Was Bolt’s fate typical for a whistler’s? Yes, it was. His means of communication were not acceptable. It was against the rules and norms of the company, and this made him be thrown out. No one was allowed to associate with him because of his unethical actions. In your previous experience, have you been associated with a Drew Bolt type character? What did they do? What happened to them? I have associated with such people in my life. They were excited, and they felt that they knew what to be done tempting them to do things in their own way.
Because of that, they got frustrated because they were not supported; in fact they were fired because the management felt that they cost the company in case they are allowed to continue with such behavior. Chapter 44 Why is so much importance attached to status symbols? Status of person is vital because it can portray his or her ability. It creates an image of that person to the rest of the public. For instance, somebody driving a new BMW just be financially stable, respected businessman or a person working in a big company. Stanley hold a mere rank in a certain company.
This is a clear indicator that he does not own an expensive office unlike Faust who has an expensive office. After our discussion of Chapter 40 and 44, do you feel differently about symbols? It does not create a significant impact reading on a paper; however, it is essential when it is used to reflect a certain company. The Stanley office is a clear indicator that he does not own any rank in the company. On the other hand, Tee’s office shows that he is the head of a certain department in the company. Have you had any previous experiences similar to the ones described in this chapter?
Personally I have not witnessed that, but I know that such cases are seen in companies. Common employees in the totem pole are allocated to the simple offices with no windows with a shared cubicle. And 44? Yes, if at all I will have an office in the future. Depending on the responsibilities and the nature of the work, I will ensure that my office is neither too private nor institutional. Furthermore, I will make sure that my office is approachable and certain status at the same time. Chapter 45 Why did Ben take the Actions he did?
Ben wanted to arrange all the records in a proper manner for easy reference. It is essential to have the records in a certain manner for easy access and also to be used as evidence that the work was done. Were the actions that Ben took ethical? According to my opinion, Ben acted in a certain manner because of the situation. Yes, I agree that Ben’s actions were unethical. However, it is evident that Ben had acted hat way because of threats. If Ben could have done it in another way (the ethical way), the consequence could have been worse; I guess.
Can you summarize the lesson of this chapter in a commonplace expression? At the end of the chapter, Stanley made it clear, “Actions speak louder than words”. What function is served by “corporate witch hunts”? Corporate witch hunts serve an essential function. In many cases, it makes an example out of a person with a weird behavior (regardless of whether the action is acceptable or not) and can bring to an end unwanted behavior. In your previous experience have you seen any similar actions taken by a manager? Yes, I have seen.
There was shift manager who was heavily investigated and finally fired for an action that was common in that company; everyone wisecracking it. Chapter 46 What did Ben achieve through his use of humor? Ben was able to utilize his humor in not only isolating Ted but also redirecting the agenda. I will apply the strategy depending on the situation. I will use the same humor if I am a plant manager Just like Ben. This is because of the status I will own; I will be a manager with the necessary powers,but if I am a subordinate, I will be forced to act carefully.
What risks are involved in Ben’s approach? The approach, which Ben uses, can sometimes be ineffective. This is because some staff members may fail to see the humor and they can easily get demoralized. This can easily land Ben in trouble for offending all members in the meeting. What is the main reason that Ben was able to get away with making a Joke of Tee’s program without any consequences? Ben has been a manager for years with enough experience of handling such issues. He understands Tee’s Job, and he is well equipped with old ways of the plant.
He has dealt with such a program before for many times and this makes it confident and can joke about it all the he wants. Have you ever witnessed an individual try to use a similar approach to Ben’s with much different results? Yes, I remember a manager who found himself in big troubles because of his simple jokes. He had used his humor to invalidate the complaints made by subordinate staff. All the workers warm-blooded, forcing some to resign and that affected the performance of the company.
