| Dr. Thad Woodard spoke of "learned helplesness" on public-radio, ("Line-One, Your Health Connection," 10-27-03, 7:00 pm., KSKA Anchorage Alaska). I paraphrase here: "[This phenomena was first identified many years ago. A playfull group of dogs was put into a room with exposed wires embedded in the floor. Excruciating electric shocks apeared randomly. As hope of escape faded, learned-helplessness set in. Those dogs were changed by that experience: they became leary and withdrawn. In my opinion, humans are simmilarly vulnerable. Helplessness saps vital ambition. This finding begs the question: Is vitality an outgrowth of empowerment? |
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| My vision of the Ideal Organization: All team members effect strategic direction: insight is respected regardless of origin. Team members see their' inputs expressed in the form of procedure, policy, and culture. They make tweaks as they see fit. Sometimes they make quantum leaps, propelled by creativity. |
| Helplessness--the insideous killer: |
| Mandrex makes patients hallucinate! Who's the wise guy? |
| Lock eye-contact with that unknown-dog--for over seven seconds--and it's an act of aggression? . . . is there a human corollary? |
| The best gift doesn't cost anything: respect. |
| Accuracy and sincerity don't alone assure authenticity. Authenticity appears as consensus forms, about the meaning of what is seen. People buy-in while moving a project toward perfection. We naturally champion what we preach. |
| HUH? |
| (Unsubstantiated--but from credible sources.) |
| Authoritarian managers can be bullies in the extreme. Noted author, James McGregor Burns, coined the term "Theory-X" to describe management through coercive power based on formal authority. At the other end of his spectrum, "Theory-Y" managers wield trust, empowerment, intrinsic motivators, and goal congruence. |
| People get demotivated if ignored, especially when it comes to decision-making that effects them. At the emotional level, tit-for-tat justice begs for a return volley: in the form of passive-aggressive or halfhearted participation. Left-out, clueless, and possibly brooding, we may get a lingering triple-whammy dumbing-down. |