November 17, 2008

"PRIDE"-ISEM PHASE 6 - SOFTWARE TESTING (SPECIAL)

This is Part XVI in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we provide a description of the concepts and philosophies used in the "PRIDE"-Information Systems Engineering Methodology (ISEM).

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

NEXT UP: Phase 7 of the "PRIDE"-Information Systems Engineering Methodology (ISEM), Sub-System Test.

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...

"Systems are designed by 'explosion' and implemented by 'implosion'."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, be sure to check out our 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.

Bonnie Wooding, the President of the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) said, "Many of our members are just starting their careers and I will be recommending that they read this book, especially Chapter 3, Professional Development - a primer for business skills and filled with basic common sense advice that is simple, easy to follow and extraordinarily practical; and Chapter 5, Do’s and Don’ts of the Workplace, an excellent resource for those questions you are too embarrassed to ask for fear of looking foolish."

The Miami Hurricane recently reviewed it (10/22/2007) and said,

"the abundance of information the book provides is a good start for anyone about to take the first step into the real world. Though the concept of adulthood may seem intimidating, it's comforting to know that someone has at least written a guidebook for it."

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

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "HANDLING FAILURE"

Failure is something we don't handle very well as a species. You would think we would be better at it since we all experience some form of failure in our lives, from major blunders to minor snafus. We fail due to errors in judgment, unforeseen circumstances outside of our control, or perhaps we underestimated the amount of risk involved, or we were just plain wrong about something. We have all failed at something and I cannot imagine life without failure. Yet, we don't seem to know how to handle it with tact and dignity. We even go so far as to cover-up our failures or blame others as opposed to acknowledging defeat. Admitting failure is a bitter pill to swallow, yet I have more respect for the person who admits and takes responsibility for his failings than someone on the sideline who does nothing but jeer or condemns the failure. Nobody should be made to suffer embarrassment from failure if they have put their best foot forward. There is no disgrace.

I'm certainly not suggesting we encourage failure, but we should at least understand it. For example, I've noticed people today tend to be sore losers. This may be because of our competitive nature and our inclination to try and win at all costs. Consequently, we do not tend to be gracious in defeat. In contrast, Abraham Lincoln shocked everyone after losing his first Senate race by appearing at the victory party of his opponent and offered a genuine hand of friendship and support. This did not go unnoticed and was well remembered by his opponent who fought for his candidacy years later. From this perspective, Lincoln teaches us that you are not going to lose all of the time, and it might not be wise to burn bridges to those who might assist us later on.

I've also noticed some people become so obsessed with the possibility of failure they go into a state of paralysis whereby they prefer doing nothing as opposed to risking the sting of defeat. This is a tragedy as it represents the arrest of progress.

I think the biggest problem with failure is that we do not recognize it as a natural part of life. For every success, there is usually one or more failures not far behind. To illustrate, I believe bankruptcies have quadrupled since the 1980's, probably due to some rather liberal bankruptcy laws. If you have declared bankruptcy, you may have saved yourself, but I can guarantee you someone else is suffering a loss, such as the creditors you owe money to. If we establish a system where it is beneficial to fail, people inevitably will (see Murphy's Law).

I tend to believe in the old axiom, "If you make 51% of your decisions correctly, you will be a success." In other words, you don't have to bat 1.000 to be considered a success, just stay ahead of your mistakes. Frankly, it's a matter of carefully picking your fights and contests.

Perhaps Rudyard Kipling put the best spin on failure in his famous poem, "If"; to paraphrase:

"If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!"

Perhaps the only thing we do worse than failure is success.

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 "Election Day":

A C.M. of Khost Province, Afghanistan wrote...

I have no problem with a "negative election". My wife makes no secret of the fact that she despises the policies of Barack Hussein Obama. She does not like Mr. McCain either. So she is holding her nose, and voting for the candidate she despises least. The constitution does not specify WHY a person must vote for a candidate, thank God for this.

A D.W. of Kenneth City, Florida wrote...

"To me, one of the rights you get from voting is the right to complain about actions that we feel are detrimental or opposite to either what they campaigned on or what you think is right. If someone does not vote then you have given up that right to complain about the job they are or are not doing that you hired them for. As we can't fire our elected officials, the best that we can do is complain."

