Comments on: Balancing diligence and laziness http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:46:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: En Avant » Blog Archive » Von Manstein's 4 Officer Types - adapted for managers http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/comment-page-1/#comment-148914 En Avant » Blog Archive » Von Manstein's 4 Officer Types - adapted for managers Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:22:17 +0000 http://fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/#comment-148914 [...] more opinions, look at Jim McGee and Carmen Coyote, amongst others. Trackback [...] [...] more opinions, look at Jim McGee and Carmen Coyote, amongst others. Trackback [...]

]]> By: Zen and Web 2.0? Easier said than done. « Green Tea Ice Cream http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/comment-page-1/#comment-9641 Zen and Web 2.0? Easier said than done. « Green Tea Ice Cream Sat, 12 May 2007 12:25:59 +0000 http://fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/#comment-9641 [...] Now in terms of Von Manstein’s matrix (see FASTForward), I’m definitely on the lazy line with ambitions to be thought as smart (who doesn’t?)  So hard work isn’t something I necessarily go looking for if I can find a smart way of getting something done faster.  And something that needs to be said clearly is that Zen is very hard work indeed. The other statement that made me a little uneasy was: “This notion of the minimal is hugely important within the teachings of zen, turning into the idea that you channel the energy, or features, that are interesting to you as a user.” [...] [...] Now in terms of Von Manstein’s matrix (see FASTForward), I’m definitely on the lazy line with ambitions to be thought as smart (who doesn’t?)  So hard work isn’t something I necessarily go looking for if I can find a smart way of getting something done faster.  And something that needs to be said clearly is that Zen is very hard work indeed. The other statement that made me a little uneasy was: “This notion of the minimal is hugely important within the teachings of zen, turning into the idea that you channel the energy, or features, that are interesting to you as a user.” [...]

]]> By: barriers to innovation « insights on business, processes and solutions http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/comment-page-1/#comment-9014 barriers to innovation « insights on business, processes and solutions Tue, 08 May 2007 03:04:20 +0000 http://fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/#comment-9014 [...] Jim McGee had a great post on the Fast Forward blog, Balancing diligence and laziness. He begins with a reference to the work of General Erich Von Manstein (1887-1973) on the German Officer Corps. Erich mapped a 2 x 2 matrix with laziness/diligence on one side and smart/stupid on the other. He said the stupid lazy people can be ignored as they do no harm. It is the stupid diligent people that are the biggest threat to the organization. The smart diligent people become middle management and the smart lazy people become senior management. Jim adds to this, “…our Puritan/Calvinist heritage still dominates reward and evaluation systems. Regardless of the actual importance of thought and reflection to long-term organizational success, you are better off looking busy than looking like you are thinking.”I have seen this happen in so many organizations. Where middle management that aspires to senior management will watch when the senior guys get to work and make sure they are there earlier to be seen looking busy. There was even one consulting firm that I partnered with that took this to an extreme. I will not name them but it was not one of my employers, only a partner. They saw that their goal was to instill a workaholic nature in their client’s employees. They would spend long hours doing planning sessions. They would be sure to arrive before the employees and leave afterwards. Often they dragged in the employees to their endless planning sessions. Eventually, when they did not produce much besides detailed analysis and plans, their numbers would diminish and then they would get kicked out. The employees would be glad to see them go. They made us look good since the firm I was with at the time focused on having a good time, working as short hours as possible, but producing tangible results. That has been my work ethic.Jim posed some useful questions at the end of his post.What alternate terms than diligence and laziness could we use to better frame the issue?How important is it to carve out times and places to engage in visible laziness within organizations?Is this a problem that needs to be solved at the organizational level? For which types of organization?What barriers to innovation, if any, does a bias toward diligence create? [...] [...] Jim McGee had a great post on the Fast Forward blog, Balancing diligence and laziness. He begins with a reference to the work of General Erich Von Manstein (1887-1973) on the German Officer Corps. Erich mapped a 2 x 2 matrix with laziness/diligence on one side and smart/stupid on the other. He said the stupid lazy people can be ignored as they do no harm. It is the stupid diligent people that are the biggest threat to the organization. The smart diligent people become middle management and the smart lazy people become senior management. Jim adds to this, “…our Puritan/Calvinist heritage still dominates reward and evaluation systems. Regardless of the actual importance of thought and reflection to long-term organizational success, you are better off looking busy than looking like you are thinking.”I have seen this happen in so many organizations. Where middle management that aspires to senior management will watch when the senior guys get to work and make sure they are there earlier to be seen looking busy. There was even one consulting firm that I partnered with that took this to an extreme. I will not name them but it was not one of my employers, only a partner. They saw that their goal was to instill a workaholic nature in their client’s employees. They would spend long hours doing planning sessions. They would be sure to arrive before the employees and leave afterwards. Often they dragged in the employees to their endless planning sessions. Eventually, when they did not produce much besides detailed analysis and plans, their numbers would diminish and then they would get kicked out. The employees would be glad to see them go. They made us look good since the firm I was with at the time focused on having a good time, working as short hours as possible, but producing tangible results. That has been my work ethic.Jim posed some useful questions at the end of his post.What alternate terms than diligence and laziness could we use to better frame the issue?How important is it to carve out times and places to engage in visible laziness within organizations?Is this a problem that needs to be solved at the organizational level? For which types of organization?What barriers to innovation, if any, does a bias toward diligence create? [...]

