A Tired Workforce Are We

I have noticed that bosses tend to think that there is no end to the loyalty or effort that a workforce can offer. At my campus we have 5 day faculty pulling shifts on the night shift. We can't seem to keep our night shift fully staffed.

One of those people pulling the night shift is my direct boss. She has a full plate all day long and then pulls a night shift. But, she isn't permitted to stay in the classroom. Because she is teaching on the night shift doesn't mean she will be relieved of her duties as an administrator. If anything goes wrong--and it usually does--her classroom activities are interrupted so that she can deal with these issues. The interruptions of her class will occur even when there is a Manager of the Day (MoD) on duty who is supposed to handle these issues. It's real hell when she is the MoD.

But what does this say about the approach to our students? What does this say about how corporate (or even our own executive director) thinks regarding the value of employees (both faculty and staff). The excrement they are shoveling falls hard.

Still, the enrollment budget calls for 95 students this month even though there may only be room for about 45... the fecal material keeps flowing.

WARNING: Contains Sexually Explicit Material

A day or two ago I learned that a couple of my students went to their previous instructor to complain about me using sexually explicit terms in class. Well, it is true. I did use sexually explicit terms in the classroom. I had to use these terms because I was teaching an anatomy course which included a brief summary of all the basic anatomical and physiological systems, including the reproductive systems.

In context, we were taking about the correct anatomical terms for male and female genitalia. Some of my students are young. Chronologically they have reached the age of majority, but psychologically and socially some are still in their early teens. So, to emphasize the point of using proper terminology I addressed the issue of NOT using slang or anatomically incorrect terms by talking about how our families reference our genitalia. In the process we discussed how we (human beings) often experience difficulty discussing sexual and reproductive issues, even in a medical context. I cited my mother's reference for genitalia as an example, calling upon my students to think about how they are teaching their children, or were taught when they were children.

My mother referenced the penis as a "tallywhacker." My dear sweet mother referenced the vagina as a "cracker." Using those terms in class to illustrate the need for universality in terminology and medical reference (and medical terminology is built into this course), I pointed out that these would be inappropriate in the medical setting. I correctly labeled the genitalia and moved on.

In another class session we were discussing the body's reaction to stress. Addressing stress is quite appropriate for these students as they are in training to become massage therapists. One of the major purposes of seeking massage therapy is to deal with stress. In this discussion I introducted the General Adaptation Syndrome which involves sympathetic and parasympathetic neurological response. I talked about stress producing events like being in front of a class doing an oral presentation of a research topic. Giving another example I evoked the image of being in a school yard fight. We discussed the release of epinepherine (adrenalin), norepinepherine, cortisol, homocysteine and how stress can cause an inflammatory response. In an effort to further illustrate the issues of stress, I discussed that sexual intimacy that leads to sexual arousal also releases epinepherine and norepinepherine, as well as cortisol and homocysteine. In an effort to be a bit humorous, I made a comment about anatomical and physiological the similarities between being confronted by a mugger and being aroused by a intimate significant other in the back seat of a '57 Chevy.

Not one student came to me to express any concerns. I perceived a lot of head nodding, attentiveness to my lecture and presentation, and, judging by behaviors and body language, understanding of the cyclic nature of the GAS, as well as the difference between "good stress" and "bad stress." We went on to discuss the effects of stress in terms of somatic complaints, behaviors, communication, intimacy and so forth.

Lo and behold, my boss approaches me with the issues and concerns. Now one has to get a mental picture of my campus and my teaching duties. I teach Medical Assisting, Medical Administrative Assisting, Massage Therapy and Pharmacy Technician courses, including Anatomy & Physiology, Specimen Collection, Phlebotomy, EKG, Interpersonal Relations & Communication, Legal Aspects of Allied Health and more. Approximately 98% of the student enrollment are women, most of whom are under twenty-five. At least 40% of the population is Hispanic. Some 8-10% are Asian. About 70% are single parents with multiple children. If these folks don't know the medical and anatomical names for sexual organs or sexual acts, they certainly know the street names and references. I spend a great deal of time conveying the idea that a medical professional must use terms that are appropriate.