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "Be Careful What You Wish for...":

An E.H. of Newland, North Carolina wrote...

"I agree Tim. I don't believe Obama has any clue what it takes to be president. He has made promises that he can't deliver. I just can't believe so many people are enthralled with this man."

A C.S. in Palm Harbor, Florida wrote...

"Sadly you are so right."

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "Habits":

A J.S. in Skidway Lake, Michigan wrote...

"I worked in a large department at an HMO. One employee was consistently late, by ten to fifteen minutes, in the mornings. She hit the groung running, however, and significantly out-performed her collegues. She also stayed as long as a half hour after closing, to finish up paper work. The late arrival was not worth addressing."

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.

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 © 2008 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

November 10, 2008

"PRIDE"-ISEM PHASE 5 - SOFTWARE MANUFACTURING (SPECIAL)

This is Part XV in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we provide a description of the concepts and philosophies used in the "PRIDE"-Information Systems Engineering Methodology (ISEM).

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

NEXT UP: Phase 6 of the "PRIDE"-Information Systems Engineering Methodology (ISEM), Software Testing.

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...

"Programming is a translation function, going from human understandable specifications to machine processable instructions."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, be sure to check out our 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.

Bonnie Wooding, the President of the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) said, "Many of our members are just starting their careers and I will be recommending that they read this book, especially Chapter 3, Professional Development - a primer for business skills and filled with basic common sense advice that is simple, easy to follow and extraordinarily practical; and Chapter 5, Do’s and Don’ts of the Workplace, an excellent resource for those questions you are too embarrassed to ask for fear of looking foolish."

The Miami Hurricane recently reviewed it (10/22/2007) and said,

"the abundance of information the book provides is a good start for anyone about to take the first step into the real world. Though the concept of adulthood may seem intimidating, it's comforting to know that someone has at least written a guidebook for it."

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

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

I've been a baseball fan since I was a little kid. I followed the Yankees of the early 1960's, The Big Red Machine of the 1970's, and now the Tampa Bay Rays. The habits of the players have always fascinated me. For example, the Boston Red Sox all seem to have some sort of ritual they perform just before they get in the batter's box. David Ortiz ("Big Papi") spits into his batting gloves and claps his hands before grabbing the bat; Dustin Pedroia clears his sinuses and carefully examines his bat, and; Kevin Youkilis holds the bat with his hands apart as he performs a strange rocking dance in the batter's box. The Sox are not alone in this regard; you can find a variety of strange habits in a ballpark, all the way from the Majors to Little League. A lot revolves around spitting, grabbing the crotch, and language. Wade Boggs was notorious for his pre-game rituals and how he steadfastly resisted any attempt to alter his regiment.

You have to wonder why habits play such a substantial role in the life of a ball player, and I think it says a lot about humans as creatures of habit. Some players say they do it as a form or discipline in order to get them in the right rhythm of the game, but most tend to be superstitious in nature; after all, what worked in one game, should hopefully work in another. Once a habit is formed, players tend to be afraid to change it. It thereby becomes the coach's job to look for superstitious habits in their players and change them if they become counterproductive.

Baseball fans also tend to pick up a variety of strange habits, such as wearing a favorite hat or shirt, drinking a certain beer, or offering some bizarre prayer or chant to solicit favoritism from the mythical baseball gods. They adamantly cling to these habits as a sign of good luck for their team, regardless of where they are, whether at the ballpark or in front of a television set. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that such rituals by the fans are sheer nonsense as it is up to the players on the field to win the game and not the histrionics of their fans. But if it adds to the baseball experience of the fans on the sidelines, then why not?

As we all know, baseball doesn't have a monopoly on habits. We find them in every sport, in every country. In fact, we find them in both our personal and professional lives. If you were to look around your office you could probably enumerate a substantial list of strange idiosyncrasies of your coworkers in no time at all.

