EVOKING MEMORIES

BRYCE ON LIFE

- How the sense of smell and taste can unleash vivid memories.

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Of all of our senses, smell and taste can trigger vivid emotional memories, even going so far as to making us feel like we are being transported back in time. Sight, sound, and touch are also useful, but smell and taste evokes powerful images for us. I have three personal examples that take me back in time to my youth.

The first involves the use of my taste buds. Lately I've taken to drinking fruit juices late at night. I have orange juice which is usually reserved for breakfast, but I also keep apple and grape juice in the fridge, along with a fruit punch, something I enjoyed in my youth. I usually opt for the diet lite versions of these products as I do not want the sugar, but they are still delicious and I like them particularly cold. When I drink them, the taste takes me back to the early 1960's when I enjoyed such drinks in large tin cans which we would open with "church keys." If I was lucky, I would drink from the can and distinctly remember the taste of the tin which added to its flavor. In particular, the grape drink reminds me of the cheap frozen popsicles we would enjoy during the summertime. Back then, we also poured the grape drink into a Tupperware popsicle maker and froze it. When I consume these drinks today, I am transported back for a few scant seconds where I enjoyed such heavenly drinks.

The second experience involves the use of smell. Sometimes, early in the morning, when I go to retrieve the newspaper in the driveway, the sun is just starting to peek up over the horizon and I can smell the dew on the lawn. It's even better if the grass was freshly cut. It's at this moment when I return to my elementary school in Connecticut where I used to ride my old reliable J.C. Higgins bicycle early to school so my friends and I could play a couple of innings of baseball before the first bell. Our parents could never understand why we wanted to go to school so early, but they chalked it up as a positive sign we liked school. Actually, it was all about baseball. As I smell the morning today, I vividly remember what route I would take to school, how fast I would go on my bike, ever mindful not to let my books and baseball mitt pop out of my front basket.

The third experience also involves smell. You have heard me talk about my fly-fishing excursions in the past, particularly in North Carolina. There is something inspirational about working a stream, something rather peaceful and therapeutic. In my case, when I enter a babbling brook, I am again transported back to the Connecticut of my youth, where we would fish in streams with simple rods and reels, using stringers to secure our catches, and how to clean the fish afterwards. Near to the streams would be fruit trees and we would enjoy apples and peaches. We spent a lot of time in the streams, fishing and swimming, and building forts along the way to stay out of our parents' eyes. It was a glorious time.

Our sense of smell and taste are powerful and a link to our past. It reminds us of the kitchens of our grandparents, certain restaurants, and of events in the past, small or epochal. It's evoked by such simple things as aftershave lotion, burning leaves, pipe tobacco, cooking with charcoal brickets, bacon, burned toast, etc., and suddenly we are transported back to our youth. Sadly, as strong as these memories are, they last but a few precious seconds, which is long enough to remind me how lucky I was to enjoy such experiences.

Keep the Faith!

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

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

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Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  OUR SENSE OF PROFESSIONALISM - It's about substance versus facade.

LAST TIME:  INDIVIDUALISM VERSUS TEAMWORK - "There is more to building a team than buying new uniforms." - Bryce's Law

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

INDIVIDUALISM VERSUS TEAMWORK

BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT

- "There is more to building a team than buying new uniforms." - Bryce's Law

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INTRODUCTION

As you travel around corporate America these days, you hear a lot about "teams"; that groups, departments or whole divisions are trying to behave more as a team as opposed to a group of individuals. Its the latest catch phrase du jour. I guess someone finally figured out the power of teamwork. Then again, how much of this represents sincere effort? My corporate contacts tell me its mostly facade. They contend they get some nifty new corporate shirts and some great pep talks, but aside from this, little else. As much as corporations tout the need for teamwork, most still encourage rugged individualism.

There is more to creating a team than simply saying you are one. New shirts and axioms are nice, but in order for this to work, people have to think and act as a team. In other words, success hinges on it becoming a natural part of the corporate culture.

CORPORATE CULTURE

Teachers, coaches, and drill instructors have long understood the value of teamwork. The intent is to turn a heterogeneous working environment into a homogeneous environment whereby everyone is working in a concerted effort towards common goals. However, do corporate managers truly understand teamwork? Not necessarily. Many still create competitive environments in the hope the strongest person will rise to the surface. Teamwork is more about cooperation than it is about competition.

This brings up an important point: Teamwork is taught. It means developing a disciplined work environment where the participants must conform to a specific set of rules. Inevitably, it means breaking some work habits and creating new ones. This can be painful, yet necessary if you want to achieve the desired results. Basically, you are teaching people how to live and work together as opposed to apart.

