Management Information |
Can What Someone Does Off-hours Affect Your Business?
Q: How much do I have to worry about what people who are part of my far-flung "virtual" corporation do when they're not working directly for me? I can't share too many details because the situation is touchy, as you might expect, but basically I have someone working for me as a writer, contributing material for my blog, and I have been hearing that he's writing some pretty far out, offensive material on other sites. Do I need to worry about it? A: This is a difficult situation, no question, and one that comes up more and more as we've moved away from employee-as-chattel-for-life and towards plug-and-play cogs in all the machines of the modern economy. I wrestle with this myself too - every time I add a short note on this site saying "thanks to Kevin" or "Leo" or whomever, do I need to worry about their other work? My short answer: yes. Here's the longer explanation: When you hire people to join an organization, you are getting "the full package", not just their output. If you hire a receptionist who molests children at night, you've got a child molester on staff, not just a receptionist. When you have someone working for you, someone whose name is know by the rest of the community, by your customers, then you need to know more about them than just "do they turn in their projects on time?" A more realistic example: the man you've hired to write some of your content might well be a rabid poster to a hate 'zine, or write articles for a racist, sexist, bigoted or other non-mainstream publication, something that is not only against your company policy, but perhaps against your personal beliefs too. The question you need to ask yourself is: what would happen to my company's reputation if a customer put two and two together? And what if they then posted it, blogged about it, or even sent it as a tip to one of your industry publications of record? This isn't about numbers, or spreadsheets either, it's about the credibility and, ultimately, viability of your business. A book publisher who releases screeds and hate materials is forevermore tainted by them and inevitably loses credibility in the industry. A consultant who has an axe to grind is eventually out of work as potential clients learn of her biases and inability to be objective. A writer who can't differentiate between professional work and personal writing similarly has their integrity called into question - and reasonably so - as it seems like might well be happening with your situation. Remember, too, that if your customers are starting to talk about the other interests of your team, then you must listen and respond. If you don't, then you have a huge problem, because a Web site, blog, or even print publication that doesn't listen to its community is an organization that is doomed to remain irrelevant and, ultimately fail in the marketplace of ideas. In this day and age there are tons of other places people can get their news and information, and there are certainly other venues for companies to advertise their products too. I hope that helps clarify what I believe is the core issue surrounding whether you need to pay attention to what your team does when they're not working for you. It's frustrating, and it's something that should be irrelevant if everyone is acting in a completely professional manner, but it's proactive damage control. Because if something does break, something that makes your company -- and you -- look really bad, then it might be a lot more difficult to extricate yourself without looking terrible. And that's a sobering reality. Entrepreneur, writer, and management consultant Dave Taylor answers your thorniest questions, both business and technical, at the popular http://www.askdavetaylor.com/ - Ask Dave Taylor Web site. Don't forget to inquire how you can syndicate his content - for free - on your own site too.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
How Can A Communications Audit Help You? Organizations communicate in two directions: internally to staff and externally to clients, customers, shareholders, stakeholders, the media. Faulty internal communications can lead to mistakes, discouraged and unhappy staff, employees leaving the company. Marketing Miracle: Outsource Your Creative Services The current economy is causing most companies to tighten their belts. With limited staffing and a restricted budget, how do you continue to promote your business? The simple solution is the occasional or ongoing use of outside resources such as graphic designers, writers, webmasters, and other creative talent. What is Knowledge Management Anyway? When you think of all the things companies have, you do not always consider the knowledge they have. For instance, a company is only as good as its employees, its resources, and its knowledge. Sarbanes Oxley 404 Compliance - How Nov. 15, 2004 Deadline Affects You Fast Relief for Sarbanes Oxley Section 404 ComplianceSection 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires management to confirm the effectiveness of their IT and financial controls in an "internal control report", which is contained within the annual report (10-K) issued to the public. But what exactly is an internal control report, and why is it important to you?The Section 404 Internal Control ReportFirst, the internal control report must affirm management's responsibility for controls and procedure, and second, it must contain an assessment of the effectiveness of the internal controls and procedures for financial reporting. Project Management, A Forgotten Perspective Effective project managers know how to get the job done, and get it done right. Success comes not only from wise selection of the team members and utilization of the best project management software tools; effective managers know how to lead, and how to encourage project team members to do their best. Travel the World - for Free! I have been very fortunate to travel to several countries of the world while on business - countries I may have never visited on a holiday. There are pros and cons to working/doing business in a foreign country vs. Competion or Cooperation? It has been said, there is no better way to hone your skills and improve your performance, than competition. Competing with others, or even with your self, fosters continued improvement, striving for even higher goals, and an ongoing sense of achievement. Employee Surveys: a Strategic Tool for Positive Change Do you want to measure your workers' level of satisfaction? Or change policies and procedures to make them more effective? Or find out if your supervisors are stuck in out-dated ways of managing? Good Idea! But how do you make sure you are getting reliable information to make sound management decisions?When it comes to conducting quality research, a pound of prevention is worth much more than one ounce of cure. Here are five steps to turn your employee surveys into a powerful strategic change management tool. Assessing Managers for International Competence How do you select staff for international assignments? It's an important question because, no matter how effective and successful your employees may be at home, they cannot be guaranteed the same performance in a different culture-unless, that is, they can demonstrate some key competencies. But beware, these may be quite different from the competencies they need to succeed in their own environment. Selective Job Cuts Often Benefits Firm More Than Broad Layoffs Over Long Term It is difficult to pick up a newspaper or listen to a business news broadcast without being greeted with the announcement of another massive corporate layoff or cutback. The economy catches a chill and, as a result, the corporate world catches a profits "cold. Innovation Management - does the idea fit with the firm? Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Why Businesses Fail - And What You Can Do About It! Have you unintentionally set your business up for failure?No one sets out to fail! Most business owners read all thestatistics (maybe more than once) before they open theirdoors. Many know the reasons why businesses fail. Stomp Out Leeches In Your Company Recently, I felt appalled to see a political candidate running on the motto of "Demand More!" That motto oozes extreme nerve, and implies some people think it is o.k. Spotlight on Productivity: How to Overcome E-Mail Overload Do you ever feel overwhelmed by e-mail? Have you ever spent more of your day wading through your e-mail than managing your work? Are you looking for ways to spend less time creating, managing and answering messages? Discover how to overcome e-mail overload and be more productive by writing more effective e-mail messages and reducing the volume of e-mail.Write Effective E-Mail MessagesStart improving your e-mail effectiveness by creating and formatting easy to follow content, and by using pre-written responses. Innovation Management - idea selection, development and commercialisation, what are the differences? Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Five Key Strategies for Making Your Nonprofit Business More Effective I love tennis both as a spectator and a weekend player. I also believe that effective nonprofit organizations are an essential part of vibrant, engaged communities. Hold Your Applause! It's amazing what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit. Harry S Truman President Truman had decided that Secretary of State, General George Marshall's name should be attached to his plan for massive European relief following World War II. Innovation Management: Radical Innovation Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Management - Mary Poppins Style! Mary Poppins describes a style of management which has for too long been hidden in many businesses and organisations.Think about it. Innovation Management - how does the user benefit? Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. |
home | site map | contact us |