In the workplace, it is the manager's duty to observe worker habits and make necessary corrections just as a baseball coach would. Whether you are in the ballpark or in the workplace, breaking a habit can be a lot harder than people think. Simple reasoning corrects most habits, but when a habit becomes physical, it becomes a lot harder and more painful to correct. In fact, changing habits can be downright difficult particularly for those people who operate in an autopilot mode through life. As a result, managers try threats, ridicule, shame, penalties, even hypnosis to enact change (I kind of like the cattle prod approach myself).

Some people are strong enough to correct a habit themselves if it is brought to their attention, but others will need help along the way which is where the manager comes in. But when studying worker habits, the first question should be, does it have an adverse affect on business? If it doesn't, you might just want to leave it alone. After all, I don't think anyone in Boston wants to change David Ortiz' habit of spitting and clapping his hands. Some habits you just might want to emulate.

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 "Matrimonial Territorialism":

An S.S. in Ankara, Turkey wrote...

"What is mine is her's and what is her's is her's alone." :)

A C.R. in Palm Harbor, Florida wrote...

"The laundry room Tim! You forgot about the laundry room! (Actually, no one is allowed to touch anything in the laundry room but Mom.) And don't forget we have a strict chores policy; outside chores = man duties, and inside chores = female duties. Unless, of course, one is willing to barter for an assist on "their" respective duty. :)"

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "Facing Reality":

An M.B. in Clearwater, Florida wrote...

"Loved this one. My husband's whole family were so self-deceptive, I had to imbibe pharmaceuticals to be able to stand being around them, even for a meal. (I have what the shrinks call an 'extreme realist personality type'). When you tell such self-deceptive people the truth, they kill the messenger. You can't win. There are two kinds of people, senders and receivers. I am a strong receiver and as a result, I have some 'abilities'. I can read senders, and can always tell when they are lying. If I concentrate, I can even read what the truth is that they are hiding. This had enabled me to tell my husband what was really going on in his family and give him a leg up, but in general, it has made me very disappointed with humanity. They lie, lie, lie, often times over stupid little things that there is no need to lie about. I never called my husband's family on their lies; I just went home and told him what really happened in a given situation, as opposed to the version he was being fed. I now wish I had repeated to their faces word for word the thoughts I pulled out of their minds. I would have enjoyed the look of panic on their faces at being uncovered. Back then, I was too kind to do it, figuring that liars are generally weak people who need their self-deception to make it through the day, but in light of what they later did to my husband, I regret that. See, I'm so honest, I'll even admit to being vindictive, LOL."

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.

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 © 2008 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 15, 2008

"PRIDE"-EEM PHASE 5 - EEM EVALUATION (SPECIAL)

This is Part VII in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we provide a description of Phase 5 of the "PRIDE"-Enterprise Engineering Methodology (EEM).

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

NEXT UP: Introduction to the "PRIDE"-Information Systems Engineering Methodology (ISEM).

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...

"A project will only be accomplished if the individuals performing the work want to do it."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, be sure to check out our 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.

Bonnie Wooding, the President of the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) said, "Many of our members are just starting their careers and I will be recommending that they read this book, especially Chapter 3, Professional Development - a primer for business skills and filled with basic common sense advice that is simple, easy to follow and extraordinarily practical; and Chapter 5, Do’s and Don’ts of the Workplace, an excellent resource for those questions you are too embarrassed to ask for fear of looking foolish."

The Miami Hurricane recently reviewed it (10/22/2007) and said,

"the abundance of information the book provides is a good start for anyone about to take the first step into the real world. Though the concept of adulthood may seem intimidating, it's comforting to know that someone has at least written a guidebook for it."

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

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "360 DEGREES"

My company has been doing business in Japan since the mid-1970's. We have enjoyed the experience and have marveled at how Japanese businessmen act and think. For example, it is very important for the Japanese to reach a group consensus on major decisions (an inherent part of the concept of Theory Z). By doing so, they solicit the input from all of the workers before making a decision (a bottom-up type of approach). As an American, I found this to be radically different than the western world's top-down micromanagement approach. The Japanese approach may make for a longer sales cycle, but it simplifies implementation (after all, everyone has agreed to the decision).

