A Management paradigm shift is needed
I have seen the following quote on several “different”:http://www.estherderby.com/weblog/archive/2006_08_01_archive.html#115680247111782128 “websites”:http://brainscrum.wordpress.com/2006/08/28/the-importance-of-agile/. I found it interesting enought that I am going to repeat it here.
bq. Our prevailing system of management has destroyed our people. People are born with intrinsic motivation, self-respect, dignity, curiosity to learn, joy in learning. The forces of destruction begin with toddlers—a prize for the best halloween costume, grades in school, gold stars—and on up through the university. On the job, people, teams, and divisions are ranked, rewarded for the top, punished for the bottom. Management by Objectives, quotas, incentive pay, business plans, put together separately, division by division, cause further loss, unknown and unknowable.
The quote is attributed to the father of Japanese post-war industrialism, “Edward Deming”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming.
I am not entirely sure that I agree with it, however, with no personal knowledge to base a real opinion on, I can’t really comment any further except to say that it seems to completely go against anything Darwinian. Personally, I find a little competition to be a good thing, not a stiffling, ambition killing thing. On the other hand, I do agree that modern management leaves a lot to be desired.