In the United States there is more of a natural inclination to teach individualism as opposed to teamwork; perhaps this is because we are a nation based on freedoms. For example, our public school systems have minimal dress and hair codes; each student is allowed to look and dress as they personally see fit, many with some very questionable taste. This is permitted as it is believed the individual must be allowed to freely express him/herself. This may be fine, but it certainly does not promote a spirit of teamwork. Compare it to other countries, such as Japan, where students are required to wear school uniforms and are given group assignments, such as the preparation and cleanup of their daily lunch. In Japan, students are taught the value of cooperation at an early age which has the added benefit of improving their socialization skills.

As mentioned, teamwork requires the establishment of a working environment conducive to teamwork. It doesn't happen simply by making some platitudinous statements. A manager must do more, much more; some suggestions:

1. First and foremost: Lead. All teams need a leader who can articulate goals and give direction. The team must trust and believe in its leader. Without such confidence, the team will not likely follow the leader, particularly in times of difficulty. The leader should also be wary of leading by democratic rule. Soliciting input is one thing, as is having assistants, but there can only be one ultimate leader to guide the team.

2. Institute uniform operating practices that everyone will be expected to conform to, such as operating hours of work, dress code, office appearance, speech and conduct, etc. Such uniformity stresses the equality of the workers. As another suggestion, downplay job titles and put more emphasis on work assignments instead. Job titles tend to emphasize a person's stature in a company and can be disruptive in terms of equality.

3. Establish standard practices for executing work assignments, thereby everyone is following the same methods, and using the same tools and techniques in their work effort. This improves communications, provides for the interchangeability of workers, and promotes the development of quality work products.

4. Make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and assignments and understands their importance. Nobody wants to be regarded as the weakest link and, as such, the manager must be able to communicate their importance and carefully balance the workload. Yes, there will be those workers who will undoubtedly excel over others, but teamwork is a group effort. If a weaker worker needs additional training, either give it to him/her or replace the person.

5. Routinely check progress. Whenever applicable, keep statistics on both team and individual performance. However, it is not important to publish such stats. It is important for the leader to know the team's strengths and weaknesses, but it is nobody else's business.

6. Be on the lookout for conflicts in working relationships. Some people will simply not get along and it is up to the manager to referee such conflicts. Either have the people work out their differences, keep them apart, or rid yourself of them. You want harmony, not contention, on your team.

7. Allow time for the team to meet and discuss issues as a group. This keeps everyone in tune with common goals, problems, and the team's general progress. It also allows the team to socialize and form a camaraderie (a bonding of unity).

8. Recognize individual achievement but reward on a team basis as opposed to an individual basis.

CONCLUSION

Are we really trying to promote teamwork or is this nothing more than the latest corporate fad that is being implemented more for public relations than anything else? Let's hope for the former and not the latter. Teamwork is a powerful concept, particularly when there is anything of substance to be done.

Shrewd managers intuitively understand the need for teamwork. Let me give you an example from the world of entertainment. Jack Benny, the famous comedian of yesteryear had a great appreciation for teamwork. His radio and television shows were consistently at the top of the rating charts for a number of years. When asked what his secret to success was, Benny simply said teamwork. To Jack, it wasn't important that he personally got the best lines and laughs week after week. In fact, he was often the butt of many of the jokes. Instead, he made sure his cast, guests, and writers all received the accolades they deserved. It was more important to Benny that people said they had tuned into "The Show" as opposed to tuning in to see "Jack Benny." He was right.

I realize there are instances in business when it becomes necessary to exercise individualism, but these are becoming a rarity. Instead companies can find greater glory as a team as opposed to a group of individuals.

"Individual glory is insignificant when compared to achieving victory as a team."
- Dot Richardson, M.D.
U.S. Olympic Softball Team
Two time Gold Medal Champions

Related article:
"Understanding Corporate Culture" - 9/17/2012

Originally published: June 12, 2006

Keep the Faith!

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

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  EVOKING MEMORIES - How the sense of smell and taste can unleash vivid memories.

LAST TIME:  A TALE OF TWO PROJECTS - "Beware of your firefighters; they are probably your chief arsonists." - Bryce's Law

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

A TALE OF TWO PROJECTS

BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT

- "Beware of your firefighters; they are probably your chief arsonists." - Bryce's Law

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The following is a true story; a vintage "Dilbertism." Because of this, the names have been changed to protect the innocent (as well as the guilty). Interestingly, I do not believe this story to be unique and similar stories can be found in countless IT shops around the world.