]]> By: Need Time to Reflect, Process, Catch Up « Random Mutterings http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/comment-page-1/#comment-7488 Need Time to Reflect, Process, Catch Up « Random Mutterings Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:32:55 +0000 http://fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/#comment-7488 [...] I’ve noticed a lot of talk on the blogs lately about the curse of busyness, of not being able to work the way that works best for you, of being in reactive mode and not having time to do some old-fashioned thinking. I’ve even seen posts about how to sneak in think time but still look busy, if the culture you’re in happens to value busyness above all. The most difficult thing to do is to set boundaries, to say no to all the meeting requests and invitations and crises-of-the-day, and set aside the space to do what you need to do. At least, this is proving very difficult for me to do at this time. [...] [...] I’ve noticed a lot of talk on the blogs lately about the curse of busyness, of not being able to work the way that works best for you, of being in reactive mode and not having time to do some old-fashioned thinking. I’ve even seen posts about how to sneak in think time but still look busy, if the culture you’re in happens to value busyness above all. The most difficult thing to do is to set boundaries, to say no to all the meeting requests and invitations and crises-of-the-day, and set aside the space to do what you need to do. At least, this is proving very difficult for me to do at this time. [...]

]]> By: Bill Ives http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/comment-page-1/#comment-7337 Bill Ives Tue, 24 Apr 2007 15:07:23 +0000 http://fastforwardblog.com/2007/04/21/balancing-diligence-and-laziness/#comment-7337 Jim Great post. I remember partnering with another consulting compnay on several engagements that had the appear busy ethic to the extreme. I will not name them to protect the guilty but it was not one of my past employers. Anyway, they felt their mission was to instill a workaholic nature in their client's employees. They would observe the work habits of their clients and be sure to arrive before they did and stay after they left. This did not work well with the rank and file since they seldom prodcued anything of value beyond planning detailed documents and their engagement numbers tended to go down over time unitl they were kicked out. Bill Jim

Great post. I remember partnering with another consulting compnay on several engagements that had the appear busy ethic to the extreme. I will not name them to protect the guilty but it was not one of my past employers. Anyway, they felt their mission was to instill a workaholic nature in their client’s employees. They would observe the work habits of their clients and be sure to arrive before they did and stay after they left. This did not work well with the rank and file since they seldom prodcued anything of value beyond planning detailed documents and their engagement numbers tended to go down over time unitl they were kicked out. Bill

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