themselves professionally and socially. Basically, its 208 pages of good sound advice to jump start the young person into the work force. Corporate Human Resource departments will also find this book useful for setting new hires on the right track in their career. It not only reinforces the many formal rules as contained in corporate policy manuals, but also includes the subtle unwritten rules we must all observe while working with others. The book lists for $25 and can be ordered online through MBA or your local book store. Complementing the book is a one day seminar of the same name which can be purchased separately for $4,000.00 (U.S.) plus instructor travel expenses. For more information on both the book and the seminar, visit our corporate web site at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/morph.htm
ISBN: 978-0-9786182-5-4

LIKE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY NEW BOOK? Be the first one to e-mail me a message with your name and shipping address. In the SUBJECT or BODY of the e-mail, be sure to write "Morphing Book 092407". E-mail it to me at timb001@phmainstreet.com. Only one free book per person. I'll announce the winner on next week's broadcast.

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "PANACEAS"

I have seen a lot in my +30 years in the Information Technology field, everything from mainframes, minis, PC's, to the latest line of gadgets we seem to be enamored with. I've also met a lot of people in this industry, everything from serious professionals who made noteworthy contributions to charlatans peddling the latest line of snake oil. It's this last group that disturbs me though. True, there has been some very nice technology introduced to help expedite programming and systems development, but I find most people are suckered by those that promise speedy results at a fraction of the current price. It's interesting how people take the bait, get reeled in by the vendor, and wonder what hit them when they end up in the boat.

I don't believe I.T. people are alone in this regard. If you watch late night infomercials, most try to seduce our primal weaknesses, specifically health, sex, and greed. Bottom-line, they are telling us, "Don't sweat, take the path of least resistance." For example, we all know that in order to lose weight we need to watch what we eat, and get some exercise, but that sounds a lot harder than taking some diet pill or compound. The same is true in finances where we need to maximize our income and minimize our expenses. Instead we have a lot of self-proclaimed gurus offering to show us their secret way to making millions, for a nominal charge of course. I always ask, "If these guys are so smart, why are they letting us in on their little secret?" They may very well have been successful with something but what makes you think you will be able to emulate their success? I suspect their answer requires a life changing experience of major proportions and if you cannot make the change, well I guess that's just too bad for you. I notice none of these people offer money-back guarantees.

I think this "Take the easy way out" mentality says a lot about our gullibility. Somebody's got to be taking the bait, otherwise these infomercials would have disappeared a long time ago. This eternal quest for the golden bullet is tied to our childhood belief in such things as comic book heroes, the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny. For example, consider the millions made on movies such as "Superman," "Batman," "Spiderman," "The Matrix," "Star Wars," etc. All touch a nerve with the public who honestly hope and dream to emulate such characters. It's kind of scary when some people cannot distinguish between reality and pure fantasy. Yet, isn't this what the charlatans are peddling?

No Virginia, there is no panacea, everything requires some sort of hard work to see something come to fruition. Sorry. I remember when Bruce Lee, the legendary martial artist, made it big in Hollywood. Everybody thought if a little guy like Bruce Lee could kick and punch his way to success, so could they, hence the enormous growth of the martial arts industry. What they didn't realize was the amount of time and effort Lee put in to master his craft. I'm not saying Lee could not have been emulated, but it requires the same level of commitment Lee put forth, which most people are not willing to do.

I coached Little League baseball for years and I was always amazed by the parents who thought their youngster was going to be the next Major League superstar. One by one I watched their balloons burst as they finally discovered their son didn't have a future in baseball and should be doing something else instead.

Frankly, to be successful in anything, you have to find your niche, master it, and work your ass off to make something happen. In other words, you have to be honest with yourself, and know your limitations. Either that or blind, dumb luck, such as winning the lottery.

What do these people who peddle the latest panacea know that we don't? That P.T. Barnum was correct, "There's a sucker born every minute."

Caveat Emptor Y'all!

Such is my Pet Peeve of the Week.