As the Japanese work through a problem they tend to look at it from every angle or as they refer to it as thinking in "360 degrees." This is a much wider perspective than what you typically find in western companies. Whereas the Japanese tend to think in terms of 360 Degrees, Americans tend to suffer from tunnel-vision, meaning they become overly concerned with a single piece of the puzzle. Maybe this is because the western world is somewhat territorial in nature. We become so obsessed with our piece of the pie we tend to overlook the entire dish.

I think a lot of this has to do with our conditioning. Whereas the Japanese are taught at an early age the importance of teamwork and cooperation, Americans are taught to be individualistic and competitive. No wonder Japanese think of the bigger picture while Americans tend to build and fight over their little fifedoms.

Over the years I have learned that larger and more complex projects require teamwork, communications and cooperation. Maybe it is because of our natural aversion to cooperate, and not to think in terms of 360 degrees, that we have difficulty conquering anything of substance in this country anymore. This may be a major factor why we no longer think big and are content doing small things.

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 "Print Journalism":

A J.D. in Tampa, Florida wrote...

"The political slant in the mainstream media has, in my opinion, led to the decline in both print and broadcast media. The range is from left-to-FAR left. Folks are not getting balanced news and they know it, so they seek alternative news sources. The rise in popularity of FoxNews is testimony to that. The slants are obvious. The media's romance over one presidential candidate is seen as the other is referred to simply as "Senator", and not as "Presidential Hopeful" as they had done repeatedly with their favored ticket. Too bad they are so smug as to miss the fact that they're shooting themselves in the foot. It would be interesting to see how a more balanced paper would fare in today's market."

An R.B. in Bedford, Massachusetts wrote...

"I no longer get my news from either TV or print because they are slanted and poor mediums for me to feel I get what I want. I have found the Internet and RSS feeds have totally replaced them as my source of news. I think this will be a growing trend as I look at my sons' generation and they only get news from the Internet."

A B.D. in Scottsdale, Arizona wrote...

"I completely agree. Haven't picked up a paper in a long time, so I'm not as familiar with the newer advertising regimens, but I find it somewhat sad that a source with such a noble history would go down like that. TV news, on the other hand, well, it's pretty much useless. Pretty people telling you they don't know all the details, but here's the scene so you can get all worked up about things while they get you "the latest." Or the local, evening news, which spends an average of fifteen seconds on any story, saving some story about a sex scandal for the end, to which they devote a solid 45 seconds. It's all fluff."

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "The SFB Quotient":

A C.S. in Florida wrote...

"As I was reading your first question I was thinking to myself..."why isn't there a good pick?""

A J.T. in Clearwater, Florida wrote...

"Ok I liked this one. The thing that amazes me is that each week you are right on!"

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.

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 © 2008 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 8, 2008

"PRIDE"-EEM PHASE 4 - ENTERPRISE INFO STRATEGY (SPECIAL)

This is Part VI in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we provide a description of Phase 4 of the "PRIDE"-Enterprise Engineering Methodology (EEM).

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

NEXT UP: PHASE 5 - EEM EVALUATION

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 nothing more unproductive than to build something efficiently that should not have been built at all."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, be sure to check out our 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.

Bonnie Wooding, the President of the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) said, "Many of our members are just starting their careers and I will be recommending that they read this book, especially Chapter 3, Professional Development - a primer for business skills and filled with basic common sense advice that is simple, easy to follow and extraordinarily practical; and Chapter 5, Do’s and Don’ts of the Workplace, an excellent resource for those questions you are too embarrassed to ask for fear of looking foolish."

The Miami Hurricane recently reviewed it (10/22/2007) and said,

"the abundance of information the book provides is a good start for anyone about to take the first step into the real world. Though the concept of adulthood may seem intimidating, it's comforting to know that someone has at least written a guidebook for it."

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

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "THE SFB QUOTIENT"

Anyone who has ever taken an IQ test knows you have to endure a battery of multiple choice questions aimed at measuring your intelligence. Some are simple and common sense, others are a little tricky. This got me thinking whether we could devise a similar program aimed at determining if a person suffers from SFB (Shit for Brains) which you may recall me commenting on not long ago. As a result, I have devised the following set of questions:

1. During a business meeting you disagree with a coworker, and your boss sides with the coworker; What do you do?

A. Send a blind text message to everyone else in the department that your boss and the coworker are lovers (regardless what sex they are).
B. Change the coworker's time sheet to show he/she is goofing off more than yourself.
C. Using Adobe Photoshop, you manufacture compromising photos of your boss and e-mail it anonymously throughout the company.

