to have all the answers," says Berman. It may go against the "manager

as God" philosophy, but in most cases, she says, "the person

who is best equipped to solve a problem is the person with the problem.

There’s a benefit in getting people to grow and develop their problem

solving skills." On the other hand, if a person is struggling,

don’t play the `guess the answer in my head’ game.

coach people to find their own information. Ask questions like "What

if" and "What other information do I need" in order to

direct people’s energy, stir the creative juices, and keep your employees

engaged.

frequently asking the question "What’s in it for them?" Instead

of explaining why a new plan is good from a managerial perspective,

tell those who it will affect why it works for them, too. "If

you’re asking people to do something that’s hard, for example, they’re

going to resist," says Berman. "But if you explain that it

will help them serve their customers better and appear more competent

it will appeal to them."

criticism. Talk about the impact of the negative behavior. Criticizing

the person, says Berman, "doesn’t change anything."

correctly," says Berman, "generates creativity and change.

Thinking out of the box — it really helps people strengthen relationships."

— Melinda Sherwood

Top Of Page
Zero Defect Management: Sid Siegel

What does putting a man on the moon have to do with

running a business? Management expertise that can break through just

about any logistical barrier. The Apollo Space Program is still considered

one of the greatest managerial accomplishments of all time, and fortunately,

the knowledge gained from that extraordinary venture is stockpiled

in books and in the mind of Sid Siegel, a former NASA research

fellow and professor of management and organizational behavior at

Drexel University. "The concept behind the whole NASA research

program is that if the U.S. could be as successful at managing a project

as complicated as landing on the moon, then perhaps that process should

be studied and those management techniques could be applied."

The projected outcome of that mission dictated its place in the management

textbooks. "Probably one of the most unique characteristics about

the Apollo program is the mandate by Kennedy that there would be no

failure because he wasn’t going to risk the lives of the astronauts,"

says Siegel. "It was going to operate with zero defects; everything

was going to work. When you consider that there were a thousand companies

with various subparts, that’s an amazing thing."

For the vast number of companies that employ contract workers for

massive projects, much can still be learned from that era. Many of

the lessons learned have become academic dogma at Drexel, where Siegel

has been on the faculty since 1979. "Motivation and Leadership:

Understanding and Influencing People at Work," will be the topic

of Siegel’s workshop on Tuesday, October 12, at 9 a.m. in the Janice

Levin Building on Rockafeller Road at the Rutgers Center for Management

Development in Piscataway. Cost: $295. Call 732-445-5526.

"It’s designed for anyone whose role in an organization is to

try to get things done through other people," says Siegel. "Many

organizations rely on contractors or contingency workers on their

labor force. That brings up the issue of how do you integrate full

time employees with those who are there for a short time? How do you

deal with the learning curve?"

Siegel holds a BS in mechanical engineering from Duke University,

Class of 1958, and worked for both RCA and Corning Glass Works before

completing a PhD at Drexel, where he specializes in technology, organizational

behavior and management, public administration, and environmental

management.

One of the reasons the moon landing succeeded, says Siegel, is that

the traditional hierarchy was set aside so that the "doers"

could work alongside the managers. "Instead of the traditional

concept of goals being set by the top and the people below having

to implement them," says Siegel, "it was a bottoms-up process,

where they integrated the doers, the people back in the flight centers

who had to carry out plans, with the planners. That created a drive

to make sure the plans work."

The "zero defect" program was accomplished using a basic psychological

principle, says Siegel: "Anyone who has a say in whatever is being

done is more committed generally to making sure that it happens."

Many other management practices were tried during that era. Choosing

the best among them, Siegel suggests managers:

and understand the type of manager you are. "Understand your own

tendencies and be able to step back and realize where they aren’t

appropriate," he says.

different ways to do a job.

"In the end, the success of any manager is going to be determined

by the people that work for her or him," says Siegel. "Even

if you want to look at it selfishly, it behooves you to spend the

most time possible with your people."

many first line supervisors have trouble recognizing that they can’t

behave the same way they did before because now they are part of a

different structure," says Siegel. "It is more important for

your people to respect you than to like you. If you try to run your

organization by having people like you, then any time you have to

do things that people may not like, you will not be comfortable in

doing that."

nature of the group is that everybody is similar and therefore this

leads to a reinforcement of thinking because everybody agrees,"

says Siegel.

them to come up with a decision on what may be a leading car on a

market. Obviously they’re all going to say a Chevy."

Encouraging differing opinions was also a key element to the Apollo

project. "In NASA you weren’t afraid of `group think’ but you

did have to manage it effectively. We may have been just lucky."

Top Of Page
The Child Within Us: Michael Gelb

To be a good business man or woman, you also have to

be a good artist, scientist, and athlete, says Michael Gelb,

author of "How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci" (Delacorte,

1998, $24.95). "Leonardo was looking for truth and beauty, in

science and art, and that’s a very important skill for people —

to see the big picture."

