Or I didn’t get a harrumph outta that guy. Reviewing my Google+ circles today (January 2012), I ran across an article a friend posted from Forbes Why Large Companies Fail to Keep Their Best Talent. There is a lot of material for comment there, but this was my first impression – Why does any company tolerate an atmosphere that drives away the best and brightest? And why do the best and brightest get so quickly disenchanted with a set of senseless rules? (-editor’s note: The obvious relevant discussion is remote, hybrid, and in-person workspaces, an article shared with me on 2/13/2023.)
There is much to be said, but I will make a single point for the day. (pardon the coming gun analogy, if it triggers you move on to another post) The senseless rules are shotgun rules. Instead of actively and directly addressing an issue (i.e. using a rifle), the poor manager will make a shotgun rule – using a scattergun approach that hits everyone equally and is not enough of a hit to even get the attention of the individual situation that needs changing. Thus, there is the irritation scattered throughout the organization of buckshot under the skin and a thick-skinned ignoramus who bebops along unchanged leaving two irritations instead of one.
Over time, these shotgun rules accumulate and form a bureaucracy where only the clueless are comfortable and the best and brightest are leaving because they are not going to put up with being abused. Besides, they can’t sit down anymore due to the load of accumulated buckshot in their sitting down place. (The 2023 application: broad strokes of workplace rules instead of broad principles like work from anywhere, get your work package done in a timely fashion, and have structured collaboration windows)
Does anyone get that movie reference?