2. Your boss asks you to work overtime in order to complete a key project; What do you do?

A. File a grievance with HR.
B. Change the office clocks (including those on the server) so everyone else has to stay late with you.
C. Manufacture an excuse, preferably the death of a loved one.

3. You have been asked to return your neighbor's chain saw after having it for six months; What do you do?

A. Before you return it, you hack away on a tree bordering your properties, particularly your neighbor's side.
B. Anonymously report him to the homeowners association that his lawn is a mess.
C. Pretend you didn't get the message and keep it for six more months.

4. It's 4:55pm on Friday, a customer calls desperately in need of one of your products; What do you do?

A. Send his message to voice mail and answer him on Monday.
B. Send him the wrong product (or an insufficient quantity of the right product).
C. Send a text message to him that you are on the golf course and wish him a good weekend.

5. The office temperature satisfies everyone in the office but you; What do you do?

A. Adjust the thermostat to suit your needs.
B. Open the windows.
C. While the boss is away, issue an e-mail memo that only you can adjust the thermostat.

6. While in the midst of a critical project assignment, your boss calls for another boring meeting; What do you do?

A. Briefly attend the meeting, but then excuse yourself leaving behind a notepad, pen and coffee cup indicating you will return (you don't).
B. You record the meeting with your cell phone, and e-mail it anonymously to your boss' boss.
C. You have someone call your cell phone every few minutes so that it disrupts the meeting and the boss asks you to leave.

7. You're traveling on company business and spend a tidy sum at a local Exotic Dance club; what do you do?

A. Report it on your expense account as "entertainment" of a client.
B. Doctor your receipts with a graphics package to make them look legitimate.
C. Tell your boss you were conducting some market research.

8. A shipping company is trying to make an urgent delivery to one of your rivals at work who is currently off-site; What do you do?

A. Refuse to sign and accept the package.
B. Forward the shipment to your Scranton office.
C. Forge his name on the delivery and hide the package in the building.

9. It is rush-hour and you want to get home in the most expeditious means possible; What do you do?

A. While driving, call a loved one on your cell phone and ask what's for dinner.
B. At a stop light, you roll down your window and ask your neighbor for directions, but since he can't speak English you flip him the bird.
C. Using your GPS, you plot a course that takes you through Las Vegas.

10. The new technology you've installed in the company is not living up to your promise of improving productivity and is actually a financial drain instead; What do you do?

A. Blame the end-users for incompetence in the use of the technology.
B. Blame the vendors for inferior products.
C. Blame the programmers for lousy software.

Now, for your score. Actually, it's rather simple. If you answered any one of these questions, give yourself a score of 100 as you are a bona fide SFB.

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 "The Olympics":

A D.T. of Raleigh, North Caolina wrote...

"I would think that a former military base would prove an ideal permanent location for the Olympics.

1. There is symbolism in converting a mechanism of war into a facility focused on celebrating sport and human athleticism.
2. The facilities are already set up, logistically, for moving/recieving material - air/lift and rail capability, and being secured.
3. They are self-sufficient towns with their own power stations, medical facilities, dormitories, shopping, recreation, etc.
4. Vast tracts of land are usually on-hand for new development.
5. Many are simply going into disrepair."

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "Making your problems mine":

A P.O. in Greeley, Colorado wrote...

"I just read your piece on your dumpster problem and responsibility. One course you might think about pursuing is getting the name of the owner of the trash and then contacting local law enforcement, either the sheriff's office or police depending on where the dumpster is. The person dumping the trash is guilty of "Theft of Services" and most law enforcement officers will happily site the offender for this. That way instead of having to deal with the offender yourself you can let the guys or gals who get paid to do it handle the difficult situation and the dumping (at least from that person) will end."

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.

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 © 2008 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 1, 2008

"PRIDE"-EEM PHASE 3 - PHYSICAL ENTERPRISE ANALYSIS (SPECIAL)

This is Part V in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we provide a description of Phase 3 of the "PRIDE"-Enterprise Engineering Methodology (EEM).