Our story begins just a couple of years ago in a large manufacturing company in the American Midwest. At the time, the company was interested in replacing two aging, yet important, systems; an Accounts Payable System ("AP") and an Accounts Receivable System ("AR"). The IT Director selected two of his most seasoned veterans to manage the projects, we'll call them "Steve" and "Bob." Both project managers were charged with their responsibilities on the same day: Steve to build the AP system, and Bob to build the AR system. Both were given approximately the same amount of human and machine resources to accomplish the work.

Steve was a very organized and disciplined manager. He found it essential to organize and train his staff upfront so everyone understood the development process, the deliverables to be produced, and their assigned responsibilities. Recognizing the large scope of his project, Steve felt it important to methodically attack his system and meticulously worked out a plan and schedule to implement it. In Phase 1 he spent what appeared to be an inordinate amount of time studying the business problem, specifying information requirements, and developing a rough design of the system solution. Steve's people actively participated in this early phase and thought the problem through carefully before proceeding with the project. Following the Phase 1, Steve's team finalized details of the overall AP system architecture, and divided his group into teams to tackle the various sub-systems in parallel. To complement this effort, his data base people oversaw the logical data base design to accommodate the needs of the whole system, not just any one portion of it.

Steve also recruited the support of the AP Department and had key personnel from this area participate in the development of the system. The input from these users was vital not only in Phase 1, but also in succeeding phases where the business processes were designed.

By concentrating on the overall system architecture and then by gradually refining the design over succeeding phases, the Software Engineers were given detailed specifications which were easy to follow and implement. Consequently, the programming phases went smoothly, including testing.

The core sub-systems satisfying the operational needs of AP were on schedule and being installed with great support from the user community.

While Steve's project was coming along smoothly, Bob was facing chaos with the AR system. Instead of studying the problem upfront, Bob's group began by building a core data base. Shortly thereafter he set his programmers to work building some basic input screens and rather simple outputs. In no time, Bob had something to demonstrate to the user community (and his boss) to prove progress was indeed being made.

Bob's group though had not done their homework. The AR community was not consulted and requirements were not defined. As a result, programmers were left second-guessing what the users really needed which started a long round of "cut-and-fitting" the code. Further, the integrity of the data base came into question. False assumptions were made about calculated data elements which cascaded throughout the program code. In addition, data validation rules were not established. This forced the programmers to invent their own rules and calculation formulas in each of their programs which led to data redundancy issues and even bigger headaches for the development staff. As users were given glimpses of the programs by Bob, data integrity issues became an issue and the users didn't trust the information being produced by the system (e.g., calculations were computed differently by the various programs). Bob's group touted the AR system as "state-of-the-art," but the users were not convinced it was reliable or intuitive to use.

All of this lead to a redesign of the data base and programs, not just once but several times. Consequently, the project schedule started to slip and costs exceeded budget. To overcome this problem, Bob and his staff worked overtime to play catch-up with the schedule (which he never realized). Regardless, the IT Director began to take notice of the long hours Bob and his team were putting into the project and complimented them on their dedication.

Bob finally delivered a portion of the project to the AR department, but in testing it the users found it fraught with errors. To overcome this problem, Bob's group was ever ready to jump in and modify the code as required. Even though the users found the programs buggy, they commended Bob for how quickly his group would be able to fix them.

The difference between Steve and Bob's groups were like night and day. While Bob operated under a "helter-skelter" mode of operation, Steve's group operated quietly and began to deliver the system on time and within budget, much to the user department's satisfaction.

Steve understood the enormity of the system and its importance to the company, and, as such, took the time to organize and train his group accordingly. Bob also understood the importance of his application but took the tact of producing something management and the user community could "touch and feel" thereby demonstrating something was happening in his department, right or wrong. Further, his SWAT team approach to putting out fires made him a favorite with corporate management. As a result, Bob enjoyed a high profile in the company while Steve was a relative unknown.

Unfortunately, Bob's project ran amok, unbearably so. Recognizing he had to do something radical in order to get Bob's project back on track, the IT Director made an unusual move; he swapped Steve and Bob as project managers. Steve was charged with cleaning up Bob's mess, and Bob was charged with finishing Steve's project. Offhand it sounded like a shrewd move. Steve had proven to the IT Director he could get things done, regardless of the application size. And the IT Director figured Bob could simply close-out the AP project. The IT Director figured wrong. While Steve started the arduous task of bringing organization and discipline to the AR system, Bob quickly dismantled Steve's organization and brought chaos to the AP system. This did not sit well with a lot of people, particularly Steve's former project team who felt they had grasped defeat from the jaws of victory. Steve was also growing disenchanted as he had almost completed one system and was now charged with cleaning up his predecessor's mess. To add insult to injury, because of Bob's high profile status, he was given an increase in pay and job promotion, but Steve didn't receive likewise.

