Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Form Supporting Function

Great to read about the Steelcase Cobi chair in the July 28 BusinessWeek. Finally, a design that seeks to make sitting backward a bit more comfortable. When the function is creative thinking and brainstorming, two feet on the floor with knees at ninety degree angles facing front is not always the most effective form.
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Friday, July 25, 2008

Chickens, Eggs & Other Ponderings

Organizational development is at the core of fostering and focusing (or re-focusing) the essence of a company. Delivering on that essence by creating and shaping experiences through operations, marketing, etc. not only stems from organizational development but also requires the ongoing reinforcement of the organizational principles. Link the thinking and you drive the organization forward.
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Productivity Stat

"If you have low morale, for every $1 you spend, you get about 25 cents of value. If you have high morale, for every $1 you spend, you get about $3 of value. Companies should pay more attention to morale."
-- Brad Bird, director of two Academy Award winning animated films
(The Incredibles and Ratatouille) as intereviewed in McKinsey Quarterly.

From my experience, building higher morale is less about fun and games in the office and more about respecting people for the contributions and their challenges. It's about clarifying objectives, sparking curiosity and communicating with people as openly as possible. When people understand the rationale of decisions, they are able to commit more quickly.
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