27 May Management: A Practice (...right or wrong...whether it works.)

[Paul Terlemezian]

Now it is really getting interesting.

 

Drucker states (I'll paraphrase) - the patient recovers ("it works") is more important than the application of the correct scientific procedure ("right or wrong.")

 

In our current era of political correctness; legality and ethics; consumerism and values we are constantly making management decisions that tradeoff what works vs. "right or wrong."

 

Traditional classroom training would rarely (never) be six days long. It wouldn't be right to extend over a weekend or to run the class through the weekend. Whether it worked or not was not a major consideration.

 

The initial rush to "elearning" was motivated in part by the cost savings and other issues that were "wrong" with the classroom. Whether it worked or not is still being debated. Taking away the choice can impact the outcome of the debate significantly!

 

What risks are associated with focusing on"whether it works" and reducing our dependence on "right or wrong." I do not mean in the legal or ethical sense of "right or wrong." I mean the scientific sense of "right or wrong."

 

One of my favorite techniques in classroom managment is to ask the participants to turn on their hand-held devices and laptops. Is this the right thing to do? Will it work to produce the desired results?

 

What are the desired results? Undivided attention (hopefully) or confidence in the authenticity of the information being taught?