I can't believe I haven't run across this before. I feel like an idiot having been unaware of this for so long. Art Schneiderman coined the term and developed the concept in 1987 However it was popularized by Robert Kaplan and David Norton in a Harvard Business Review article in 1992, see the wikipedia article here. Now that I know about it I have already noticed one person talking about it. I guess this MBA program I am in right now is already starting to pay off. I'll add to this post … [Read more...]
A Million Dollars a Year
April 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Congratulations for finding my story today! I am hoping it will change your life? ACS, was on the brink of losing their biggest customers, because they couldn't complete work on time. This account was bringing in over $10 million dollars a year. Needless to say, losing this customer would devastate the company. I was assigned to help fix the late problem. Unbeknownst to me over 15 people had unsuccessfully worked on the problem for several months with out a breakthrough. I was … [Read more...]
Two is never enough
April 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Over 10 years ago, a guy told me that two was the only way to go. I was intrigued with the idea. I had a little extra cash so I got me two. I couldn't believe how much better life was with two. I was lots more productive. Luckily I have had the resources to have two or more more ever since. One time one of my friends came to visit and saw how I was hooked up and made fun of me saying "You can get by just fine with one" and proceeded to give me advice and show me how he could use one really … [Read more...]
Idiots and Fools
March 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Managers that implement these sorts of programs without finding out one simple thing are idiots and fools. What is that one simple thing? It's really just one question. "What do you want?" Then the manager, owner, fool in charge ask themselves what do I want? To stop being the idiot and the fool you realize; I can trade what I want for what they want. Reward program, compensation plan or pay scale it's all the same. I was making $9 an hour, cleaning a butchers shop, as a … [Read more...]
Do you eat what you kill? or do you beg for your supper?
March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Sometimes I wish I was a cave man. I would be in shape, strong and confident. I would constantly be hungry and that in turn would make me efficient. I am the happy, fat and lazy beggar, that sits and wait for the next handout. I read an article today that reminded me about this point. Open Forum from American Express It talked about how the industrial revolution in may ways killed creativity. The creativity that men possessed before. However it seems that creativity is returning … [Read more...]
Fear is keeping you poor
March 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Fear keeps most people poor. Sadly it's the companies that fear putting a variable pay system, also know as pay for performance in place. Variable pay is where companies pay you more if you work hard and produce more. Many sales professionals are paid this way. All doctors and dentists are paid this way. They get paid by what they do and if they get good they are paid more. I have converted many processes to pay for performance system. Every time I have done this the average pay … [Read more...]
I HATE managers
March 18, 2011 By 3 Comments
I'll say it again, I hate managers. Well more specifically Management Ego. You know where the manager says "Do it my way!" and thinks, "Because they made me the Manager, and pay me more than you, I am right." A that point I have to get out the shovel because I have to dig my way out of a load of crap. Management Ego Gets in the way of innovation. Increasing Innovation requires destroying management ego; Get rid of the ego, listen to the people doing the work, give them the tools … [Read more...]
Does pay affect performance?
March 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
HELL YES IT DOES!!! Everyone works to survive first. The problem is people can't really get started on other motivations until necessities are met. Once the basic necessities are met, then motivation will change. Do a bit of research into Maslows hierachy of needs. Another interesting conversation about motivation can be found in Daniel Pink's book "Drive" How effectively and directly pay affects performance will depend on the persons own needs/wants. There are many situations where … [Read more...]
Football? What are the real goals?
March 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I've all but given up watching ESPN! Every time I turn the channel to Sport Center, I get a little basketball, then I am slammed in the face again with more drivel about the NFL labor situation. Do I care? A bunch of wealthy guys, the players, and a small group of really really rich guys, the owners. Bickering about money. Who cares, really. If I was doing the negotiations for either side I would setup a "Pay for Performance" plan. The owners know how much each seat in each Arena … [Read more...]
Criticize the Past? or Create the Future?
March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan recounts a story about genius. "Once, at the University of California, a student got up to say that it was impossible for people of Ronald Reagan's generation to understand the next generation of young people. 'You grew up in a different world,' the student said. 'Today we have television, jet planes, space travel, nuclear energy, computers...' "When the student paused for breath, Ronnie said: 'You're right. We didn't have those things when we were … [Read more...]