"BRYCE'S PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK"

Folks, a couple of years ago I started to include my "Pet Peeve of the Week" in these "Management Visions" podcasts. They have become so popular that I now syndicate them through the Internet and they are available for republication in other media. To this end, I have created a separate web page for my writings which you can find at phmainstreet.com Look for the section, "The Bryce is Right!" Hope you enjoy them.

AND FINALLY...

I received an interesting letter regarding an earlier piece I wrote entitled, "The First Thing We Do, Let's Kill all of the Bean Counters."

A P.B. in New York wrote:

"Thanks for sharing these perspectives. It seems as though CEOs or CFOs do make changes with reference to the bottom line. Accountants are definitely influential when discussing mergers and acquisitions, etc. Long range goals are often taken into account. The character of the people on the board of directors is key. They often serve on other boards. What is the mission of the company? How does it tie in with the health of the country both mentally and environmentally? I don't know. I think the decisions of these entities affect all economies."

My "Pet Peeve" on "The Death of Romance" generated a lot of responses:

An A.P. in Orlando, FL wrote:

"Great article. I refuse to believe romance is dead. Courtship, yes, but not romance. If there's no more romance, then what the hell is the point?"

A V.V in Florida wrote:

"I totally agree with you. Romance is very important if you want a healthy relationship besides love making without romance is simply sex and that you can easily get anywhere."

An L.G. in Maryland wrote:

"You're absolutely right Tim. Parents have a tough job ahead of them. My husband and I know that if we are to teach our children to see sex as something that should be a part of a loving relationship we need to be careful what they watch on TV but we also need to show them what such a loving relationship should look like - through our marriage. We try to be as romantic as we can be with each other. And the kids do take notice."

A D.R. in Canada wrote:

"You may be peeved, but it's encouraging to know that North American males who miss romance still exist :-)"

A D.N. also in Canada wrote:

"I personally think that the youth (and us older folks) are being trained to have a "me first" attitude with overtones of instant gratification ... with none of the reminders that real gratification is rarely instant. I only hope that youth, such as my grandsons, have the chance to have a long and lasting relationship with their spouse, where it only gets better every year!

I finally got tired of the brainlessness of TV and cancelled the service we had. On talking to friends, we've found that we're not the only ones to do this. Now we're wondering how we managed to have time to watch TV ... we're having too much fun interacting and doing things rather than sitting on the couch being 'zoned' out."

An R.R. in Georgia wrote:

"I am still a romantic, I still try to do the little things just to see my wife smile, that is the only payment I need. Doors are still opened, little notes are still left, just because I know she does, and will smile, period."

Thanks for your comments.

Keep those cards and letters coming.

MBA is an international management consulting firm specializing in Information Resource Management. We offer training, consulting, and writing services in the areas of Enterprise Engineering, Systems Engineering, Data Base Engineering, Project Management, Methodologies and Repositories. For information, call us at 727/786-4567. For a complete listing of my essays, see the "PRIDE" Special Subject Bulletins section of our corporate web site.

Our corporate web page is at:

http://phmainstreet.com/mba/

Management Visions is a presentation of M. Bryce & Associates, a division of M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. The program is produced on a weekly basis and updated on Sundays. It is available in versions for RealPlayer, Microsoft Media Player, and MP3 suitable for Podcasting. See our web site for details. You'll find our broadcast listed in several Podcast and Internet Search engines, as well as Apples' iTunes.

If you have any questions or would like to be placed on our e-mailing list to receive notification of future broadcasts, please e-mail it to timb001@phmainstreet.com

For a copy of past broadcasts, please contact me directly.

We accept MP3 files with your voice for possible inclusion in the broadcast.

There is no charge for adding a link to "Management Visions" on your web page, for details and HTML code, see the "Management Visions" web site.

Management Visions accepts advertising. For rates, please contact yours truly directly.

Copyright © 2007 by M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. All rights reserved. "PRIDE" is the registered trademark of M&JB Investment Company.

This is Tim Bryce reporting.

Since 1971: "Software for the finest computer - the Mind."

