A few thoughts on tonight's class and our discussions. I'm gonna try and pull a Roy Halladay here and write a perfect blog.
I liked the discussions we had and the ideas that were presented. The first group's presentation on stereotypes was the most interactive, and really did a great job of putting the idea forward that we all make assumptions, intentionally or unintentionally. I knew when they put up the three names on the second sheet, there would be a question like "Which one of these is most likely to...", and I made a few guesses in my head, all of which were, ironically, stereotyping.
The presentation on glass ceilings was also interesting. The idea that people are refused promotion because of gender or race is deplorable, and I think the fact that we all recognize that fact is a positive step, because I'm not sure the old guard sees what a problem it is. There is a great episode of "The West Wing" that deals with the argument of equal pay for men and women, which I believe was in Season 2, that covers this better than I ever could. I recommend it. I recommend all 7 seasons, actually.
I'll end this post with a few thoughts on the "Work-Out" plans that GE put in place that the last group talked about. The idea of firing 10% of your workforce and replacing them just can't be that inspiring to the people that work for you. How can you keep morale up when 1 in 10 employees are being turned over? The other idea about GE that struck me is the fact that they like to be #1 or #2 in their industry. A quick Google Search on GE showed that they are buying two more companies, an energy company and a finance firm. It will be interesting to see how these two companies perform in the coming months and years. GE Signs 2 Deals.
Not a perfect post, lost it in the 4th on a looper over short. Oh well, gotta try again next time. Until them, you stay classy, San Diego.
I see your point about firing 10% of the staff every year, but you have to see where GE is coming from. Or, take any large corporation. There will always be those that lag behind or are not pulling their weight around. Some employees get too complacent as well. Also, it can make the other 90% work harder and could help with productivity.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I always wondered when I first read about GE's practice, was how are the employees measured? Was it departmental? Was it divisional? Was it regional? or Was it just the overall company? Someone that is the bottom 10% on one area could be better than someone else that is in the top 80% in another area.
Maybe instead of firing, how about give employees the opportunity to post into other positions within the company.