Comments on: mY generation: Group Dynamics

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:29:39 +0000

Thanks for the comment Donnie, and one could also ask if the “productive” person is wasting 50% of the time, is he/she really productive? In the analysis, being productive doesn’t necessarily define bounds of consistency either, though.

By: Miki Saxon

Miki Saxon — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:20:41 +0000

Hi Donnie, you have a point, but moving ahead to work on the next thing often depends on your position and manager, as well as the work itself.

Thanks for visiting and taking time to add your thoughts.

By: Donnie Berkholz

Donnie Berkholz — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:09:45 +0000

The tragedy is the time wasted by productive people when they could be busy working on the next thing. You’re no more productive if you finish earlier, then waste the next 50% of the time. It won’t get you promoted either.

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:10:13 +0000

One strategy I used in my groups was to map out every single task we were doing, have the team agree that it is a fair and balanced, distributed workload, and completed the tasks on my terms. By doing this, I was able to finish everything quickly. In fact, on multiple occasions I gave myself MORE work only to finish it hours before the rest of the team to prove a point. I am not saying I recommend this, as I had the time to do it, but the underlying idea behind the method is what’s important.

What this does is put everyone on a common ground – it makes everything transparent. In a sense, it almost divides the group into a set of individuals. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, unless you have booming chemistry it is the best way to accommodate opposite personalities. Busy people will always like busy people better than productive people (think in terms of “misery loves company”). Productive people will like the other productive people. The idea is to work “together” separately and on common terms. I didn’t run into a single other problem after we began agreeing to these common terms. I would say “I’ll crunch these numbers, translate them, write the report on them, and email it to you if you do this other task… does that sound fair?” If they said “Yes,” then as long as you finish your task, they cannot say anything.

I hope you can implement a similar system. Sometimes you can’t change people – only method.

By: Julie Eads

Julie Eads — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:03:34 +0000

Jim – I so agree. I do my work but do not stay “frantically busy” all day and I have one employee in particular that translates this into – “she has plenty of time, why isn’t she helping me” and she complains loudly about it to the other staff and my boss.

And yes Miki – it was nice to actually put a name to her behavior frankly! Since I like calm and quiet sometimes it drives me up a wall but I know it helps her deal with her day.

In the past I was determined to “change her” but perhaps I need to look at ways of helping her to understand that I really am doing work even though she doesn’t always see an end product as proof. If I could turn her energy to helping me rather than complaining we could go a long way as a team. Many things I do are on-going with no resolution. I think if she had my job she would have a nervous break down since she really likes to have something to show for her work in the end. On-going management (at least in a hospital) only occasionally has the luxury of a nice, neat end product.

By: Ducks In A Row: Do You Want Busy Or Productive?

Ducks In A Row: Do You Want Busy Or Productive? — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:31:12 +0000

[...] a comment Jim Gordon said, “In school, people are taught to do WORK and not to be productive (well, [...]

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 25 May 2009 02:06:38 +0000

I’m glad this helped you identify personalities! I found that through my group experience, I have seen each of these categories. In school, people are taught to do WORK and not to be productive (well, they don’t say “don’t be productive,” but rather “stay busy”). The problem is that of conforming to peoples’ constant need to stay busy. Often “work” is seen as productivity – if you are one who is productive and you aren’t busy, people consider that to be counter-productive. So the tragic upshot of this perception is that you have to put forth equivalent “work” alongside them. The result is a lot of work and a little production.

By: Miki Saxon

Miki Saxon — Sun, 24 May 2009 17:20:50 +0000

Hi Julie, glad you finally found a reason. I never tire of listening to people re-hash stuff. I find that I learn as much about the re-hasher as about the event. Sometimes it’s useful; sometimes it just gives me a better understanding of how they see the world. I find it’s almost always amusing in a weird way, sort of like watching their mind work through a glass window.

By: Julie Eads

Julie Eads — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:47:42 +0000

Wow – finally an explanation for the personality of one of my employees! She is so “busy discussing and re-hashing” every detail of every incident that I get tired just listening. She does manage to be fairly productive also thank heavens!