END

September 17, 2007

"COMMON COURTESY"

The following is an excerpt from my new book, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. The book offers considerable advice regarding how to manage our personal and professional lives. As a part of this, I found it necessary to discuss basic common courtesy or as I refer to it as the common leveler between people.

Common Courtesy

Last week I discussed the four basic types of personalities; A, B, C and D. In addition to the different personality types, we as humans have a wide variety of interests and non-interests ("turnoffs"), as well as highs and lows. As such, it is impossible to know precisely how to properly relate to everyone in every situation all of the time. The common leveler is common courtesy. By this I most definitely am not referring to "political correctness" which is concerned with pseudo-courtesy for political purposes. Instead, common courtesy represents a genuine respect for the human spirit and how we should interact. This is much more than just saying "please" and "thank you," it's treating others as we want others to treat us.

Each day we transmit a series of messages which communicate how we regard others. This is done either verbally or through other means affecting our senses. These messages can either be perceived as positive or negative. For example, someone who dresses or smells badly is sending a message that he has no regard for the others around him, as does foul habits such as belching or flatulence. Conversely, good grooming means you care how people perceive you. Other positive messages are conveyed through such things as greetings and handshakes, punctuality, and simple manners. Common courtesy, therefore, is concerned with sending positive messages as opposed to negative. It also means our ability to practice common courtesy is a reflection of our character and how we want other people to treat us.

Introductions, Handshakes & Greetings

In Japan, an introduction in a business setting is very important. In addition to identifying yourself, it establishes your professional image, and the superior/subordinate relationship for the two parties to assume (the "pecking order"). Consequently, the Japanese practice introductions carefully, particularly how a business card is presented, as they realize its importance. In contrast, people in the western world have a much more cavalier attitude towards introductions. Nonetheless, the introduction is every bit as important and sends signals as to how we perceive each other.

A lot of people underestimate the importance of a handshake. Actually it is the single most important message we can convey in an introduction. Some people like to give a strong vice grip handshake in an attempt to intimidate you, but most handshakes today by young people are weak and flabby. Actually you need to find a good balance, not too flabby and not too strong. Further, look the other person square in the eyes when you shake hands, this conveys your sincerity in meeting the person. Do not trust anyone who simply shakes your hand but doesn't look you in the eyes; they simply do not care about you.

Shaking hands has historically been a very masculine custom, but this has changed in recent times. However, men still question the appropriateness of shaking a woman's hand. Because of this, it is the woman's responsibility to offer her hand. If she does not offer her hand, do not reach for it as she may feel uncomfortable doing so.

Upon meeting someone for the first time, be careful about using the other person's first name or nickname as this may be reserved for the person's friends and family. Use "Mister", "Ms", "Mrs" or "Miss" depending on how you were introduced and allow them to say, "Please call me Joe." But if by chance you ask, "May I call you Joe?" Don't be surprised if someone says, "No." In other words, do not risk embarrassment, let the other person make the offer to use their first name or nickname. And please, whatever you do, do not call the other person "Dude," this should have gotten out of your vernacular after graduating from High School.

It is also a good practice to memorize the other person's name, particularly when a business card is unavailable. Nothing is more embarrassing in a business relationship to both parties than to forget a name. Write it down if you cannot remember it.

It is a good practice to greet your boss and coworkers on a daily basis when reporting to work (as well as saying your farewell at the end of the day). Nobody wants to feel unwelcome or unappreciated. If they do, they will feel like outcasts and less likely to help you with something. The objective is to make people feel at home. This can be accomplished with a simple greeting such as "Good morning" or "How are you?" It is easy to detect when a greeting is sincere or routine. Your goal is to appear genuinely concerned about the person. This can be achieved by:

• Complimenting on some personal attribute of the person (e.g., clothes, hair, car).

• Inquiring about a person's family (e.g., birthday observed, anniversary, graduation, pets, health, etc.)

• Asking about an event the person recently experienced (e.g., attendance at an event, a trip, participation in a volunteer organization/charity, a new job or project assignment, etc.),

• Commenting on something newsworthy - community, sports, weather ("What did you think about...?")