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

NEXT UP: PHASE 4 - ENTERPRISE INFORMATION STRATEGY

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...

"All companies have a culture. In order for employees to function and succeed, it is essential they understand and believe in the culture."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, be sure to check out our 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.

Bonnie Wooding, the President of the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) said, "Many of our members are just starting their careers and I will be recommending that they read this book, especially Chapter 3, Professional Development - a primer for business skills and filled with basic common sense advice that is simple, easy to follow and extraordinarily practical; and Chapter 5, Do’s and Don’ts of the Workplace, an excellent resource for those questions you are too embarrassed to ask for fear of looking foolish."

The Miami Hurricane recently reviewed it (10/22/2007) and said,

"the abundance of information the book provides is a good start for anyone about to take the first step into the real world. Though the concept of adulthood may seem intimidating, it's comforting to know that someone has at least written a guidebook for it."

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

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "MAKING YOUR PROBLEMS MINE"

Have you ever noticed how people try to make their problems yours? Let me give you an example, we have a small garbage dumpster next to our office building and other people began using it to dump their trash as soon as we got it. Of course, we then put a lock on it but this didn't seem to deter a few people who put their trash on top of the dumpster. We even had one instance where someone deposited an old sofa on the dumpster which caused me to pay the garbage man a little extra to dispose of it. In other words, people were transferring their problems to us.

There seems to be a lot of this going on, particularly among Customer Service people. A lot of the service people I talk to seem to be more interested in compounding my problems as opposed to solving them. Nobody really likes to deal with problems, but if that's what you're getting paid to do I fail to see the rationale of complicating life as opposed to simplifying it.

You see this "pass the buck" mentality just about everywhere, not just in the office but at home as well. It has become so prevalent it's like a giant merry-go-round with everybody passing their problems on to someone else. Here's an idea; why not pull the plug on the ride and have everyone address their own problems, it's what we call "responsibility," something a lot of us cannot seem to accept.

As to our dumpster problem, we picked through a couple of bags of garbage that had been dropped off on us and found the name and address of the person who dumped it. We then dutifully returned the bags of trash to their rightful owner who was unhappy to see it returned. I think we need to see more of this type of action, instead of letting the buck stop on our doorstep, how about returning it to its rightful owner?

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 "Reading the Signs":

A J.G. in Pampa, Texas wrote...

"'Parking for Drive-Thru Service Only.' Wow... I don't even know what else to say to that one."

An F.D. in Edmonton, Alberta wrote...

"One thing that has always perplexed me is why they have Braille on drive-through ATM's?"

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "How much do we really use our head?":

An S.S. in Wisconsin wrote...

"I agree totally with the thought that people operate mostly on autopilot, and that all our advances in technology have actually made us lazy, because anymore there's some gadget to do just about everything for us. I'm no exception, but it still irritates me sometimes to even see a cashier fumble for the right change unless the register tells them what to give back. As a society we have pretty much conditioned ourselves to look to other things to tell us how to act and what to do. It's sad, really, and to be honest I kind of feel sorry for my girls' generation, which is quickly becoming one completely reliant on technology instead of self reliance and good ol' fashioned elbow grease."

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.

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 © 2008 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

August 25, 2008

"PRIDE"-EEM PHASE 2 - LOGICAL ENTERPRISE ANALYSIS (SPECIAL)

This is Part IV in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we provide a description of Phase 2 of the "PRIDE"-Enterprise Engineering Methodology (EEM).

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

NEXT UP: PHASE 3 - PHYSICAL ENTERPRISE ANALYSIS

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...

"Enterprises with identical missions will also be identical in terms of their logical structure."

eBOOK: THE BRYCE IS RIGHT

Folks, be sure to check out our eBook on management entitled, "The Bryce is Right! Empowering Managers in today's Corporate Culture." This is a frank and candid description of the state of the art in management and includes essays on the problems in management today, along with some pragmatic advice on how to deal with them. Basically, this is a condensed course in management. As such, it is suited for managers, either those aspiring to become a manager or for those who need a refresher course. It will also be of interest to young people entering the work force, and is excellent for college curriculums.

