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Going Undercover to Learn What Should be Obvious
By Bob Mason

Many commentators on the human condition use the television and movies as examples of this or that feature of a certain time, or to reinforce that some social tendency is prevalent throughout a certain segment of society. I usually steer clear of such comparisons because I'm never quite sure if art imitates life, or if it's the other way around. Both the small and large screen have certainly reported societal tendencies, but they've also started their share as well.

Occasionally though, something comes along that might actually have some value as a report of what's going on in the world and does bear some analysis. Undercover Boss (CBS) is just such an offering. Throughout nine episodes, the show has featured C-level executives who disguise themselves (usually by foregoing the razor and ditching the suit) and then go out into their companies to find out what the world is like for the working types.

It's certainly a noble idea for the big boss to find out what's going on in the company, and sometimes it's even slightly humorous, if not a little campy. I'm also not completely convinced that employees are going to be themselves when the cameras are shooting, even with the thin excuse about documenting an employed worker of some type looking at entry level jobs; especially now that the show has aired and is quite popular. But this isn't a critique of the show but a look at what the show reveals. I've noticed some specific things that seem to be common to every case.

The Sledgehammer Effect - Words to Live by Or Not
By JT O'Donnell

In my line of work, I often rely on quotes to get my point across. Why? They get audiences to step outside of their tunnel vision. It's a way of giving participants the knock upside the head they need to see things differently. When it comes to talking about careers and the workplace, there are plenty of quotes that can deliver the sledgehammer effect. Here are some of my favorites...

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.

I'm not sure who came up with it, but the first time I heard it, something clicked in my head. The idea that we can change a situation by changing our behavior made me realize how much power I have over how my life. The takeaway: it's up to us to get the results we want. And this realization actually ties to the next one:

Everything in life is a choice.

This was first said to me by my seventh grade music teacher. I honestly don't remember how we got on the subject, but the conversation was intense. A room full of students all shouted out examples of situations where we didn't feel we had a choice, ie. do our homework or get in trouble, etc. She pointed out that it was still our choice, it was just that we didn't like the consequences if we chose not to do the homework. We didn't do a note of singing that day, but that teacher's quote sang to me.

THIS MONTH'S BOOK REVIEW: The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson

Throughout the years, various prophets have preached the evils of money and the glory of a society which existed without the need for it. So far, no society has succeeded in such a utopian endeavor; in fact most who claim that goal seem only to be able to remove money from the working class, not from the elite. In a human society, we need some form of barter to secure the things we require to live, and the things we want to enjoy. Early monetary systems were pretty simple, perhaps a measure of grain in exchange for some cloth; and they seemed to work. So how did we end up with today's complex financial systems?

I'd never really considered the history of money and finance, but when The Ascent of Money, by Niall Ferguson was recommended, I decided to take a look.

Like me, most people probably don't give a lot of thought to how banks and financial institutions developed. They just are, and seem to have always been. How did the banking system evolve, what started the idea of stocks and bonds, or how today's complex financial markets came to be? Like all things though, these markets have a history that is both interesting and informative. Ferguson explains that the bond market, for instance, is a child of war. Having accumulated immense debt (and creating the term "mountain of debt") in the Tuscan wars of the 14th and 15th century, Florence was desperate for a source of funding. They decided to levy a requirement on their citizens by "borrowing" money from them with a promise to repay with interest. City officials worked their way around the early church's prohibition against charging interest by making these "loans" mandatory. A provision of the system allowed citizens to buy and sell these loans, or bonds, to each other. And a market was born.

Are leaders responsible for motivating their workers?

A good leader trys hard to learn what motivates their workers. That isn't to say you should spend all your time trying to get your workers to work. Rather, you'll get the best results by striving to understand what puts a worker "in the zone." There are those who disagree with me, saying that people should be self-motivating. Some are and that's great, but most work better with a little nudge.

Another way to look at this is to consider our own motivations. Most of us work better when that work is satisfying or when we feel we're an important part of the organization. And that's the key to motivating workers. It isn't just finding what shift they like. Rather, to truly motivate, a leader needs to understand where a person best fits and what their potential is. Then seek to help that person excel.

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Ryan cut a dashing figure. Tall, well dressed, and authoritative, he efficiently oversaw a large and far-flung logistics support company. There was a specific chain of command and he kept himself informed by receiving numerous reports in his office on how things were going throughout the company. He even visited the various parts of the operation, swooping in, getting the canned tour, and moving on. Early one morning he was awakened by a call informing him of a very serious accident in one of the company's locations. Subsequent investigation revealed that this particular location was not following safety regulations. Employee morale was low and several of the more experienced managers had recently quit. Ryan was shocked. Why didn't he know this? How could such a problem develop? He read all the reports and had even visited recently. To make matters worse, the investigation revealed that similar problems existed in other locations as well.

Why didn't Ryan know about the problems even though he read the reports and visited?

What steps can Ryan take to prevent this sort of problem in the future?

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