March 23, 2009 - "PRIDE" IMPLEMENTATION

"PRIDE" IMPLEMENTATION (SPECIAL)

This is Part XXXIV in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we describe how to install/implement "PRIDE" in an organization.

The full text for this section can be obtained by clicking: HERE.

NEXT UP: Concluding comments on "PRIDE" (the final chapter)

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

Keep the faith!

OUR BRYCE'S LAW OF THE WEEK therefore is...

"There is only one problem with common sense; it's not very common."

eBOOK: THE BRYCE IS RIGHT

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We have also produced a one-day training program of the same name. For more information on both the eBook and course, please visit our web site at:

phmainstreet.com/mba

While there, look for our MS PowerPoint presentation describing both the book and the training program.

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "JOB INTERVIEWS"

Something that really irritates me in the corporate world today is how companies interview candidates for a job. Instead of having you describe who you are, what you've done in your professional life, and what skills you know, Human Resource types today ask questions like:

"Where do you want to be five years from now?"

"How do you handle pressure?"

"How do you deal with conflict?"

"Tell me something nobody knows about you."

"Did you notice the receptionist outside had six fingers?"

"What is your favorite color?"

"If you were an animal, what would you be?"

Instead of getting to the meat and potatoes of what the person knows, interviewers are asking pseudo-psychological questions aimed at examining the personality of the candidate. It kind of reminds me of the asinine question Barbara Walters asked of movie stars years ago, "If you were a tree, what kind would you be?"

These questions are aimed at determining what your personality type is (such as A, B, C, D) and how you present yourself, e.g., how articulate you can present an argument, and how well you can fit in with the corporate culture.

Instead of dancing around the issue, and using amateur psychological techniques, why don't they just ask for a psychological profile of the candidate instead, as prepared by accredited professionals? Somehow the interviewing questions asked today remind me of the neurotic Personnel Manager, Granville Sawyer, in the movie classic "Miracle on 34th Street."

Another interviewing phenomenon I have trouble with is what is now called "speed interviewing," which I'm told is derived from “speed dating,” whereby a number of people are interviewed briefly in a rotational format. It kind of reminds me of how people audition for "American Idol" and some of the other entertainment contests. It might be nice for a first blush, but hardly a way of honestly getting to know someone.

The last thing I think is lacking in interviewing is professional courtesy. It used to be if you sent in a job application, you would get a written note acknowledging the company received it and what they intended do with it, which perhaps was nothing. Further, after an interview, the candidate would be sent a letter thanking him/her for their time and let them know what their status was. But you don't see such letters anymore, not even in this age of e-mail. To me, this says a lot about the professionalism of the employer, which is probably not very good.

Such is my Pet Peeve of the Week.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

"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.

Also, if you happen to be in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, be sure to stop by and check out our new Palm Harbor Business OASIS, a new business venue offering local business people a place to meet, work, network, and relax. Why pay a lot for leasing office space when you can become a member of the OASIS for as little as $100/month? For more information, visit our web site at: http://www.phboasis.com/

AND FINALLY...

I received the following e-mail regarding my Pet Peeve on "Information Requirements":

A P.D. of DeKalb, Illinois wrote...

"I spent 14 years in IT, mostly in applications development, so I know exactly what you mean here. I came into the industry with a business background rather than a technical background, and I think it was a great help to me. The technology completely changed about every four years, but the business and the user groups remained the same. Everyone in IT is in a state of constant learning about technology, but few take the time to learn the business."

An S.S. in Turkey wrote...

"It takes two to tango. I don't believe that the responsibility of determining what the end user needs should fall solely on the system designer. The end user must shoulder some responsibility and determine exactly what end result is wanted and communicate that to the system designer in jargonless language too. All too often I see end users only explain half of an ill thought out idea and then change their mind several times." ;-)

I received the following e-mail regarding my Pet Peeve on "Finding a Recession-Proof Business":

A D.T. in Raleigh, North Carolina wrote...

"As ugly as it is getting, I still consider this a very dramatic 'correction' to many markets. 'Life normalized' is a term I feel comfortable using. Keeping up with the Jones'? Bah! Forget the Jones' - worry about your own standard of living and get back to living within your means. Let the Joses' mind their own business.

Again, thanks for your comments. For these and other comments, please visit my "Bryce is Right!" web site.

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.

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.

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Copyright © 2009 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