Disqus - Latest Comments for steveroesler

Re: Sometimes a simple table is best

Steve Roesler — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:48:19 -0000

Jan,

Nice job with this iteration.

I encounter clients--usually financial or engineering types--who prefer to stay with the table even when given a simpler, clearer option. They are not intentionally unreasonable. There appears to be comfort in the "familiar", even if it means working a bit longer and harder mentally.

Re: Sometimes a simple table is best

Steve Roesler — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:44:49 -0000

Jan,

Nice job sorting it out in this way.

I confess that when I've done similar representations for clients--especially financial or engineering--the response is often, "Just do it the way we're used to. We'll figure it out."

These aren't intentionally unreasonable people. There appears to be comfort with the familiar, even if it requires more mental work and time.

Re: Are You Waiting For Them To Change?

Steve Roesler — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:45:27 -0000

Don't know, Jo. Just checking in from the road using trusty iPhone. Original commenting system will be returning shortly.

Re: Talent: What You Want or What You've Got?

Steve Roesler — Sat, 31 May 2008 09:01:56 -0000

Jim,

That sounds like a challenging engagement.

I'm always struck by the fact that when people sit down to achieve what is labeled a "common goal," the human dynamics often have to get sorted out before the task can get done properly.

These can be quite frustrating, eh, Jim? Keep us posted on how this unfolds; it could be a good case study.

Re: Talent: What You Want or What You've Got?

Steve Roesler — Sat, 31 May 2008 08:45:14 -0000

Hi, Jo,

I had never thought of the "belongingness" message in those ways. Very interesting.

Hope your weekend is a refreshing one...

Re: Talent: What You Want or What You've Got?

Steve Roesler — Sat, 31 May 2008 08:42:35 -0000

David, that's certainly the idea.

The work comes when it's time to sit down and define what the specifics might be for the future talent. That requires a genuine commitment of time, energy, and in-depth discussion.

Re: All Things Workplace: Do You Offer Hope?

Steve Roesler — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:15:00 -0000

Peter,

Yep, I get your take on this.

My intent in the post was to show that if, as managers, we want people to follow us, then "survival today" will work for some period of time. The human condition is intent on knowing that there is a better day looming over the horizon--and why that is so.

I always figured that Columbus was telling his men all of the possibilities of what lay "just over the circle" while they were throwing up into what they thought was a flat sea.

Re: All Things Workplace: Do You Offer Hope?

Steve Roesler — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:06:35 -0000

David,

When you get into the present and start doing what needs to be done, what emotion does it elicit?

Hope as an unsubstantiated lifestyle is, indeed, a trap. Hope as the result of experiencing or seeing what is actually possible would be a springboard to more action for me.

Re: All Things Workplace: Do You Offer Hope?

Steve Roesler — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:01:30 -0000

Beth,

I'm following your thinking (I think:-)

The value that one offers is deemed valuable when it prompts a sense of hopefulness that something will be better as a result.

Value propositions are facts; without eliciting hopeful feelings, they remain just facts. The person who is able to tie the two together, wins.

Re: All Things Workplace: Do You Offer Hope?

Steve Roesler — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:25:43 -0000

Very kind, Robyn. Am going to think on that.

Re: All Things Workplace: Do You Offer Hope?

Steve Roesler — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:32:08 -0000

Peter,

This is a meaningful addition to the (very brief) post; it fits well, too, with Nesh's observation about the importance of fulfilling the hope.

People are very forgiving. However, too many promises unmet lead to loss of trust and the ultimate inability to offer vision and hope. The connections are clear, eh?

Re: All Things Workplace: Do You Offer Hope?

Steve Roesler — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:16:57 -0000

For sure, Nesh. I suppose I was making that assumption.

I got into this train of thought after watching a very successful executive do some much-needed trimming of fat as well as sorting out other cost factors. The employees involved understood the need for this. But then, I began to watch a visible drop in morale and engagement. It was palpable.

The reason? He offered very good solutions for today but hadn't yet painted a picture of what the future might hold once the necessary actions were taken. So, the people began to operate at a very gut level and express a sense of "hopelessness" for what lay ahead.

Re: Use Online Assessments? Spam Filter Alert!

