I wrote:
"When managers learn that their top performers are not always
their quickest learners they are really surprised. Quite
often the most troublesome employees are the quickest learners."
Then Jack Ring <
jring@AMUG.ORG> wrote:
>>... Troublesome? Are they troublesome
because the manager wants status quo
instead of innovation? ...<<
Not necessarily. Sometimes they just get bored to death. Half of
the working population will always be in the top half of mental
abilities, be definition, and it is a good thing too since many
jobs do not require employees who are in the top half.
"Most of us do not change our behaviors easily or quickly."
>>... We do it, especially when we want to do it....<<
I agree. WE can change our OWN behavior IF and when WE want to
change but that does not mean managers can change their employees'
behaviors whenever the managers want them to change.
>>... Changing our behavior can be
hard if we are bottled up with fear
but not when we are pursuing a goal...<<
Whose goal? Yours or mine? What if I work for you and your
goal is not my goal? What if I just want to earn my paycheck
and go home at the end of the day? What if I am a great employee?
>>... I have changed my behavior
when "attractors" made it
seem worthwhile...<<
How about when you are stressed, does an old inappropriate behavior
sneak out? (May I presume that you have one old inappropriate behavior?)
>>... All it takes is practice...<<
Practice by whom? I agree with you that you and I need to practice our
desired new behaviors to make them second nature, but we are not our
own employees. This approach only works when the person wants to change
and even then it is harder than saying practice makes perfect. The
psychologists I have talked to about changing behaviors tell me that
changing our own behaviors is one of the toughest tasks we face,
thus changing other peoples' behavior is even tougher.
>>... That is why it is so important to
practice, practice, practice while in
the comfort zone. Then, when stressful
situations arise, you are much more
likely to opt for the better behavior...<<
I agree again, but we are talking about managers who recognize a need
to change, who want to change and who will practice the new behaviors.
I am afraid we are a small minority. If you and I help others make the
same intellectual leap to self-criticism and improvement we will have
done them and their employer a great service.
>>... I agree that employers should
be doing it. But what about universities?
What responsibility do they have for the
tuition they charge?...<<
The best we can hope for is that a university exposes each student to
the information necessary for the student to come to the realization
that perhaps their behavior is inappropriate and should be changed.
>>... There you have it. I believe that
it is certainly the employee -- to the
point that if (s)he is not getting the
learning opportunities from their manager,
they should exit that job, post haste...<<
If that were the case we would have turmoil in the economy with turnover
rates exceeding 80% per year, since 80% or more of employees report
that they are dissatisfied in the jobs.
There are a few things we need to keep in mind about employees:
1 - they are all different
2 - many are afraid of change
3 - many are afraid to lose their jobs
4 - many will suffer under abusive managers because of 2 and 3 above
5 - most work for incompetent supervisors and/or managers
6 - they know their next manager my be even worse
----- continued in MBAs and behavior, Part 2