Steve got the AR system back on track and finally implemented it much to the satisfaction of all concerned. Bob lost control of the AP system almost immediately and it spun out of control until Steve was finally called back in to finish it. Not knowing what to do with high-profile Bob, the IT Director made the classic move of promoting Bob and transferring him to another area where he could do less harm.

LESSONS LEARNED

Is there a happy ending to this true story? Not for Steve. Although he cleaned up the mess and ultimately managed both projects to a successful conclusion, he became disenchanted with how he had been treated by the company. Subsequently, he left and started his own consulting firm who was ultimately hired by his old company to develop new systems (at substantially higher rates). As for Bob, he enjoyed the perks and pay resulting from his new position for quite some time. Eventually, he got the hint and moved on to another company where he made a similar name for himself.

Although Bob was a fine example of the "Peter Principle" (rising above your level of competence) he recognized results were not necessary on the road to success, but rather, image was everything. He learned early on that "the squeaky wheel gets the oil."

As I mentioned at the outset, this is not a random incident, but one that could probably be told by a multitude of corporations who have "promoted the guilty, and prosecuted the innocent."

Have you got a similar story? Please do not hesitate to send them to me.

Originally published: May 23, 2005

Keep the Faith!

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

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  INDIVIDUALISM VERSUS TEAMWORK - "There is more to building a team than buying new uniforms." - Bryce's Law

LAST TIME:  OUR ATTACHMENT TO AUTOMOBILES  - How we embrace cars into our lives.

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

OUR ATTACHMENT TO AUTOMOBILES

BRYCE ON LIFE

- How we embrace cars into our lives.

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We just sold our 2000 Volkswagen Beetle. It was a beautiful car which was painted red and featured a 4 Cyl. GLS 1.8 Liter Turbo engine. This was definitely not your father's VW as it had a lot of get up and go. One time I had it up to 120 mph just to see what it could do. I could have gone faster, but 120 was fast enough for me. Other than a few trips to Jacksonville, Orlando, and Naples, the car didn't get much use and shuttled me to and from work or to the airport. As my kids grew up, we rarely drove it anymore. When we sold it, there was just over 50,000 miles on it, not bad for a ten year old car. It was well maintained over the years, but it simply sat in our driveway with the Florida sun pounding on it, which is why we finally decided to sell it to someone who could take better care of it.

After we made the sale, we dutifully emptied it of our possessions, such as CD's and jumper cables, and removed the license plate. It was kind of sad to see it go as it was a fine car, but we knew it was time to part. It kind of reminded me of waving good-bye to our last child leaving the nest for school. We've had a lot of cars in the family over the years and aside from one lemon we bought years ago, we tended to treat them like members of the family, kind of like the attachment we form to family pets, like dogs and cats. On the one hand we realize it is an inanimate object used as a tool for transportation, but on the other it becomes a part of us. Maybe it's because we use it so much and take pleasure in driving it.

I think this is the reason people like to attend the many classic car shows around the country as we inevitably come upon a vehicle from our past which conjures up memories and invokes emotions. There is one car show in particular I have visited for the last few years in Fernandino Beach, Florida which has a wide assortment of cars from my past (the show is held in October). Some of my favorites are Chevy Bel Airs from the mid-1950's which my grandparents owned for a long time. When I see one painted turquoise green and white, the same as my grandparents' car, I think of their home in Buffalo, New York. When I come upon a Corvette Stingray fastback from the mid-1960's I think of my neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois.

The DeLorean DMC-12 is popular at such car shows, particularly among youth who still remember the movie "Back to the Future." Although the original company has faded into memory a long time ago (they stopped production in 1982), a new DeLorean Motor Company resurfaced under new ownership in Humble, Texas. As I understand it, the new company obtained all of the parts from the old company and it is still possible to purchase a restored DeLorean in mint condition from the Texas operation.

The only time we do not become attached to our vehicle is when we see it as nothing more than a scrap of metal to move us from point A to point B. Such cars are usually pretty beat up thereby negating any attachment. Then again, I have seen people still devoted to their piece of rust, particularly old Volkswagens where the floor boards or the body is in various stages of decomposition.

Bottom-line, the reason people develop attachments to their automobiles is because it is an extension of their personality and when we finally sell the car or scrap it, we feel like we are severing a piece of ourselves, and a tear forms.

Originally published; September 15, 2010

Keep the Faith!

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

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  A TALE OF TWO PROJECTS - "Beware of your firefighters; they are probably your chief arsonists." - Bryce's Law

LAST TIME:  AGAIN, INTO THE ABYSS  - Comparing the 1960's with the 2010's.

