Comments on: Employee empowerment: 60 tons of explosives, and the missing window blinds http://karlsakas.com/employee-empowerment/ Raleigh Marketing Agencies Blog by Karl Sakas Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:01:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Karl Sakas http://karlsakas.com/employee-empowerment/#comment-530 Karl Sakas Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:17:01 +0000 http://karlsakas.com/?p=232#comment-530 @Cord: Thanks! He died in the early 1990s but I found the 1953 transcript online. Reading the whole document, the language of his advice is anachronistic (it's about "men" and "manpower management" instead of "employees" and "human resources"), but the content is timeless. I'd had no idea that we've been talking about employee empowerment since at least the 1950s...but actions speak louder than words. @Janet: As I've seen when I'm in leadership positions, not all comments or feedback are worth implementing -- but it's important to encourage people to keep sharing. One of my most memorable work situations came early in my career, when I'd been offering a few too many suggestions about improving operations. One of my managers took me aside and said, <strong>"Just because you're helping row the boat doesn't mean you get to steer."</strong> Appropriate advice for the particular work environment, but also a good way to discourage future feedback. @Marcie: Thanks for sharing. :-) @Cord: Thanks! He died in the early 1990s but I found the 1953 transcript online. Reading the whole document, the language of his advice is anachronistic (it’s about “men” and “manpower management” instead of “employees” and “human resources”), but the content is timeless. I’d had no idea that we’ve been talking about employee empowerment since at least the 1950s…but actions speak louder than words.

@Janet: As I’ve seen when I’m in leadership positions, not all comments or feedback are worth implementing — but it’s important to encourage people to keep sharing. One of my most memorable work situations came early in my career, when I’d been offering a few too many suggestions about improving operations. One of my managers took me aside and said, “Just because you’re helping row the boat doesn’t mean you get to steer.” Appropriate advice for the particular work environment, but also a good way to discourage future feedback.

@Marcie: Thanks for sharing. :-)

]]> By: Marcie http://karlsakas.com/employee-empowerment/#comment-529 Marcie Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:44:46 +0000 http://karlsakas.com/?p=232#comment-529 Nice, have no other option but to agree with Janet :-) Nice, have no other option but to agree with Janet :-)

]]> By: Janet M. Kennedy http://karlsakas.com/employee-empowerment/#comment-524 Janet M. Kennedy Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:09:23 +0000 http://karlsakas.com/?p=232#comment-524 I think there is a moral here regarding how you treat your employees. If you don't take care of or appreciate the concerns of your employees, they get the message that its OK to ignore the business concerns of the company. I think there is a moral here regarding how you treat your employees. If you don’t take care of or appreciate the concerns of your employees, they get the message that its OK to ignore the business concerns of the company.

]]> By: Cord Silverstein http://karlsakas.com/employee-empowerment/#comment-523 Cord Silverstein Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:11:31 +0000 http://karlsakas.com/?p=232#comment-523 Great story Karl, thanks for sharing. If we don't learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat our mistakes in the future. That's great, you were able to find this from your Grandfather's things. Love when you find these hidden gems. Great story Karl, thanks for sharing. If we don’t learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat our mistakes in the future. That’s great, you were able to find this from your Grandfather’s things. Love when you find these hidden gems.

]]>