Tuesday

Thanks to AM on her comment regarding Andre Agassi's charitable work in LV. Coming from a baseball family, I would have thought that she would have said that Greg Maddux was the most popular athlete from Vegas.

Tuesday at the Workplace.

There was a short article on Yahoo, I think earlier today, about the 5 Most Annoying Things at Work. I didn't read the whole column, but I think it mentioned things like loud talking on cell phones and messing up the kitchenette areas as popular irritations. Those things are certainly noticeable, but for me, as a boss, people arriving late and leaving early are probably at the top of my list. And, without regard to one's position in an office's chain of command, the inability of any office building, of almost any size, to regulate heating and cooling on a consistent basis is a real downer.

I'm wondering how long any organization, in any field of endeavor, can make their environment "a wonderful place to work." WPTW. Chad Knauss, crew chief of Jimmy Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, was on the radio last night and was explaining that the success of their team and that of the #24 car was the result of the 550+ people working at Hendrick Motor Sports (HMS). The interviewer then commented that HMS was maybe not for just everyone because HMS had some conduct and uniform-type rules that not every mechanic would necessarily buy into. Knauss agreed, but said that those who stayed thought that HMS was a WPTW.

An organization that has publicly recognized success in their mission has a much better chance at being a WPTW than one who's results are less than stellar. HMS has won several championships. They are well-funded by large corporate sponsors. They know that, at this point in time, their equipment should run at the front of any race. You can't hardly see a media story that doesn't fondle over the the success and stature of HMS in their industry.

I would posit that HMS, like most success stories, is a product of the vision of a single person or a small group of key people. When that management has had the insight to make a better widget and get ahead of whatever curve might apply to their industry, there should be good times all over their horizon. How long can it last? Maybe the owner(s) make their money and decide that enough is enough. Can the "next man in" pick up the baton and not lose cadence?

Does the organization that is slightly ahead of it's creditors have the feel of a WPTW? If the owner/visionary redirects core competencies to odd-ball projects not on the regular glide-path, what happens to the WPTW? What happens when John Q. Smith the Second takes over for Dad and supplants three non-family execs in the boardroom?

What place does advancing technology play in determining how long a WPTW can stay on plane? If your business proposition is toasted by a new process, will the visionary have the ability to adjust and stay ahead of the crowd, or a least participate in the new order?

And don't underestimate the importance of a good HR Department. Knauss was right on the point of good people being the most important part of any organization. If you don't hire capable people, you don't win whatever is your race, and every battle is uphill.

My bet is that there are lots of books out there that have sliced and diced this point to fine powder. My bottom line is that if your organization is profitable, is duly recognized by peers and competitors, and has hungry visionaries who share the wealth within the enterprise, then you can maintain the WPTW title.

Thanks for reading. Have a great evening.

BCOT