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

AGAIN, INTO THE ABYSS

BRYCE ON LIFE

- Comparing the 1960's with the 2010's.

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I am trying to understand America's anger issue which has led to a new level of violence. The only thing I can compare it to is the upheaval of the 1960's. Back then, the icons of the times included such things as Watts, Berkeley, Kent State, college unrest, Charles Manson, Richard Speck, My Lai, the Weather Underground, SDS, protests to the Vietnam war, birth of the Black Panthers, Yippies, the 1968 Democratic National Convention, the Chicago 7, and urban riots. Some of this represented social change, some had revolutionary aspirations, others were racial in nature, and the rest twisted violence.

Frankly, such anger and violence is happening again, just fifty short years later. The icons this time are represented by such things as shootings in schools, movie theaters, churches, gas stations, be it by blacks, whites, or the execution of law enforcement personnel. We have suffered through riots in Ferguson, Baltimore, and many other skirmishes elsewhere. Both the new Black Panther party and the Nation of Islam are calling on their people to arm themselves. In response, whites are doing likewise. Protesters now shut down highway systems as opposed to practicing peaceful methods. There is no respect for the rule of law, police, or any form of authority. Then there is the matter of a disgruntled public who no longer trusts its government, where incompetence, gridlock, payola and cronyism are perceived as more prevalent than serving the needs of the American taxpayer. This has led angry voters to turn to anti-establishment candidates, such as Trump and Carson, as opposed to traditional politicians. And the media fans the flames of hatred simply for profits (after all it makes for great ratings).

There is commonality between the two periods; a racial divide between blacks and whites, a social divide between the "have's" and "have not's," a political divide between liberals and conservatives, the development of a victim's mentality, and differing perspectives of what America should be. Whenever people feel they have been ignored or taken for granted, frustration builds until people begin to take matters into their own hands. All of this hints at a full-blown revolution. This fortunately didn't happen in the 1960's, but the 2010's may be another matter altogether. Of course, we should be mindful of such things as the Arab Spring in 2012 which led to the overthrow of governments in the Arab world.

Back in the 1960's, Charles Manson referred to this cataclysmic period as "Helter Skelter" (from the Beatles' song) where a race war ensued, followed by armed insurrection and a civil revolt which would redefine America. One could argue this is where we are heading today.

There are two important variables contributing to all of this: our declining morality and terrorism. In the 1960's terrorism was a relatively unknown concept, but in the 2010's it is common knowledge, particularly the subversive aspects of it, such as random shootings, executions, and building pipe bombs and IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), the instructions for which can be easily found on the Internet. In other words, we are much more cognizant today of how to apply violence for reckless political statements.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two periods was in the practice of civil disobedience. Even though some violence did ensue in the 1960's, the intent was to follow non nonviolent means, a la Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For example, as bad as the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was, the confrontation would have been much bloodier if the protesters had been armed. Today, as the people on both sides arm themselves, it seems Manson's vision of America may very well come to fruition.

So, where are the peacemakers of today? Certainly not at the White House, where the President uses the bully pulpit to flame outrage as opposed to calling for calm. The clergy calls for peace, but support for today's organized religion is greatly diminished to the point of impotence. More members of the entertainment industry call for strife than peace. Ultimately, calm is called by local government leaders concerned with saving their communities, unfortunately offering too little, too late. Law enforcement is ultimately charged with maintaining the peace. In the process, they too have become targets for punishment.

Like the 1960's, there are many social issues on our plate for the country to digest, such as same-sex marriage, condemnation of the Confederate flag and other icons of the old South, race relations; not to mention long standing issues back in the news, such as abortion, prayer in school, etc. As to race relations, I personally believe most of the problem has been manufactured. If America was truly racist, why would we have elected a black president, not just once, but twice. No, there are forces at work who want to pit black against white for no other reason than to destroy the American way of life.

After the 1960's, I never thought we would have to go through such turmoil again, but maybe it's a cleansing experience we have to suffer through every fifty years. Regardless, the fuse has been lit, but is there anyone who can put it out before it is too late?

Perhaps there is something in the water after all.

Keep the Faith!

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

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  OUR ATTACHMENT TO AUTOMOBILES - How we embrace cars into our lives.