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:22:00 -0000

Hey, Robyn, thanks for the iContact reminder. I'm familiar with them and the problem is so infrequent that I had forgotten.

However: infrequency isn't the issue when you send a number of assessments to a client only to find that the emails are ending up all over the place.

The issue, it turns out, isn't the sender. It's an issue of well-meaning but inconsistent security, firewalls, and spam filtering at different global locations. For some, there was n't even a blip; for others, it has taken up to four tries to get it through.

Re: Your Memoir (in 6 Words)

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:05:13 -0000

My past is not my future.

Re: Disqus Comment Question for Readers. Help!

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:12:03 -0000

Karin,

Hmm. I know that Daniel from Disqus is tracking this thread. Daniel, how about this?

Re: Disqus Comment Question for Readers. Help!

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:03:12 -0000

Clearly not "now"!

Re: Disqus Comment Question for Readers. Help!

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:01:53 -0000

Peter,

The community thing offers the opportunity to follow specific threads as well as follow other comments which the registrant has made on other blogs. It's pretty cool if you want to see the totality of one's work and thinking. This would work for you and me because you are a guest writer elsewhere and I would--according to my understanding--automatically be able to see where you've posted and join your conversation there. I kind of like that ability.

As for Reply vs. Comment: You can "reply" to a specific comment and it's threaded that way for easier tracking. Or, you can simply "comment" on the post itself.

I have mentioned this elsewhere but I will say it again here: I think that Daniel Ha at Disqus is on to something with this. It is not intrusive, just different and has lots of possibilities. So I am going to give him the best shot possible. He's responsive, timely, and clearly into what he's developing.

Hope that clears up at least some things, Peter. Thanks for the direct questions.

Re: Disqus Comment Question for Readers. Help!

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:49:07 -0000

Right. Thanks, Daniel.

OK: When do you sleep:-) ?

Re: Disqus Comment Question for Readers. Help!

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:48:25 -0000

Robyn,

I'm pleased to hear that you have the same take on Daniel's work. He's already responded and I'm hoping that his system blossoms. I can see the potential.

Re: Bowser Ate My Browser

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:20:06 -0000

Wally,

The tech thing is, indeed, fascinating to watch.

I recall when my wife and I were consulting together on a project in the mid '80s. We were doing training/participant manuals for a client. The system allowed us to "type" with auto spell check. At the end of 11 pages, we had to save to floppy and clear the memory before doing the next 11 pages.

We though it was heavenly...

Re: All Things Workplace: Memorial Day, U.S.A.

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:58:35 -0000

Glad to know that the statement came through clearly.

Re: Disqus Comment Question for Readers. Help!

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:54:58 -0000

Robyn,

The thorough response is helpful and appreciated. The intent here wasn't to create the common social networking kind of community but to have a way for readers and commenters to follow particular threads of posts. So from that standpoint, one could use the word "community" and it would be as good as any other description.

What I don't want to do is anything that will deter readers from commenting, since that's always been a strength here at ATW. I am hoping that Disqus will promote vs. get in the way of that.

I believe that Daniel Ha is onto something here and it is a work in progress. He is very responsive (as you can tell from him jumping into the conversation). I'm going to see if there is something else that I can do from this end to help readers get more comfortable.

Re: Disqus Comment Question for Readers. Help!

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:38:09 -0000

Well, I hope that hasn't happened before. Thanks for the heads-up. Am back today following the thread and trying to sort things out.

Re: Disqus Comment Question for Readers. Help!

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:36:51 -0000

Jo,

Appreciate you checking it out.

Re: Talent: How to Make Strengths Even Stronger

Steve Roesler — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:27:42 -0000

Chris,

It's that "fix" thing that finally got to me over the years. I watched the futility of that across the board: "Phil has this gap that he has to close here, here, and here." Well, Phil is never going to close that gap. He may get better, but if it's not in his "toolkit of life," that's not where his star will shine.

Viewing people using a gap analysis is useful to give them information on which they may choose to act. Expecting to "close" the gap is human engineering. We've already been engineered; the beneficial task for managers and organizations is to recognize the "product" accurately and hire/assign accordingly.