Such greetings are an expression of your interest in the person. Too often greetings become routine and, as such, less credible. Try to break it up.

A good basic greeting can work wonders in building cooperation and relations between people.

Attention to Detail

Small details can have a dramatic effect in your relationship with others. For example:

• Be observant - if there is anything constant in life, it is change. Change is always around us, but it takes a perceptive person to be able to spot the smallest of changes, whether it be a new hair style, someone losing weight, a small job well done, or whatever. When a change is observed, ask yourself why it has happened. Be inquisitive and understand the rationale for the change. This will help you adapt to the change as well as improve your interpersonal relations. For example, people are easily flattered when someone compliments them on a change. It means you are perceptive and interested in the person, both of which puts you in good standing with the other person.

It is these little observations that go a long way. As an example, perhaps the best secretary I ever met was a lady named Myrna who worked for an I.T. Director in Chicago. The first time I visited the office, Myrna warmly greeted me and asked if I wanted a cup of coffee. Saying Yes, she then asked me what I wanted in it. I said cream and sugar, which she then made for me. Months later when I returned to visit the Director, Myrna greeted me by name and presented me with a cup of coffee with cream and sugar. Frankly, I was startled she not only remembered my name but how I also liked my coffee. Later I discovered Myrna maintained a simple card file; whenever someone visited the office, Myrna would record their name and the type of coffee they liked. Sharp. Very sharp.

Next week we'll discuss "Appearances."

If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.

OUR BRYCE'S LAW OF THE WEEK therefore is... "Our ability to practice common courtesy is a reflection of our character and how we want other people to treat us."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, as mentioned, we have just published a new book entitled, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. Reviewer Bill Petrey praised it by saying, "Every young person entering the workplace for the first time should be given a copy of this book." The book includes chapters to describe how a young person should organize themselves, how to adapt to the corporate culture, develop their career, and improve themselves professionally and socially. Basically, its 208 pages of good sound advice to jump start the young person into the work force. Corporate Human Resource departments will also find this book useful for setting new hires on the right track in their career. It not only reinforces the many formal rules as contained in corporate policy manuals, but also includes the subtle unwritten rules we must all observe while working with others. The book lists for $25 and can be ordered online through MBA or your local book store. Complementing the book is a one day seminar of the same name which can be purchased separately for $4,000.00 (U.S.) plus instructor travel expenses. For more information on both the book and the seminar, visit our corporate web site at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/morph.htm
ISBN: 978-0-9786182-5-4

LIKE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY NEW BOOK? Be the first one to e-mail me a message with your name and shipping address. In the SUBJECT or BODY of the e-mail, be sure to write "Morphing Book 091707". E-mail it to me at timb001@phmainstreet.com. Only one free book per person. I'll announce the winner on next week's broadcast.

Last week's winner was:
Navdeep Saini
Little Rock, AR
Congratulations, a copy of the book is already in the mail to you.

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "THE DEATH OF ROMANCE"

I was surfing the television channels one night and happened upon a rerun of "Sex in the City." In this particular episode, Samantha and her boyfriend happened to be visiting a sex therapist and the conversation turned into a very graphic, yet comical, description of their sexual inadequacies. Although it was amusing, I was somewhat taken aback by the description particularly as this was prime time and just about anyone could view the episode, including children.

When I was growing up, it was considered somewhat risqué to see a Tampon ad in a magazine, but I think we've gone way beyond that with Viagra, Cialis and condom commercials on television. I don't care how you try to clinically describe it, there's something embarrassing about listening to the dangers of a four hour erection, particularly when children are in the room. And please, I am certainly not a prude when it comes to sex but it seems there is an overt attempt to promote sexuality on television, in magazines or on the Internet. You can't seem to get away from it, particularly on MTV and other programs aimed at our youth. On radio, we have the shock jocks led by Howard Stern where it seems the sky is the limit. Even Homer and Marge Simpson have been shown "getting it on."