LAST TIME:  FIRING EMPLOYEES ISN'T FOR SISSIES  - "If we lived in a perfect world, there wouldn't be a need for managers." - Bryce's Law

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

FIRING EMPLOYEES ISN'T FOR SISSIES

BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT

- "If we lived in a perfect world, there wouldn't be a need for managers." - Bryce's Law

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I recently had a good friend experience a troubling termination of an employee. This was for a national retail distribution company where my friend serves as Sales Manager for one of the company's regional outlets. The problem centered on a young (thirty-ish) salesman who was well trained but acted like a loose cannon, e.g., policies and procedures weren't always followed, and he was caustic and abrasive with customers and suppliers alike. This inevitably resulted in some serious customer relations problems for the company. On more than one occasion, my friend was called in to bail out the salesman. His conduct and attitudes were well documented in his performance reviews and my friend went beyond the call of duty to counsel the salesman. Regardless, the salesman recently insulted a young female supplier by using the legendary "f***" word on the telephone (along with several other choice expletives). Not surprising, this traveled up and down the management chain of command until it finally landed on the desk of the Sales Manager who was told to fire the salesman. Dutifully, my friend called him into his office, explained the situation, and gave the salesman the option of allowing him to either resign or be terminated. The salesman flew into a rage and called the Sales Manager every name in the book and came close to exchanging blows with him. It was very ugly.

I talked with my friend at length about the incident and told him if he was guilty of anything, it was that he was too kind and too often gave his people the benefit of a doubt. Whereas he always hopes for the best from an employee, I generally expect the worst and am pleasantly surprised when things work out. In other words, they have to earn my respect; they cannot take it for granted. This got me thinking about how we terminate employees these days. In the old days, if you screwed up, you were fired on the spot and shown the door. No questions asked; it was a done deal. However, in today's litigious society, managers have to be more careful or face a costly lawsuit.

I remember firing my first employee several years ago. Even though I hadn't hired the person, it was my duty to terminate him. The night before the termination, I agonized over how I would do it and what I would say. My stomach flipped-flopped and I definitely did not look forward to doing it. Nonetheless, the next day I called the employee into my office, explained his services were no longer needed, and let him go. In hindsight, I'm sure it was less than perfect, but I somehow got through it (and had a stiff drink afterwards). Since then I have had to terminate a fair share of people over the years. I no longer get upset over it and have learned a few things along the way. Perhaps the biggest lesson is that firing employees isn't for sissies. There are not many things worse a manager can do than botching a firing. We laugh at Donald Trump saying, "You're fired," on television, but that is a rigged situation where contestants already understand there is going to be only one survivor. In the real-world, a termination affects a lot of people other than the employee and yourself; it affects the employee's co-workers, family and, in the situation described above, customers and vendors. Firing an individual requires great skill and, as far as I'm concerned should be left to professionals.

BACKGROUND

There is a big difference between firing a person and letting a person go. Whereas the latter could be the result of work stoppages, the former is due to the performance of the individual. As such, we are herein primarily concerned with firing. From the outset understand this, keeping a poor performer employed is a disservice to the company, the co-workers, you (the boss), as well as the individual. As mentioned in the beginning, a poor performer causes co-workers and/or the boss to work overtime to cover for the employee. Consider this though, it hurts the individual who is either unskilled for the job or has risen above his level of competency. This type of person has hit a "dead-end" in his career and it is unfair to keep him in a position where you know he will undoubtedly fail. Let him get on with his life in another capacity where he might succeed.

Prior to any firing, a paper-trail is required to document the person's performance. An Employee Performance Evaluation (or "Review") should be conducted routinely, particularly in the early stages of employment. Such a Review should highlight both the person's strengths and weaknesses giving the boss an opportunity to offer advice to the employee on how to better himself. Very important, have the employee read the Review carefully and SIGN IT. Thereby, the employee can never say he was unaware of any problems.

If the employee is struggling and you have to put him "on notice" (either improve or face termination), this should be written into the Review as well. More importantly, if you put a person "on notice" be sure to follow the worker's progress carefully, not only to make sure he is improving, but to see if he is preparing to bail out on you.

PREPARATIONS

Assuming you have adequately documented the employee's performance and you are convinced you have just cause to fire him, now it is time to properly prepare yourself:

1. First, you may need to get permission from your superior or someone in Human Resources to fire the person. Be prepared to give a detailed reason for terminating the employee and be able to substantiate your claim. This makes for a convenient rehearsal for the firing.

2. Consider the person's current work assignments and what affect his firing will have on your department (co-workers, vendors, customers, delivery dates, etc.). Even if a person is working on something critical for the company, and it is absolutely necessary to terminate him, do not let the employee hold his job hostage. Even if you kept the person, there is no telling whether his work would ever be completed to your satisfaction. If he has to go, he has to go. Do not procrastinate.

3. Determine an exit strategy. To minimize disrupting the work of others, determine a proper time and date to terminate the employee. More people are fired on late Friday afternoons than any other time or day of the week. Why? Simple. It is the end of the work-week and people are more interested in going home than listening to someone being fired. By Monday, the person will already be a memory.