The price is just $20 plus tax.

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 "HOW MUCH DO WE REALLY USE OUR HEAD?"

Ever wonder what goes through people's heads? Or maybe you have heard yourself say, "What the hell are you thinking of?" It shouldn't come as a surprise to find a lot of people don't use their head during the day. A couple of years ago I wrote a paper entitled, "Increasing Brain Power." Although the intent of the paper was to suggest ideas for sharpening worker acuity, I made the observation that we typically don't use our head as much as we assume we do.

First, we typically rest or sleep for eight hours each day whereby the brain is not truly engaged. We then spend eight hours for work and eight hours for personal time. In the typical work day, office workers are normally 70% effective, meaning we spend about five and a half hours on productive work. During personal time, we perform pet projects and hobbies, pay the bills, run errands, attend a meeting or function, relax, and wake up or go to sleep. During this time we typically spend two hours on concentrated work. All of this means in a typical work day, we only spend about eight hours to really exercise the brain. But from a management perspective, we can expect to get only three hours at peak performance. Actually, this number fluctuates based on how well the worker is able to engage the brain. Some people are able to engage their brains for several hours, some for only an hour, and some not at all.

I guess what I am getting at is that people tend to operate at a primal level most of the day representing nothing more than their basic instincts and reflex actions (I call this the "autopilot" mode). We see this on our commutes to and from work, we see it as we shop in stores, and we see it as we "zone out" watching television. Basically, people prefer to tune out than to tune in to what is going on. As a systems man, I tend to make the analogy that we take in more input than we produce output. Because of this, we are highly susceptible to subliminal messages from the media and are easily influenced.

We commonly make extensive use of technology to assist us at work. But because technology often supersedes our thought processes, it actually causes us to be less sharp intellectually. To illustrate, not long ago a study was performed by Kings College in London for Hewlett Packard, the purpose of which was to study the effect of technology on worker performance. According to Dr. Glenn Wilson, the author of the study: "Results showed clearly that technological distraction diminished IQ test performance." Basically, the study said that excessive use of technology can have an adverse effect on a person's brain power. This is somewhat disturbing as technology permeates our society.

So, the next time you have a confrontation with the human animal, just remember they are probably not operating at the same level as you are; they could be a lot smarter or a lot dumber than they may appear.

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 "Who's in charge here?":

An I.L. in Kansas City, Missouri wrote...

"All you have to do is look at how screwed up this planet is and you will know that no one is in charge. The inmates are running the asylum."

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "Thinking Small":

A J.D. in Tampa, Florida wrote...

"I'm no business analyst, but I'm thinking a few things are happening, which changed (and continues to change) the corporate landscape. First is the idea that many trends are cyclical. We may return to a "think big" mentality soon enough. But the other thing is the explosion of small entrepreneurs, work-at-home sole-proprietorships. You can blame corporate lay-offs, down-sizing, and bankruptcies for dumping large numbers of workers back into the fray of unemployment. Also, many workers are fed-up with, or not interested in, working for the large corporate machine. Too much politics and b.s. to contend with, where often you're rewarded socially for *not* working too hard and making everyone else look bad (a socialist state within the corp.), or you just don't mix well with the personalities involved. You don't have to "fit-in" if you're a sole proprietor. I'm one of the latter group - I work for myself now, and the fruits of my labors go directly to me, not some ivory tower CEO whom I never met."

An R.G. in Richmond, Kentucky wrote...

"Hey! I'm one of those bean counters. All we do is tell you how much it will cost. The execs decide what they will spend. I, for one, try very hard to think long term. My personal budget projections go out 4-5 years. However, I do understand what you mean. Instant gratification seems to be the mantra these days. Even more so than I remember in the 80's."

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.

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 © 2008 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

August 18, 2008

"PRIDE"-EEM PHASE 1 - EEM PROJECT PLANNING (SPECIAL)

This is Part III in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we provide a description of Phase 1 of the "PRIDE"-Enterprise Engineering Methodology (EEM).

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

NEXT UP: PHASE 2 - LOGICAL ENTERPRISE ANALYSIS

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...

