Roundup: from order to chaos, and back again

MBAs - making a comeback?

We have discussed here previously a promising trend away from the MBA as a preferable degree for new hires by businesses, and even consulting firms. Graduates of other programs - and even PhDs from other disciplines - often demonstrate a better ability to grasp and study new issues in a systematic way, producing solutions and results that better communicate with and fit the broader world.

However, according to this BusinessWeek item, recruiters are once again pursuing MBAs, looking to increase their draw from this well by nearly 20% in the coming year. Why? Because they are “looking for people with managerial and team experience.” Education doesn’t give you experience - it gives you education, and sometimes not even that - maybe only training. If these recruiters’ clients want experience, they should look inside their own firms, or poach from others’. That they aren’t might beg some examination.

Chaos at the conference

As a reaction to stage-managed conferences where decisions are announced rather than made, speeches are predictable rather than enlightening, and the format and schedule are determined from on high and interaction is closely controlled, an “unconference” movement has sprung up to address these perceived shortcomings. Announced using various social networking vehicles, potential presenters simply show up on the morning of the gathering, post their intention to speak and topic in an available time slot, and the unconference takes shape from there.

Interestingly, space for these is often provided by the sponsors of related formal conferences. Attendees are expected to participate actively, and a wi-fi connection is mandatory so they can post their observations or draw down material to contribute. Think of it as “crowd-conferencing.”

Employee grumbling - no longer just at the watercooler

Students have known for some time that there are internet sites where they can rate the capability of their professors along various parameters, and make comments. Other students can then visit these sites and use the additional information to help them make decisions about their class schedules.

According to this item from Management-Issues, there is also a site where employees can rate and discuss the work environment at their jobs. The site lists the most-loved and most-hated companies on its home page. Want to know how you’re really doing as a manager?

Lies, damned lies, and . . .

Statistics, of course. Some years ago a national political party in the US proposed a raise in national spending for a politically sensitive benefit program. The President, from the other party, countered with his own proposal for a raise in spending, but not quite as high. The first party immediately tagged that as a “cut” in spending for this program perpetrated by the President’s party, despite the fact that it was simply a lower proposal for a spending increase. Moreover, people heard what they wanted to hear, and the dissimulation was effective.

Consider these recent headlines - Productivity growth slows, and Productivity grows at a surprising clip - both reporting on the same US Labor Department statistics for the same quarter - the first one simply emphasized that the rate for the previous quarter had been higher, whereas the second one emphasized that estimates had been lower than the final result.

Everybody has an angle they’re trying to pitch, and others try to find ways around them. Make sure you know which camp you’re in at any given moment, and don’t kid yourself about where you - or those in the other camp - are coming from, or how that affects your decision-making. This is a big part of the difference between raw information and processed and considered intelligence. If you’re attentive to this, your decision-making will be more intelligently informed, and will begin to produce better results.