What disturbs me is that the message to our young people seems to be, "Go for it." There is little concern about the repercussions of premature pregnancies or social disease, just get a piece of ass. More importantly, there seems to be more emphasis on simply having sex as opposed to romance; that the mystique of romance has been replaced by a simple biological function. It's a sad day in our culture when romance is supplanted by wanton sex. One could easily argue this is another sign of the moral decay in our society and perhaps is indicative of our rising divorce rate.

The courtship and budding relationship between a man and a woman is priceless. It's a matter of getting to know one and other, not simply throwing off clothes and hopping into bed. Probably every young person reading this will think I'm crazy as they all have one primary interest, which is fine. I'm just here to remind you there is much more to life than just trying to seduce the next person that comes along.

A few years ago I was on a consulting assignment in Spain. Due to the time change, I couldn't sleep so I turned on the television. I remember there was a late night show from Germany being shown which was a bawdy version of the "Wheel of Fortune" where the contestants removed their clothing after they spun the wheel. I didn't understand the German language but I had no problem grasping what was going on, particularly when the contestants finally got down to their G-strings. The next day I asked my local contact about the show; he laughed as he knew about it. I went on to ask him if there was a problem with young people watching the show.

"Why should there be?" he responded matter-of-factly, "They should already be asleep by that hour shouldn't they?"

His simple logic was right on target. The answer was twofold: parents should be aware of the programs their children watch, and the networks have a moral responsibility for not corrupting the airwaves inappropriately. It's not that the Europeans have anything against sexuality, but more importantly, they appreciate the need for romance. Whereas Americans put sex in your face, the Europeans appear to see the bigger picture.

I know what you are going to say, "Don't you know how to program your television set to block certain content?" Not really, but as I said, I don't see how you can escape from it as just about every channel makes some reference to sex, be it in a show or a commercial. If my program blocker worked correctly, I would probably end up with a blank screen.

I, for one, am most definitely going to miss romance.

Such is my Pet Peeve of the Week.

"BRYCE'S PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK"

Folks, a couple of years ago I started to include my "Pet Peeve of the Week" in these "Management Visions" podcasts. They have become so popular that I now syndicate them through the Internet and they are available for republication in other media. To this end, I have created a separate web page for my writings which you can find at phmainstreet.com Look for the section, "The Bryce is Right!" Hope you enjoy them.

AND FINALLY...

I received many favorable responses to my recent "Pet Peeve" regarding "Screamers" (children in public places). However, I did have one exception that strongly disagreed with me:

An M.G. in Canada wrote:

"Nope, sorry; on this one, the Bryce is Oh so very WRONG. Children should be seen and not heard? You sound more like a grandparent and almost not like a parent at all. This is worse than your unnecessary tirade against tattoos. Haven't you heard about the day care provider that killed an infant because she was doping the kid with Tylenol so the baby wouldn't cry?

And you wish to arm the general public with knockout drops for toddlers? This article must be fishing for feedback. You must be bored. You must have had a really bad day at the DMV. You must be kidding.

An experienced parent knows that there are times when the best thing for a parent to do is just let the little bugger cry. As a parent of a two year old who occasionally throws a fit, the one thing I loathe the most are people who obviously were never any child's primary caregiver, offer me parenting advice or give me a dirty look. Especially if that advice giver is in their fifties or older. To me it's like a Boy Scout trying to instruct a Marine on how to take the fort.

You speculate that restaurant owners would clamor for your knock out drops but I'll bet most restaurant owners have kids and would be appalled at the idea of a compete stranger spraying something in their kids face.

So now Tim Bryce, because his meal was interrupted, is the only man who knows how to parent? Please!!! There is no one universally correct way to parent a child. Every generation's parents get a new interpretation from "experts" regarding spanking, duration of naps, proper diet and appropriate amount of attention. But now Mr. Bryce has all the answers, which apparently is only one answer, don't let your child bother Mr. Bryce in public. Sounds like a bad case of G.O.M.S. (Grumpy Old Man Syndrome).

Mr. Bryce, please allow me to give you your due and timely notice; for your own safety, don't ever, take it upon yourself, to physically "parent" someone else's toddler. If some strange man sprayed anything in my child's face, Brother or not, I'd be dropping that fool first and asking questions second.