Over the last 20 months I must have taught classes that REQUIRE discussion of sexually/medically explicit information (i.e. Aseptic Technique and Reproductive Anatomy) to about 300 women. Not once, until now, has there ever been a complaint about me "crossing the line." Yes, I employ humor, but I talk about how humor is often used to make us feel more comfortable discussing uncomfortable topics before the discussion begins.
Fortunately, my boss has been in my classes during such time and has DOCUMENTED in official observation reports how well I "dance around delicate anatomical topics with humor, effectiveness and impact without offending anyone."

So the issue was investigated, I was approached with the concerns, and we all came up with the same answer: the students (2) doing the complaining had just been addressed about professionalism, coming to class prepared, and excessive tardiness... Hmmmm... Seems like there is an effort to get back at the teacher.

Just to be safe, I had a third party observer in my class for a short while in the last session. We were discussing the anatomical planes and references, as well as the integumentary system. As massage therapists my students may face a situation of sexual arousal in massage clients merely due to the stimulation of the skin, nerve endings and erogenous zones. My observer reported that I handled the discussion well. It was at times humorous, but effective and accurate.

Life moves on... But did you hear the one about the nun that snuck a man into the convent on the hill in Switzerland? :-)

The Paradox of Quality - or - Why I Don't Want To Go To Work Today

I do not want to go to work today. It is half-past midnight and I have awoken from a dead sleep to come downstairs to write this note. I do not want to go to work today. As I have stated before, I love teaching, but I do not want to teach today.

These feelings are not directed toward my students. My class is full of eager beavers that want nothing more than to get the education for which they are paying dearly (almost $13,000 US). I do believe that some of my students would sacrifice their own egos just to get a good grade from the process. It is difficult for my students because I warn them that getting an "A" is not the ultimate goal. My standards are much more demanding. I want my students to succeed at learning... and if they get an "A" that is alraight as well. I don't want to push through a class of grade chasers. Being in the medical field requires more than just being smart enough to pass the test. Ultimately my students will have to pass the test of whether or not they can relate to people who are sick, afraid, confused and worried. In my efforts as a teacher I have to give them the knowledge, skills and abilities that are needed, but more importantly I have to give them the sense of compassion, empathy and understanding that will be needed when they work with someone who has just been diagnosed with AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer's or some other scourge of being human.

But I do not want to go to work today. My bosses are sell outs. They have allowed corporate morons who do not understand the purpose, function, process or value of education to make poor choices and implement assinine decisions. Corporate has held out a product with the promise of quality. The advertisements clearly clarion the quality of the experience at our facility. The sales pitch given while showing the potential student the programs includes such words as "quality," "state of the art equipment," "individualized attention," "small class size," and "caring faculty and staff." How is it then that the way corporate operates makes me feel ashamed of my role in the corporate entity? Why do I feel like I was asked to lie to my students this past Friday (and many other days)?

It is clear to me that the only thing that matters to my bosses is the job... not doing the job well... just doing the job as dictated by corporate. The only thing that matters to corporate are the numbers: numbers of enrollees; numbers that pass the financial aid process; numbers that can pay their monthly balances; numbers that pass each course; numbers that remain enrolled; numbers that graduate... and ultimately the number of dollars flowing into the owners' pockets.
When did we throw out the idea that there was an obligation to care about quality of the service, quality of the experience and quality of the education? When did our society abandon the values that "made America great"? What happened to the value espoused by my father and my grandparents: "If a job is worth doing it is worth doing right." Why have we sacrificed our basic value of the RELATIONSHIP between customer and provider? Why is it we can just arbitrarily throw out any semblance of caring about the product, service or experience in favor of making the almighty buck? Can a teacher afford to throw out basic values so that someone makes a buck?

Doesn't all of the world's sacred literature call for a teacher to be held to a higher standard? Isn't it "haram" (unholy) for a teacher to put profit above the responsibility of genuinely teaching a discipline or knowledge?

I love teaching because I impact the world through doing my teaching well. It is not a great impact. Sometimes it is very small indeed. Sometimes I feel the greatest when I am doing the least of what I do... merely affirming the value of a student who is experiencing anxiety, self-doubt, fear of failure, fear of success, or the overwhelming feeling of time and social forces rushing by like a thunderous current of floodwaters.

