Discussion: View Thread

George L. Pamental wrote:
>
> Howard Schwartz wrote:
>
> > Mangement and leadership, of course, overlap, but insofar as they
> >differ they involve two distinguishable aspects of the psyche.
> >Management is a function of the superego, ... but leadership rests on fantasy
and
> >creativity, which are not under conscious control.
>
> Howard, I've often been known to be quixotic, but in this instance must hold
to realism. I do not
> believe that we will be able to persuade companies to double their staff in
what are now called
> managerial positions. In fact, what those companies who have the money now do
is send their
> managers back to school to what we call Leadership programs. That is one place
where we can
> attack the right side of the brain and try to engender empathy and creativity.
>
[snip]

> So, i n the face of the world we are commmitted to serve, I think we'll just
have to do the best we
> can to get our students to use both sides of their brains.
>
> Laurie P.
>

Laurie,

I think you may be reading a difference between us that doesn't
exist. I certainly agree with what you've said. Fact is, just about
everyone has both ego ideal and superego, even if a proper balance
between the two is rare. What is important, it seems to me, is to
recognize the different dynamics involved, as well as the relationship
between them. Otherwise you may wind up trying to teach one with
expectations that are appropriate to the other. I'm not sure that your
idea of "attacking" the right side of the brain isn't an example of
that.

Howard


--
Howard S. Schwartz Schwartz@Oakland.edu
http://www.sba.oakland.edu/faculty/schwartz/schwartz.htm
"Nothing is hidden from the lover of shadows. Mystery remains."
-- Anais Nin

Howard Schwartz wrote:

> Mangement and leadership, of course, overlap, but insofar as they
>differ they involve two distinguishable aspects of the psyche.
>Management is a function of the superego, ... but leadership rests on fant=
asy and
>creativity, which are not under conscious control.

Howard, I've often been known to be quixotic, but in this instance must hol=
d to realism. I do not =

believe that we will be able to persuade companies to double their staff in=
what are now called =

managerial positions. In fact, what those companies who have the money now =
do is send their =

managers back to school to what we call Leadership programs. That is one pl=
ace where we can =

attack the right side of the brain and try to engender empathy and creativi=
ty.

However, what is expected of us at the undergraduate level,by both the bus=
iness world and =

our customers, the students and their parents, is that we prepare individua=
ls to assume the =

duties which are called managerial. That includes ALL of Fayol's texonomy, =
plus a few more =

we've tacked on in the past 75 years.

In our departmment we are now debating introducing a new course, on creativ=
ity. As you might =

imagine, it has engendered considerable discussion, and lots of "I think it=
's a good idea ...BUT"
I hope we can manage (sorry) to accept it in a way that is helpful to the s=
tudents.

But the point is that we are stuck with a paradigm that isn't quite the bes=
t. But it IS realistic in that =

it recognizes the world as it is and our job as defined by those who count,=
those we serve. And I =

do not have the chutzpah to believe that what I am saying is the same thing=
as a doctor =

prescribing a medication just because the patient wants it. In the large pi=
cture, we management =

educators are just not that important. After all, we are only dealing with =
25% of the =

undergraduates, and most of the remaining 75% go into business and we rarel=
y see them to =

work our wonders on them, and they actually do very well in business.

So, i n the face of the world we are commmitted to serve, I think we'll jus=
t have to do the best we =

can to get our students to use both sides of their brains.


Laurie P.


-- =

Dr. George L. Pamental - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rhode Island College=

Associate Professor - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Providence, RI 029=
08
Dep=B9t. of Management - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Phone: 401.456.8760
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - http://192.133.12.49/pamental/ - - - - - - - - =
- - - - -