And that's the way I roll…"

Many thanks for your note and take on the "Screamers" debate. Frankly, I've received quite a lot of support for the article which, of course, was written in part as tongue-in-cheek. In fact, yours was the first (and only) to refute my position. I'm sorry, letting them scream in public just doesn't hack it and is a sign of disrespect for the other patrons.

I'm just finishing my "hitch" as a parent and I cannot possibly imagine allowing my offspring to bother others.

Thanks for your comments.

Keep those cards and letters coming.

MBA is an international management consulting firm specializing in Information Resource Management. We offer training, consulting, and writing services in the areas of Enterprise Engineering, Systems Engineering, Data Base Engineering, Project Management, Methodologies and Repositories. For information, call us at 727/786-4567. For a complete listing of my essays, see the "PRIDE" Special Subject Bulletins section of our corporate web site.

Our corporate web page is at:

http://phmainstreet.com/mba/

Management Visions is a presentation of M. Bryce & Associates, a division of M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. The program is produced on a weekly basis and updated on Sundays. It is available in versions for RealPlayer, Microsoft Media Player, and MP3 suitable for Podcasting. See our web site for details. You'll find our broadcast listed in several Podcast and Internet Search engines, as well as Apples' iTunes.

If you have any questions or would like to be placed on our e-mailing list to receive notification of future broadcasts, please e-mail it to timb001@phmainstreet.com

For a copy of past broadcasts, please contact me directly.

We accept MP3 files with your voice for possible inclusion in the broadcast.

There is no charge for adding a link to "Management Visions" on your web page, for details and HTML code, see the "Management Visions" web site.

Management Visions accepts advertising. For rates, please contact yours truly directly.

Copyright © 2007 by M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. All rights reserved. "PRIDE" is the registered trademark of M&JB Investment Company.

This is Tim Bryce reporting.

Since 1971: "Software for the finest computer - the Mind."

END

September 10, 2007

"PERSONALITY TYPES"

The following is an excerpt from my new book, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. The book offers considerable advice regarding how to manage our personal and professional lives. As a part of this, I found it necessary to describe the four types of personalities commonly found in the work place.

Personality Types

You will undoubtedly encounter many different types of personalities in the work place, each with their own unique blend of nuances. But there are four basic types of personalities from which they are based, which is commonly referred to as A, B, C, and D. Although volumes have been written on such personality traits, here is a synopsis:

Type "A" Personality - Is a highly independent and driven personality, typically representing the leaders in business. They are blunt, competitive, no-nonsense types who like to get to the point. They are also strong entrepreneurial spirits (risk takers). As such, they embrace change and are always looking for practical solutions for solving problems.

Type "B" Personality - Represents highly extroverted people who love the spotlight. Because of this, they are very entertaining and possess strong charisma (everyone likes to be around them). Small wonder these people are sales and marketing types. They thrive on entertaining people and are easily hurt if they cannot sway someone (such as "bombing" on stage).

Type "C" Personality - The antithesis of Type "B"; they are introverted detailists as represented by such people as accountants, programmers, and engineers. They may have trouble communicating to other people, but are a whirlwind when it comes to crunching numbers or writing program code. They tend to be very cautious and reserved, and will not venture into something until after all the facts have been checked out.

Type "D" Personality - Is best characterized as those people who resist any form of change and prefer the tedium of routine, such as in clerical assignments. They are not adventurous, resist responsibility and prefer to be told what to do.

It is not uncommon to find people with a blend of personalities, particularly A-B and C-D. But these basic personality types explain why some people work well together and others do not. For example Type-A clashes with Type-D simply because one is more adventurous than the other, and Type-B clashes with Type-C as one exhibits an extroverted personality and the other is introverted. Conversely Type-A works well with Type-B, and Type-C works well with Type-D.

The leveling factor between these different personality types is Common Courtesy which we will discuss next week.

If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.