Psychologists might suggest Monday mornings are a better time for terminations as opposed to Fridays, simply because the employee won't have time to think about it over the weekend and become despondent or irrational. As for me, I am a Friday man as I don't want this to weigh too heavily on the staff.

In preparing for the employee's exit, consider what corporate paperwork is involved (see Human Resources), what keys, locks, badges, computer passwords may need to be changed, and back up the employee's computer files. Under no circumstance should the employee be allowed to touch his computer after being dismissed; there is no need to invite sabotage.

Select a witness to attend the termination meeting (this should be done in all cases regardless if you are expecting a hostile firing or not). Even better, be prepared to record the termination if possible in case it is needed in a court of law.

If necessary, have a box prepared for the employee to empty his desk.

DO IT PROFESSIONALLY

Now the hard part; actually terminating the employee. Now you have to prepare yourself psychologically. If you go into it with any emotions (guilt, anger, sympathy), you are doomed to fail. Always remember you are an emissary of the company, not an individual with a vendetta. It is hard to be cold in situations like this, but you have to be well organized and in the proper state of mind to pull this off. Ideally, the objective should be that the employee being terminated comes away from the dismissal knowing he had been fired by a pro, not a clown.

Just prior to the dismissal, talk to your witness and let him/her know what you are about to do and what will be expected from the witness during the termination (which should be to simply observe and not to speak during the firing).

When ready, invite the employee into a private room, preferably away from the co-workers. Be cordial but avoid idle chit-chat as it is not relevant at this point. Inform the person of the purpose of the meeting and why he is being terminated. It is important the person understand why they are being fired. Some people feel this is unnecessary. I do not for two reasons: First, if a person starts litigation against you or the company, he cannot claim he didn't know the reason for the termination, and; Second, if the person is ever going to improve in the future, he should understand why he is being dismissed.

It is very important you remain in control of the meeting at all times. Stick to the facts and do not waver. The employee will react one of two ways: either surprised by the termination (didn't see it coming) or knew it was inevitable. The emotional reaction to the termination may take many forms:

* Grateful it is over (allowing them to move on to something else).
* Understands reasons and accepts it.
* Embarrassment.
* Anger.

Regardless of the emotional reaction to the termination, stay in control of the meeting. Do not show weakness by back-peddling or allowing second chances. Remember, you reviewed the employee's work performance in the past and the employee should have already adjusted his work habits. Providing an employee a second chance at this stage only invites sabotage.

Do not prolong the termination either; keep it short and to the point (do not give him time to think and react). Sympathy is not necessary, nor is gloating. Also, it is not necessary to be apologetic, after all, you have a valid business reason for terminating the employee don't you? Just keep things in a "matter of fact" tone of voice. Again, you represent the company in this capacity; maintain your composure.

If it is necessary for corporate papers to be signed as part of the exit, have the employee sign them at this time. If the employee refuses, have it so noted by the witness. Also explain to the employee how he will receive his final paycheck.

In some situations, it is better to try and get the employee to resign as opposed to being fired. If the person is fired, they are automatically eligible for unemployment (which the company has to ultimately pay). If the person resigns, collecting unemployment is considerably more difficult to obtain (although the government loves to give away your money anyway).

If the employee shows signs of being upset, allow them to regain their composure before exiting the meeting. An emotionally distressed person can have an adverse affect on the staff. It also allows the employee to save face.

POSTMORTEM

Fired employees should clean out their desks of their personal items as soon as possible. This should normally be supervised by someone, preferably not the witness or the person who just fired the employee. Further, when the employee is gone, make sure the desk is cleaned out to your satisfaction; leave no traces.

Farewells are not necessary and should be discouraged. The less contact the employee has with your staff, the less chance he has of "infecting" your people. Some companies also find it necessary to escort the person off company premises.

Following the termination, prepare a report reviewing the termination which should be filed in the employee's personnel jacket. Keep it factual and to the point (include time, date and the length of the meeting). If the employee made any threats, this should be documented. The witness should also make a similar, but separate, report. Both reports should be simple and to the point and reflect what actually transpired during the termination. Also, if the termination was recorded, it should also be filed in the employee's jacket.

Your staff will inevitably be wondering what happened. It may be necessary to briefly discuss it at a staff meeting (do not call a meeting just to discuss the termination). When reviewing the termination with the staff, it is not necessary for you to rationalize why the employee was terminated (if he was a loser, they should be able to figure it out). Further, the fired employee may have friends on the staff who might testify against you in the future. Instead, keep it simple; that the employee is gone and discuss who is going to pick up the pieces. Do not belabor the firing. Its over. The only thing you, as boss, should be concerned with at this point is problems in staff morale as a result of the firing.