"Organizations progress when the impact of good actions and decisions outweighs the impact of poor actions and decisions."

eBOOK: THE BRYCE IS RIGHT

Folks, be sure to check out our eBook on management entitled, "The Bryce is Right! Empowering Managers in today's Corporate Culture." This is a frank and candid description of the state of the art in management and includes essays on the problems in management today, along with some pragmatic advice on how to deal with them. Basically, this is a condensed course in management. As such, it is suited for managers, either those aspiring to become a manager or for those who need a refresher course. It will also be of interest to young people entering the work force, and is excellent for college curriculums.

The price is just $20 plus tax.

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 "THINKING SMALL"

I don't necessarily like to make a comparison of generations; every time I do, I'm accused of clinging to archaic ideas from a bygone era. Nonetheless, it seems a lot has changed in the work force since I got into it in the 1970's. Keep in mind, I've primarily been in the Information Technology (I.T.) field long before it was called that (it used to be "MIS" or "DP").

If I were to pick out one specific aspect to differentiate generations it would have to be that we think a lot smaller these days. Coming out of the 1960's we were taught to think big, to challenge the status quo, and "to boldly go where no man has gone before." We talked about racing the Russians to the moon, designing supersonic jet aircraft, saving the environment and civil rights, building skyscrapers, roads, bridges and tunnels that changed the face of the planet, and introduced computer technology to revolutionize business. But you don't hear such talk anymore. Now we're into smaller things, "gadgets," such as cell phones, games and other personal electronic devices. In the I.T. field, you no longer see companies trying to build enterprise-wide systems. Instead, they are delighted if they can write a single program in 30 days.

I'm not sure why this happened. I tend to believe we have gone from a generation of conceptualists to a generation of detailists. Whereas one group wanted to see the big picture, the other is focused on the job at hand, regardless how it interfaces with others. We have also gone from long term planning to instant gratification. I think long term planning is now down to 30 days or the next payroll cycle. Have we grown impatient for results? Definitely. We now expect and demand to communicate instantaneously around the world, to be up and walking shortly after a medical operation, and to have information and entertainment at our fingertips. The problem with this mindset though, there is the temptation to apply Band-Aids to quickly fix problems when major surgery is really needed. This is very prevalent in the I.T. field. I know we all like to be specialists, but we still need people who can orchestrate all of the elements together. Take cooking for example, do we still know how to prepare a full meal or do we settle for something frozen we can cook with the microwave?

Perhaps the reason we are enamored with thinking small is that it requires far less commitment and patience than to think big. Tackling an assignment that takes a few minutes is much more tempting than taking the long road. For example, "flipping" a house is a lot easier than building a new one.

I tend to believe it is more rewarding to see something long term come to fruition, be it an offspring, a portfolio, or a major project such as seeing a man land on the moon. This requires patience, vision, and a little confidence in what you are doing. I think we can thank the bean counters of the late 20th century for changing this mindset. Instead of long-term strategies and investing in people, we only looked at the bottom line and slashed everything that got in our way. Who knows, maybe it's just simple greed that drives us all.

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 "Wristwatches":

An R.G. in Richmond, Kentucky wrote...

"I haven't worn a watch in four years, ever since the battery wound down on my last one. I never seem to have a problem knowing the time and acutally have a pretty good internal clock. I never did understand why people spent so much on Rolexes, etc."

And a T.F. in Arkansas wrote...

"I'm with you, Tim -- I'd rather have a watch than a fancy-schmancy cell phone. However, that phaser attachment would be way cool."

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "Auto Dealership Ads":

An M.B. in Clearwater, Florida wrote...

"I am one of those beeatches who insist on having the dealer advertising removed when I buy a car. They always look offended, but if they want the sale, they have to comply."

A B.D. of California wrote...

"I've often wondered if the children of those guys who do the car dealership radio commercials get the same tone when they bring home a poor report card or don't do their chores around the house. Can you imagine that? Crazy. If you're not easily offended by four letter words, there is a parody car dealer commercial on YouTube for a dealership called "Big Bill Hell's." Same loud-mouthed tone, only they sort of tell it like it is. Considered by many to be an internet "classic."

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

Keep those cards and letters coming.

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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 © 2008 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."

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