[Vision2020] Oh, My EYES :-( Plumber's Butt, the UI, and AlliedBarton

[Tom Hansen]

For twenty years I worked for the most bureaucratic, hierarchical
organization imaginable . . . the U.S. Army.

Although the culture/institutional climate never changed, "knowledge about
the position [to be promoted to]" was dealt with quite effectively through
application of a concept that is absent and desperately needed here at UI
. . . cross training.

The old Two up/One down approach:  As a soldier gained rank, (s)he also
gained workable knowledge of the duties of those appointed over him/her,
sufficiently so as to perform the duties of those members ranging from one
position below him/her to two positions above him/her.  This way the
soldier can fill in for those personnel on an as-needed basis.  It's
worked before.  It works now.  It will work in the future.

I mentioned this several times while working at UI Facilities.  Those that
didn't ignore me, looked at me funny, as if to say "You don't know what
you're saying."

You wouldn't believe how some offices seemed to have slowed to almost a
stop occasionally, simply because somebody in the food chain was not
available.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho



On Fri, April 1, 2011 3:38 pm, Ron Force wrote:
>  The other factors that may lean toward an outside hire:
> 1. The executive authority may wish to change the culture/institutional
> climate.
> 2. The inside candidate may not have more knowledge about the position
> than an outside hire. This is particularly true in large, specialized,
> bureaucratic organizations.  The bigger the jump in the hierarchy, the
> more there is to learn. You leave your silo behind to sit atop another.
>
>
>


"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown