12.9 Discussion and Practice

  1. Using your favorite internet search engine, identify two companies that are known for their outstanding culture—that is, companies known for doing things their own, unique way. What do they do that makes them winners in their marketplaces?

  2. Consider Scott Adams’s list of “Management Lies.” How many of these are directly related to developing, empowering, and respecting people as a valuable asset? Find an example or two of companies that have exemplified these lies. What happened? What were the results? Why do companies mismanage people?

  3. Find an example of one company that practices job enlargement, empowerment, and accountability. You do not need to use the same company for each practice, but you can if it is appropriate. Describe what the company does and what cultural and performance benefits the company has gained.

  4. Google Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” Read the cover story, which typically describes the best company to work for in America. Then review the top 20 companies. What evidence do you see that these companies empower their workforces? How has empowerment helped these companies excel? What empowerment-enabled benefits have these companies achieved?

  5. Find a measurement system (look to work, home, or any other setting where measurement is used). Evaluate the measurement system’s appropriateness using the three measurement mottos as a checklist. On a scale of 1–10, how well is the measurement system fulfilling its various roles of providing understanding, motivating behavior, and driving execution? What would you change to improve the measurement system or individual measures?

  6. Develop a balanced scorecard for your own life. You will need to use a little imagination here. Be sure to document each step shown in Figure 12.3. If you are still living at home, discuss the scorecard with your parents. If you live with roommates (including a significant other), discuss the scorecard with them. What was the hardest part about developing the scorecard? What will be the hardest part about using the scorecard?

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