Dealing with Rumsfeld Syndrome
Okay, this is my own term, admittedly, but I shall explain. And, believe it or not, I am actually discussing business here...
When Donald Rumsfeld first came into office as Secretary of Defense, and this was prior to 9/11, he proposed a massive reorganization of the military. We did not need such a large force, he said; what we need, however, are a lot more special forces-type units. What he proposed was to cut the military down to a bit under 2/3 its then-current size, but about double the number of Rangers, etc. The people he wanted, and admittedly this is a bit of a paraphrase, for these units would be the best of the best -- educated, able to think on their feet, tech-savvy, able to speak at least one other language fluently, able to react to new situations swiftly, highly motivated & patriotic ... and willing to follow orders immediately & unquestioningly.
Now it is that last clause that brings up the problem.
People who are educated and able to think on their feet are generally not the sort of folks who are going to take every order they are given at face value. By their nature, they tend to question the directives, especially if they don't appear to match the situation.
Small problem there.
So, what does this have to do with business? Well, let me compare this to corporate directives aimed at Borders.
As employees, we are expected to be on time, of course, but also to be up-selling specific items (for which we gain training, even if we have not read them), be widely knowledgeable of titles across our stores, constantly upbeat, be able to recommend titles in every section since we should be serious and constant readers, always introduce ourselves by name, and maintain a cheerful attitude ... at $8.50 an hour.
In other words, they need people who are trained marketers with degrees in literature (cross-trained in history, technology, psychology, sports, and cooking) and are willing to take minimum wage. And they have metrics to track us on not just a monthly or weekly basis, but on a daily and, in some cases, even hourly basis to see if we are achieving these goals constantly, all with the looming threat of firing if we do not match them
And they wonder why morale is low...
When Donald Rumsfeld first came into office as Secretary of Defense, and this was prior to 9/11, he proposed a massive reorganization of the military. We did not need such a large force, he said; what we need, however, are a lot more special forces-type units. What he proposed was to cut the military down to a bit under 2/3 its then-current size, but about double the number of Rangers, etc. The people he wanted, and admittedly this is a bit of a paraphrase, for these units would be the best of the best -- educated, able to think on their feet, tech-savvy, able to speak at least one other language fluently, able to react to new situations swiftly, highly motivated & patriotic ... and willing to follow orders immediately & unquestioningly.
Now it is that last clause that brings up the problem.
People who are educated and able to think on their feet are generally not the sort of folks who are going to take every order they are given at face value. By their nature, they tend to question the directives, especially if they don't appear to match the situation.
Small problem there.
So, what does this have to do with business? Well, let me compare this to corporate directives aimed at Borders.
As employees, we are expected to be on time, of course, but also to be up-selling specific items (for which we gain training, even if we have not read them), be widely knowledgeable of titles across our stores, constantly upbeat, be able to recommend titles in every section since we should be serious and constant readers, always introduce ourselves by name, and maintain a cheerful attitude ... at $8.50 an hour.
In other words, they need people who are trained marketers with degrees in literature (cross-trained in history, technology, psychology, sports, and cooking) and are willing to take minimum wage. And they have metrics to track us on not just a monthly or weekly basis, but on a daily and, in some cases, even hourly basis to see if we are achieving these goals constantly, all with the looming threat of firing if we do not match them
And they wonder why morale is low...