Category Archives: Definitions

#116 Three types of barriers

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All communication, problem solving, and conflict situations in the workplace can be attributed to three reasons:

  • Technical: This is a real problem, that everyone can agree to. Shortage of resources, lack of funds, lack of expertise, the absence of a capability, or a breakdown in the tools used to perform work. Time, money, and education will usually fix this type of problem.
  • Political: Symptoms are turf wars, and defending prior decisions that are clearly indefensible. When co-workers are more careful about their ego than their problem, the alarm bells should go off in your head.
  • Emotional: This may be completely non-judgmental when it is cultural. Meaning, if you don’t follow protocol when making a request, co-workers will get upset. Or it might be judgmental, accompanied by bad behavior, sarcasm, snarky comments and the like. This may be just poor etiquette and manners or it may just be a symptom of “political.”

Usually, the problem is a mix of the three, so you have be cautious about being blindsided by any of them. Once you settle on the root cause, double check for the other two as well.

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#111 Follow the money

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It took me a while to understand this advice to follow the money in the workplace (thanks Bill). I could not find a proper definition, so decided to explain my interpretation of what this means in your workplace.

You have an idea, a killer idea that will make money or save money. Or you see inefficiencies that can be eliminated with some investment to lay a proper foundation of policies, processes, and systems. Unfortunately, even after a lot of head nodding no budget is forthcoming.

Unless you are prepared to undertake a skunk work to prove feasibility or gather momentum, you may be better of if you put your idea on the back burner. True innovation will take place when you or your co-worker will take a bold risk and put your reputation on the line to make a difference. But it would be foolish to go on a crusade unless your deepest values have been offended.

Funding is a proxy to the organization’s recognition that the problem is worth solving, and worth solving now. Do not, I repeat, do not get frustrated at the slow pace of change or the lack of funding. There are any number of reasons for lack of funding: poor cash flow, no executive buy in for the idea, the timing is not right, and (shudder) you may not be the right person for the job.

If you can’t give up on your idea, continue to noodle on creative ways to get the funding. If your idea is worth dying for, just make sure it is worth it, and you enjoy the journey.

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