OUR BRYCE'S LAW OF THE WEEK therefore is... "If the mind really is the finest computer, then there are a lot of people out there who need to be rebooted."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, as mentioned, we have just published a new book entitled, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. Reviewer Bill Petrey praised it by saying, "Every young person entering the workplace for the first time should be given a copy of this book." The book includes chapters to describe how a young person should organize themselves, how to adapt to the corporate culture, develop their career, and improve themselves professionally and socially. Basically, its 208 pages of good sound advice to jump start the young person into the work force. Corporate Human Resource departments will also find this book useful for setting new hires on the right track in their career. It not only reinforces the many formal rules as contained in corporate policy manuals, but also includes the subtle unwritten rules we must all observe while working with others. The book lists for $25 and can be ordered online through MBA or your local book store. Complementing the book is a one day seminar of the same name which can be purchased separately for $4,000.00 (U.S.) plus instructor travel expenses. For more information on both the book and the seminar, visit our corporate web site at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/morph.htm
ISBN: 978-0-9786182-5-4

LIKE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY NEW BOOK? Be the first one to e-mail me a message with your name and shipping address. In the SUBJECT or BODY of the e-mail, be sure to write "Morphing Book 091007". E-mail it to me at timb001@phmainstreet.com. Only one free book per person. I'll announce the winner on next week's broadcast.

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "SISTERS"

Coming from a male dominated family, I missed out on having a sister. I always found the discourse of men and women to be rather interesting. They are entirely different. Men like to get to the point in their discussions, they enjoy a good joke, and like to BS about trivialities like sports and business. I find the banter of women to also be interesting yet substantially different than men. I think most like to size each other up and talk about family and events within their circle. Nonetheless, I find the talk between men and women to be substantially different than when they are amongst their own gender. They are either cordial, flirtatious, or candidly talk on the square, such as that between a brother and a sister. I have a son and daughter and have always admired their relationship as they tell each other things they wouldn't normally tell their best friends or parents.

Although I never had an actual sister, I have been very fortunate to have three people I regard as sisters. Interestingly, two of them are named "Nancy," one was a next-door neighbor I grew up with as a kid, and the other is someone I coached softball with years ago. The other is a sister-in-law whom I have known since High School. All three are down-to-earth people who I have enjoyed many a laugh and disagreement with over the years. More importantly, we have developed a rapport whereby we can talk candidly with each other. I respect their opinions and have often sought their advice on a variety of issues. We don't see each other often, but when we talk, we simply pick up where we left off.

Although I enjoy their company and we have had our share of good times together, I think I appreciate their candor most of all. If I get off-track on something, they reel me in by speaking heart-to-heart with me. Their honesty is refreshing and something you don't always hear among men. I suspect the same is true among women. We've discussed everything from raising families to our professional interests.

The discussions among husbands and wives is substantially different than between brothers and sisters. Whereas husbands and wives are trying to work together to make ends meet, brothers and sisters are more inclined to look at things from another perspective. My wife has a brother and I have observed how she talks to him is different than how she talks to her sisters. They laugh a lot, but they have also gone toe-to-toe on some issues. Regardless, they are blood and work out any differences that may surface.

Brother/Sister relationships are interesting. Although they are generally positive, there are instances where a feud can erupt, but this is not as common as Brother/Brother or Sister/Sister feuds. I think the difference of gender is the leveling factor.

For men, having a sister you can trust is very comforting. I hope women feel the same way. I just wish we had a Brother/Sister Day to remind us of how we value each other. We have holidays for just about everything else, but few are as important as the relationship between a brother and a sister.

Such is my Pet Peeve of the Week.

"BRYCE'S PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK"

Folks, a couple of years ago I started to include my "Pet Peeve of the Week" in these "Management Visions" podcasts. They have become so popular that I now syndicate them through the Internet and they are available for republication in other media. To this end, I have created a separate web page for my writings which you can find at phmainstreet.com Look for the section, "The Bryce is Right!" Hope you enjoy them.

AND FINALLY...

I received many responses to my "Pet Peeve" regarding "Screamers" (children in public places):

A B.L. in Georgia wrote:

"My guess is you will take some hits for being un-PC to even suggest the idea of an aerosol spray for unruly children....but LOL...I know it was tongue-in-cheek and boy do I "get it"!

