Geoffrey Colvin (2000) has highlighted the progress made by Frederick Winslow Taylor, whose name is new to me.  His ‘scientific management’ prowess reminded me of the television show, Mad Men (Weiner, M. et al2007) and even the movie Desk Set (Ephron, H., et al 1957 )(both brilliant productions I might add), and to name a few theatrical examples of the workplace in the early to mid 20th Century.  Taylor’s idea that workers are just that, workers, not people, a part of the production line.  This is something people of our current working climate can relate to and a stereotype some are trying to reestablish.

“The story of Management in the 21st century is that the job isn’t done” Colivn (2000).  I believe Colvin is right, there is so much change in society as what constitutes good management.  While organisations and management are finding what works best, there is still a lot of trial and error.  Take “Hot Desking’ as an example. This concept has been research and was about saving money based on the statistics that the chance of all staff being at work on the same day everyday is very unlike, for a variety of reasons.  However, this lack of personalisation takes its toll.  ‘Hot desking’ makes staff feel undervalued, and finding collaboration more difficult therefore, bringing down the staff moral.  Here is a video published by the Australian Psychological Society (Morrison, 2017, 2 February) published an evaluation of research relating to this example.  While the space is more modern but it appears to be a step back.  Throughout the units I have studied much success in education, and most likely other organisations, comes from great communication and collaboration.  ‘Hot desking’ is a perfect example of management ‘tinkering around the edges” (Colvin) and failing.  People are humans with emotions and need productive working relationships to maintain moral to develop positive work environment.

Colvin’s reference to The Jetsons identifies how some forward thinking management is trying to be modern in their approach and clearly be unable able to see into the future.  Colvin suggests it is hard to predict the needs for good management and that old ways are embedded in our society, they are just jazzed up with new clothing.

After making references to Mad Men and Desk Set, there are modern shows set in offices, such as Suits (Liman & Bartis, 2011), this epitomises what Colvin is saying.  Suits is set in the modern age, however, there is still the hallmarks of Taylor days of management.  If this show is indicative of how organisations are forward thinkers they will not be able to have the success with their business because “the champion managers of the Infotech Age will be those who do it the fastest and best” (Colvin).

In a very recent workplace scenario I had a team of three, myself, another teacher and a library assistant.  My library, which was shared with a government school,  placed me in a team that serviced two schools.  I treated my team/s like I would have my own class.  First thing I did was build a rapport with my team and making them feel welcome.  My team are people whose contribution I value very much.  To build these relationships, I would ask them a few questions, quite informally:

• how do you view a school library?
• What do you love about libraries?
• What would you like to implement in the library?

Among other questions, I would also spend time getting to know them as more than an employee, and focus on building trust and a relationship with them.  I organise a team dinner every term and ensure there is fun happening in the workplace – I can neither confirm or deny the use of nerf guns ;P  I believe providing opportunities for staff to develop projects of innovation builds confidence within staff.

Richard Branson has been know to say, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”  Charlie Boyle (2018) reiterated Branson’s sentiment through his reflection of listening to Branson at a Pendulum Summit, in Ireland.  I really agree with this quote, and Boyle’s reflection, it certainly can apply to e Library context.  Yes! As teacher Librarians we have the best interests of our users in mind with everything we do, but if our staff are not valued for their skills, abilities and even place in this world nothing will come to fruition.

I have just started reading “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sineck (2018), where he talks about hearing the ideas of employees first, holding your opinion and visions, as a leader till last.  The idea behind this practice is it reduces the chance of the employees being a pleaser.  If the boss gives their ideas first then the ideas of the employees are tainted by the leader’s vision and a more reluctant to share their own ideas.  Therefore, not giving a business the opportunity to be innovative or truly collaborative.  This has been something I have been practicing with help of my Principal’s mentoring.

Finally, if you would like a little laugh and don’t mind a bit of swearing, watch Kitty Flannigan’s take on ‘Hot Desking’  (Flannigan, 2018, 31 May)

 

References:

Boyle, Charlie. (2018, January 11). “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/clients-do-come-first-employees-you-take-care-your-charlie-boyle 

Colvin, G. (2000). Managing in the info era. Fortune, 141(5). Retrieved from http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2000/03/06/275231/index.htm?iid=sr-link1.

Ephron, Henry (Producer) & Lang, Walter (Director) & Ephron Phoebe & Henry (Writers). (1957). Desk Set [Motion Picture].  United States: 20th Century-Fox

Flannigan, Kitty . [The Weekly] (31 May 2018). Hot Desking: Kitty Flannigan [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwZkHC9KNGM

Liman, Doug & Bartis, Dave (Executive Producers). (2011, June 23). Suits [Television broadcast]. Toronto, Canada. Untitled Korsh Company, Hypnotic Films & Television, Universal Cable Productions and Open 4 Business Productions.

Morrison, DR. R. Psychlopaedia.org. (2 February 2017).  The psychological downside of modern offices [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYwSS7nNTB4

Sinek, Simon. (2018). Leaders Eat Last. London, UK. Penguin Books Ltd.

Weiner, Matthew; Hornbacher, Scott; Jacquemetton, Andre & Maria; and Leahy, Janet (Executive Producers). (2007, July 19). Mad Men [Television Broadcast]. California, United States: Lionsgate Television.