I do not teach for myself. There may have been a time early in my career that I did not understand that reality. I was young and inexperienced then. But even then the hand of God kept me from teaching strictly for myself. I teach because teaching is my way... my path to God. Teaching is a humbling experience in many ways. It is a process that demands sacrifice and hard work. It requires the teacher to be strong enough to take angry remarks and emotions in one moment, and stronger still to find the time and energy to help that very same student despite the anger and outbursts experienced.

But I do not feel much like a teacher today. Moreover, I feel like a puppet on a string that will dance to the tune played by those that "own" the company for which I work. I fully realize that they own the resources by which I teach... but somehow I can't help but assess that they do not profit except by the service I provide inside the facilty provided by them. The classroom isn't a classroom unless students are learning within it. A school is only as good as the quality of students it produces. Good students are only produced by a process that is committed to the students.

There is a peculiar paradox here... if we committed ourselves to quality at our workplace, then the money would come rolling on in. I don't say this without support. Tom Peters talks about this paradox in every book on quality and excellence he has ever written. The Bible speaks to providing quality in our work and commitment in our service to others. Deming spoke to the issue of quality being a driving force for profit as well as service.

Why is it my bosses have devalued the very values that would make them richer... and better serve the students enrolled at our campus?

The Cards Stack Up Against Us

This week I had an interesting chat with some of our "Admission Reps" that are responsible for soliciting the enrollment for our various curricular offerings. As we chatted away we found agreement that there was an inherent conflict between education (offering courses for the betterment of the individuals enrolling at our school) and using "sales quotas" for admissions. In fact, I learned from this discussion that several reps are on the hotseat this month because their particular numbers for various curricular offerings are down.

Now it is not the case that these reps have not made an effort to recruit and enroll students. It is often the case that their particular number of enrollees exceed the required quota in the overall sense, but not in particular programs. For instance, one rep shared that her numbers were high for the Medical Assisting program and other Allied Health offerings, but down for the technical offerings (PC Repair, Network Administration, etc.). She indicated that she was on the verge of being fired if the numbers for other programs do not rise.

As our conversation continued I learned that several students enroll but fail to pass the requirments for financial aid. Now our Financial Aid Department is run by a very competent individual (at least that is my take on the matter). She will not violate federal or state law to get a student enrolled, but she does everything that can be done for every student that comes through her door. But, despite her efforts, there are rules and sometimes the rules call for a student to pay out of pocket. Our programs are expensive. Our students, on the whole, are lower income people seeking a way to improve their lot in life. These two parameters do not coincide in such a manner as to create a means for paying out of pocket.

The fact that these students do not pass the financial aid certifcation is counted against the admissions (sales) rep that enrolled them in the first place. There is nothing within the scope of practice of the admissions rep that would allow them to change that potential student's status. It seems unfair that this is used to evaluate the rep's performance when there is nothing that can be done to change the issue.

Then I learned that the admission reps get a bonus of $15.00 whenever a student graduates from a program. In my mind it is the hard work of the faculty that gets these students through the program. It is the faculty that spends hours working with students that are enrolled without the ability to communicate effectely in English. It is the faculty that spend time and energy getting students prepared to learn, focused to learn, and learning. Somehow I think the folks at corporate don't seem to understand that it is the faculty that get the students to the procession line at graduation.

Now, faculty members have a bonus program. Not a single faculty member is sure of how it works, but we know that if a student sits in our classroom for 1 day or more, and then decides that the program is not for them--for whatever reason--then the bonus is lost. Now we have a lot of single mothers enrolled in our programs. Many do not have reliable transportation resources. Some are so poor that they are living hand-to-fist, and many times the hand and fist are empty. We have had students quit because their children are ill and their efforts to manage school, work and the medical needs of their family collapse upon them.

There is an inherent unfairness in the operation and conduct of proprietary career schools. The cost is outrageous and the quality is completely dependent upon the faculty member in the classroom. There are no appropriate accreditation standards or agencies. Students are told that the credits from our programs MIGHT transfer to other schools, but I have yet to find a local school that accepts our credits. Then, too, we advertise that we accept credit from other schools and allow testing out of our courses, but the practice is strongly discouraged.

I walk into my classroom with the message that success is a product of attitude, persistence and perspiration. I believe that message is true. However, I also recognize that the cards are stacked against the proposition.