My sister can go into almost any restaurant or get on any airplane and be assured that an acting-out child WILL soon be seated near her...it's kind of like I am with birds...if there is one out there, it will surely find me, and I will suffer the consequences."

Perhaps you and my sister are related? ;-)"

A D.B. in Colorado wrote:

"As a mom I would kill you if you sprayed my kids, but as a fellow patron who HATES screaming kids I would have to say go for it. Parents who let their kids scream to the detriment of others are RUDE. It's one thing to ignore them at home, let them scream it out, and such, but in public it's different. I don't let my kids have fits, they can pout all they want but NO screaming. And yes I do spank. Only on their bottoms and never in public, because I don't want social services up my butt."

A P.C. in Oregon wrote:

"Parents have learned to ignore screaming children because that's all they're allowed to do in the nanny state we live in. If they attempt to discipline their children, they go to jail. And taking a child out to the car, someone could call the cops on you for "potential child endangerment". If you say something that could be construed as threatening in any way, you could open your door one day to see a cop and child welfare workers waiting to take your kids from you.

Don't we live in such a wonderful, free country?"

A J.K. of Massachusetts wrote:

"Did you ever see the Arnold Schwartsenegger movie where he's sitting in front of a seat-kicker on an airplane, and leans around and says, "Hey, Kid, cut it out."

No response, so he leans around again, "Hey Kid, cut it out!"

Again no response, so this time when he leans around, he doesn't say anything, but he has a lead pencil lodged between his first, second, and third fingers, and closes his fist. The pencil shatters into three pieces.

The kid's hair practically stands on end, his eyes bug out, and his foot stops in mid-swing."

An M.B. in Clearwater, Florida wrote:

"LOVED your Pet Peeve this week. My husband and I will get up and leave and ask to have our meal put in take out boxes when that happens. We were at one small restaurant that had outdoor tables too, when a toddler erupted, running all over the place shredding paper and dropping silverware and food all over the floor and screaming, and all five occupied tables asked to be relocated to the outdoor area. The parents and their screaming kid then had the entire empty inside of the restaurant to themselves. They acted like they did not even notice us all leaving, and made no attempt to stop the kid. The toddler's two older siblings were cringing with embarrassment. What kind of adults will these bratty kids grow up to be? I shudder to think. Imagine an entire society full of narcissists."

And finally, an S.B., also from Clearwater, wrote:

"When I saw this topic title, I thought it was about women that are rowdy in bed...sorry."

Thanks for your comments.

Keep those cards and letters coming.

MBA is an international management consulting firm specializing in Information Resource Management. We offer training, consulting, and writing services in the areas of Enterprise Engineering, Systems Engineering, Data Base Engineering, Project Management, Methodologies and Repositories. For information, call us at 727/786-4567. For a complete listing of my essays, see the "PRIDE" Special Subject Bulletins section of our corporate web site.

Our corporate web page is at:

http://phmainstreet.com/mba/

Management Visions is a presentation of M. Bryce & Associates, a division of M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. The program is produced on a weekly basis and updated on Sundays. It is available in versions for RealPlayer, Microsoft Media Player, and MP3 suitable for Podcasting. See our web site for details. You'll find our broadcast listed in several Podcast and Internet Search engines, as well as Apples' iTunes.

If you have any questions or would like to be placed on our e-mailing list to receive notification of future broadcasts, please e-mail it to timb001@phmainstreet.com

For a copy of past broadcasts, please contact me directly.

We accept MP3 files with your voice for possible inclusion in the broadcast.

There is no charge for adding a link to "Management Visions" on your web page, for details and HTML code, see the "Management Visions" web site.

Management Visions accepts advertising. For rates, please contact yours truly directly.

Copyright © 2007 by M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. All rights reserved. "PRIDE" is the registered trademark of M&JB Investment Company.

This is Tim Bryce reporting.

Since 1971: "Software for the finest computer - the Mind."

END