A short-cut to emulating the classic Renaissance man, the "greatest

genius of all-time," says Gelb, is thinking more like a child.

"Wake up that childlike passion for learning," he says. "People

get more focused on trying to get the right answer rather than continuing

the process of asking questions. You can’t ignore the difficulties,

challenges, and competitive element of our world, but if you get cynical

and cold, and deadened to the world, what’s the point in succeeding?

How can you keep alive that openness, that joie de vivre?"

Gelb, a leader in the field of creative thinking and accelerated learning,

has been teaching workshops at big corporations like General Motors

for the past two decades. His Leonardo theory for gaining a competitive

edge through youthful thinking is the focal point of his presentation

Monday, October 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Bucks County Community College.

Call the Hamilton Partnership, a municipal business organization,

for more information: 609-259-5899.

If there’s any proof that Gelb’s technique to better living through

brighter thinking works, it’s that he’s never held a job he didn’t

like. "I’ve managed to follow my own passions and I continue to

make that relevant to other people," says Gelb, who grew up in

New Jersey and received a BA in psychology and philosophy from Clark

University, Class of 1973. His master’s thesis at Goddard College

turned into Gelb’s first book, "Body Learning," an introduction

to the bodywork technique created by F.M. Alexander. The Alexander

Technique is well known among performing artists who want to learn

how to decompress under stress. "It’s become a trade secret of

the theatrical profession," says Gelb, who is also a professional

juggler. In 1979 a friend asked him to participate in a five-day seminar

for Digital Equipment Corporation, the multinational high-tech company,

and since then Gelb has been teaching employees of big companies how

to enhance their memory, study skills, and creativity.

Leonardo da Vinci, the painter, the architect, and juggler, Gelb points

out, became a touchstone to an ideal in thinking. "I got this

idea about writing a book on Leonardo da Vinci when I was speaking

in Florence," he recalls. "I knew enough about Leonardo, but

to actually deliver the paper meant being open to a lot of uncertainty.

I read through several thousand pages, all the time leaving my mind

open. I didn’t try to solve the problem prematurely. I stayed with

the question. There’s a technique I teach in my book called mind mapping,

and the seven principles came out of that haze, that uncertainty."

The Seven Principles (in Italian and English):

was probably the most curious man who ever lived," says Gelb,

"and that’s why children are such great learners. Children don’t

have that false pride where they’re more concerned about being right

than exploring." Ask the question. The answer will come.

one means.

that the five senses are the ministers of your soul," he says.

"I have exercises that help people listen to music, appreciate

art, do wine tastings. It’s really a lot of fun."

terms we call it whole brain thinking," says Gelb.

being an artistic genius, he was also physically gifted, and gave

advice similar to what a holistic doctor might give today," says

Gelb.

Look for the universal themes in everything.

to the hazy mysterious quality in Leonardo’s paintings, like the Mona

Lisa, says Gelb. "What it represents is the idea that if you’re

going to be curious and think for yourself, the result will be more

questions and more uncertainty. And one of the most distinguishing

characteristics of highly creative people is to be open to the unknown.

at a chamber meeting? Only because you will be more effective, says

Gelb. "The external appearance is not important. It’s the quality

of your inner life that’s important," says Gelb. Besides, you’ll

convey an air of mystery that will keep people constantly intrigued.

"The more I studied about Leonardo the greater the mystery became."

Top Of Page
IRS and Non-Profits

Have you always wondered how your favorite charity kept

its books? What percentage of its funds go for frills? A new public

disclosure rule requires that non-profit organizations make copies

of their Form 990 and 990-EZ more readily available to the public,

by providing copies of their three most recent annual returns with

their exempt application to an organization that requests it within

30 days of the request. The rules, in the IRC section 6104 (d), can

be viewed at the http://www.independentsector.org

Top Of Page
Corporate Angels

The Professional Insurance Agents of New Jersey,

which held its 16th Annual Golf Classic on September 13, raised more

money for the Special Olympics of New Jersey this year than in prior

years. The total amount, $29,200, will be used to support year-round

sports training and athletic competition for 12,000 children and adults

with developmental disabilities. Call 800-366-NJSO.

will provide $7.4 million in grants for new computers and technology

in disadvantaged school districts. The ACE program (Access-Collaboration-Equity)

will provide grants ranging from $85,000 to $200,00 to 50 recipients

in the 2000-2001 school year. Prudential will fund a development person

to work with selected schools and identify sources of funding and

in-kind donations, and the business community, through Tech Corps

New Jersey and the Business Coalition for Education Excellence, will

help the schools implement support staff for the computers, which

will go in libraries, housing complexes, schools, and community centers.

Call 609-777-2600.

Corrections or additions?

— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.