Twelve Cardinal Rules of Professionalism

TWELVE CARDINAL RULES OF PROFESSIONALISM

DON'T WASTE MY TIME. My time is valuable. I hardly ever have enough of it to go around. When you waste my time you rob me of something more precious than gold. If you make me pursue superfluous matters you become a thief. If you want my help, ask and it shall be yours. But don't ask me to chase my tail.

TRUST ME. Trust, like good communications, is an essential key to a good working relationship. If you trust me, I will trust you. If I feel I cannot trust you, then I will act in a defensive manner. If you feel that you cannot trust me, then we will not communicate effectively. If we are professionals, then we should be able to be trusted. The absence of trust is the beginning of failure.

DON'T PUT ME AT RISK. Don't put my life, my career, my livelihood, or my well-being at risk. Pay me when you tell me you are going to pay me. Pay me what you are supposed to pay me. Make sure my benefits are well planned and fully implemented. Help me problem-solve when issues arise involving benefits, payroll and work schedules. Provide me with feedback on my performance. Don't play office politics with my career.

PLAN MEETINGS PROPERLY. Plan all meetings, even the emergency meetings. Schedule meetings well in advance. Announce the meetings well in advance. Send out reminders. Create an agenda. Develop a clear set of objectives and goals. Set up an action items list. Assign follow-up responsibilities. Stay focused and manage the time effectively. Publish minutes or summary notes as soon as possible.

DON'T ADD TO MY PLATE. As a professional, I have a full plate. I am always willing to assist where and when I can. I am a team player. But I don't want to clean up your messes, nor do I want to take on your tasks. I go the extra mile whenever I can to make sure I don't dump my load onto any one else's plate. But I do not appreciate it when someone else fails to do as expected.

COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY. Good communications is an essential key to effective and good working relationships. If you have something to say, then say it with an understanding of the listener. If you have a complaint, use tact. If you have praise, make it complimentary, but don't over do it. If it's important, write it down. If there is a deadline, make sure everyone knows about it. Make sure we understand each other.

PROBLEM-SOLVE. Don't make excuses. Don't tell me it can't be done. Help me find a way to get it done. Help me to conquer obstacles and barriers. If I came to you for help or advice, then excuses will only breed mistrust and frustration. Assist me to head off small problems before they become big problems.

FOLLOW-UP. If you say you're going to do something, then do it. If you can't do it, then don't make excuses, explain the circumstances. Be careful about making promises you can't keep. Check in with me to see if I need anything to meet deadlines or accomplish goals.

GIVE ME THE TOOLS. Make sure I have the tools I need to do the job. Don't make me chase down tools, supplies, information or resources unnecessarily. Don't make me wait for supplies unnecessarily. Don't make me beg. Don't make me resort to my own devices to get through red tape.

RESPECT MY ROLE. Let me do my job. Don't ask me to do tasks that belong to another, except in emergencies. I will pursue my role in the best way I know how. I will use the resources, knowledge, skills and abilities that are at my disposal. I will go the extra mile to get the job done. But don't disrespect my efforts, my abilities, my knowledge, or my skill.

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES. Make sure training is relevant, level appropriate, meaningful and challenging. Don't make me sit through training sessions for subjects I have already mastered. Challenge me to learn, to succeed, and to add value to the team. But don't bore me, over burden me, or interfere with my career growth. Give me tasks that will aid me in my personal and professional growth. Help me look for career advancement opportunities. Guide me through the many hazards of corporate and administrative domains.

UNDERSTAND THE RULES. Laws, regulations, rules, guidelines, and policies exist for a reason. Understanding the reason and objectives of these rules is as important as understanding the letter of the law. Put the rules into proper context. Remember that fairness is sometimes an individual matter, and sometimes a group matter. Don't bend the rules unnecessarily. Make very few exceptions of the rules. But don't put the rules above principles, dignity or respect. Practice what you preach, and preach what you practice.

ASSININE MEETINGS, POOR PLANNING & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Friday, at about 12:55 PM, an "emergency," "mandatory" meeting was called by my boss. The thing about meetings where I work is that they are always "mandatory," almost always have some "emergency" attached to them, and are almost always called at the last minute. Adding insult to injury, there is always a promise that the meeting will only last "five minutes" or "just a few miniutes" and these promises are always broken. Friday's "five-minute meeting" lasted 40 minutes.