After the employee has left, be careful of requests for job references for the employee. You can state the employee's job title and length of employment but little else. Do not discuss why the employee was terminated or his job performance. If you make disparaging remarks about the employee, he might learn of them and initiate a lawsuit; In contrast, if you give a glowing report on a former employee and he turns out to be a dud, the employee's new company may consider a lawsuit over false claims and misrepresentation. Therefore, do not discuss the employee's performance. The only exception is if you are asked if the former employee is eligible to be rehired (a simple Yes/No will suffice).

CONCLUSION

We live in a strange time where managers are afraid to fire employees in fear of possible litigation. Instead, there is a great temptation to transfer or promote the misfit to another department, thereby transferring your problems to someone else. This is horribly irresponsible and does your company a disservice by allowing the employee to screw-up elsewhere (and badmouth you to boot). Do not prolong the agony. Get on with it. As my old football coach used to say, "Have a little STUG" (that's "Guts" spelled backwards).

Firing a person is an important part of being a manager. It goes with the territory. Do not procrastinate and never live in fear of firing someone for if you do, you will become ineffective as a manager. However, if you are going to do it, do it right. Let the employee know he was fired by a pro. If done properly, you will win the respect of your superiors, your subordinates, as well as the person you are letting go.

Firing employees isn't for sissies.

Originally published: July 18, 2005

Keep the Faith!

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

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  AGAIN, INTO THE ABYSS- Comparing the 1960's with the 2010's.

LAST TIME:  WHEN HAVOC STRIKES - What to do when someone loses their cool at the office.

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

WHEN HAVOC STRIKES

BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT

- What to do when someone loses their cool at the office.

(Click for AUDIO VERSION)
To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.

Every now and then in business, we run into an uncomfortable situation where someone loses their cool and goes bananas. We primarily see this in situations involving the termination of an employee or when a worker blows up under pressure. They may not resort to armed violence, but such distractions can be disruptive and upset the harmony of the office, so we have to deal with it effectively and professionally.

We had a couple of situations like this over the years. The first that comes to mind was an employee who we terminated for poor performance. After being told his services were no longer wanted, he became visibly upset and refused to leave the building. The sheriff's office was summoned who finally escorted him off the premises. After storing his personal items in his car, he stood out in front of our office and began yelling expletives at the company. Fortunately, the sheriff's deputies removed him from the property. They asked if we wanted to press charges. We said, No, we just wanted him removed from the premises. Fortunately, this occurred at the close of business on a Friday, which is the right time to conduct terminations for this very purpose. You never know when a person is going to lose control.

I know of another company in the Tampa Bay area where an employee was terminated and instead of leaving, removed all of his clothes and sat at his desk, naturally making his co-workers uncomfortable as he couldn't possibly be confused as a male model.

Our second incident involved a lawyer who was determined to serve our company with legal papers involving a tenant who had leased space in our building. Prior to his arrival, we received an unexpected tip the attorney was on his way. Learning of this, we locked the front door. Sure enough, the attorney came a few minutes later and tried to enter the building. Realizing the door was locked, he went into a verbal tirade outside demanding entrance. He was so obnoxious, we again called the sheriff's office and had him arrested for trespassing. Interestingly, this marked the end of our legal hassles with our former tenant.

In both of our situations, it was tempting to go outside, confront the person and try to physically remove him from the property. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and we let local law enforcement handle the situation.

Such situations are uncommon, but as a co-worker you should always be cautious when a person goes into a rage. The best thing to do is avoid confrontation, do not engage the person orally or physically, thereby entangling yourself in the problem. Simply walk away and allow management and law enforcement to handle it. In larger corporations there are trained security people to escort them off the property. Smaller companies do not have such a luxury and must rely on local law enforcement.

In the situation of a hostile terminated employee, it is best not to allow him back into the business as he/she may very well want a physical confrontation, possibly even involving gunfire. For the protection of the employees, it is best to keep the building under tight security until the person is off the property.

As to wacko attorneys, they may know the law, but it doesn't mean they will adhere to it. It is wise to keep an eye on everyone coming and going to and from your facility, and keep the telephone number of law enforcement on your Speed Dial list. You never know when havoc will strike.

Keep the Faith!

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

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  FIRING EMPLOYEES ISN'T FOR SISSIES- "If we lived in a perfect world, there wouldn't be a need for managers." - Bryce's Law

LAST TIME:  THE DISPARITY BETWEEN CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM  - Do young people know the difference between the two?

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.