Anyway, Friday's meeting was called to announce to the Allied Health faculty that starting NEXT module there would no longer be any live injections of any kind in our Pharmacy course for the Medical Assisting curriculum, nor in our Pharmacy Tech curriculum. The rationale was merely that an incident had occurred at one of our campuses in New Jersey, and although there was not an associated law suit, "corporate" has decided that all such injections will be discontinued. We will still teach injections, only it will be taught using oranges and tomatoes, which is how we actually start out the teaching of real injections.

There are several issues here. Let us start with the meeting. If the discontinuation of the injections is going to start NEXT module, which is about 20 days away, why was this meeting an emergency? Why have a meeting at all? Wouldn't a memo have sufficed? If, as is the case, this change of policy only affects one course, and if that course is usually taught by about 4 of our faculty, would it not have been more effective to have those people attend a brief meeting in the director's office and a memo to the rest of us?

Then there is the issue of making ALL meetings mandatory. I contend that if a meeting is mandatory, then there ought to be some mandatory importance to the meeting. Merely having a meeting shouldn't mandate attendance. There ought to be a purpose that mandates the attention of all of the faculty. As it was, the mandate on Friday forced several faculty members who DO NOT teach clinical courses to remain 40 minutes over on a Friday afternoon... and it just happened to be the day that we administered our mid-term exams. So, there we were with a load of research papers to read and grade, a ton of mid-term exams to grade, and having worked our tails off for the entire week. BAM! A mandatory meeting with the usual bovine excrement content.

So, now we attend the meeting, we receive the word on the policy change, we all acknowledge that it is an erroneous, knee-jerk reactionary policy made by folks that have no knowledge of good education or effective curriculum design for Medical Assisting. Then we are ALL asked to spin this to the students--all of whom were told at the time of enrollment that this was a value-added aspect of our curriculum. As we comment on the prima facia evidence that someone in corporate is without an iota of common sense in these matters, we are told that "We all make a choice to work here. If we don't like it we know where the door is."

Correct me if I seem to have taken this the wrong way, but it seems to me that this "see the door and use it" comment smacks of a complete disregard for the value that the faculty brings to the curriculum, the campus and the corporation in general. Our corporate bosses are sprucing up the corporate bottom line in order to go public. It would seem to me that keeping quality faculty members onboard would be to their advantage. It would seem to me that faculty input on policy matters should be sought before the corporate bosses allow the lawyers and VPs to institute a run and CYA policy that undermines the value of our curriculum... AND opens the door for review by the DOE, ACICS and federal court cases on fraudulent enrollment. After all, our corporation lives and breathes by federal financial aid. We advertised to those students already enrolled that we had this specific training. I am not a lawyer, but I know fraudulent sales practices when I see them. Can anyone say, "Bait and Switch"? Since there over 120 students in our Medical Assisting curriculum at any given time, can anyone say, "Class Action Suit"?

Now I am currently teaching two courses on a repetitive basis: Legal Aspects of Medical Assisting and Interpersonal Relations. In these courses I make the case that there is an inextricable need for effective communications to avoid the legal issues that might arise in the workplace, in medical care, and in life as a general rule. The courses cover topics that include working as a team, planning meetings, understanding legal issues and processes, torts (including fraud), advertising, workplace laws, privacy, confidentiality, conflict in the workplace, basic communications, family dynamics and more.

One would think that my bosses would carefully consider the consequences of their actions based on the fact that WE are teaching our students to consider the legal and communication issues. One would think that if we expect professionalism and effective communication from our students, then we should be practicing it amongst ourselves. If we demand time management from our students, should we demand it from our bosses? If we contend that there are ways to avoid stress and burnout--such as Proper Prior Planning Preventing Poor Performance (6-P Principle)--should we not expect our bosses to employ and model these behaviors?

Why is it that the quality of the product, service and education are at the bottom of the list for our bosses? As a quality-oriented instructor, this perception makes me feel like I, too, am at the bottom of the list for my bosses.

Jim

Cramped Spaces = Cramped Style = Compromised Quality

As I mentioned before, my campus is currently cramped for room. Having recently accepted a night course teaching assignment in the Massage Therapy Program, I was discouraged to find that my class will meet in one room on the first night, another room on the second night, yet another room on the third night, back to a previous classroom on the fourth night, then the remainder of the course will be taught in a room setup as a personal computer repair lab.
It could be just my thinking, but somehow I don't think the accreditation and licensing authorities would approve. Somehow I think this process compromises the quality of the learning experience. I think it confuses students and faculty.

Why is it that administrators, managers and directors are always willing to cut corners unless the corner cut would cut into their budgets, promotions and/or personal work schedules. It seems to me that the administrators in this case would realize that this is not proper, may not be legal, and compromises quality. Somehow, these things are overlooked in the process.
So, too, are the needs of the faculty to have spaces for storing class-related materials, a desk from which to work, and regular room assignments.

Again, I reiterate that I love teaching. But somewhere the idea of a good learning experience is being tossed aside in favor of convenience. What should happen in this case is the class should be cancelled until such time as proper space is available... and the word needs to go back to the corporate leadership that the space currently being used is wholely inadequate.

But, hey, that would make sense and involve proper prior planning. Somewhere I learned that "proper prior planning prevents poor perfromance." Maybe my bosses could learn this "6-P Principle." I know they need to do something.

I Don't Want To Be King Of The World... BUT!

I am not naïve enough to believe that anything is possible in a corporation or other organizational structure. It should be the case that anything is possible, but corporate organizations are too busy feeding the egos of the executives and power drivers of the organization. Yet, there is a part of me that cannot resist the urge to stand up and demand attention to core business and mission-specific functions.

Take for instance my current job: I teach. The corporate mission statement alerts potential students that the focus of our campus and the entire corporation is excellence in teaching, learning and the learning environment.

If the mission statement were to be put into action our computers would not be four to six years out of date. Our IT and Network Administration would not be hit or miss in its functionality. We might even have up-to-date versions of software. Since our entire corporation has emerged from a vocational school that primarily taught computer applications, business applications, personal computer repair, network administration and other computer technology, one would sort of expect that the technology would be "up to snuff."

Although the corporation still offers such "techie" training, the Allied Health Division has grown to include Medical Assisting, Medical Administrative Assisting, Pharmacy Technician, and Massage Therapy. The Allied Health enrollment now surpasses the "techie" enrollment by about twenty to one.

The campus at which I work is better off than many other campuses. On the day shift we don't have too much of a staff/faculty turnover. At other campuses, the turnover is so high that consistency and quality are the least of our concerns. At my campus the only turnover issues we have (generally speaking) is on the evening shift where the faculty is almost exclusively part-time without benefits.

But there is a mantra that is chanted by the management within the organization: "Everything takes time." Other mantras spoken by the management team include such statements as the following:

"I know it isn't right, but I can't change it. I have to choose my battles."

"I know you only have twenty-three seats in the class and there are twenty-eight people enrolled. We are hoping two or three will drop as usual."

"Why doesn't someone do something about that?"

"We want quality. Our goal is to always raise the bar… but please don't have any failures this module."

"We have to have certified faculty teaching in that program… Well, we'll have to make an exception this module because we don't have anyone available."

"We've always done it this way."

"It isn't important that the survey we use is an invalid instrument. That doesn't matter. We get important information from the comments."

"We don't use that survey for teacher evaluation… By the way, your students are complaining on the surveys about the workload you are giving them."

Corporate stagnation occurs when the leadership fails to implement the mission statement as a matter of primary focus. The mission statement should not be a pro forma statement that is listed in the catalogue or posted in the front lobby for others to admire. A mission statement is not meant to be impressive. A mission statement is meant to make an impression that evolves out of every member of the organization contributing to the mission.

Unfortunately, our mission statement is just for show. Our bosses don't read it or apply it. Our customers and students do not see it because it is seldom implemented across the board. Our faculty cannot use the mission statement because our "hands are tied" by the decisions made by those serving above us.

A colleague of mine was venting about trying to implement a lesson plan that required a certain amount of supplies. Finding none in the storage areas, he went to the Director in charge of these materials and was told they would not be forthcoming as the campus was over budget. These supplies are essential to teaching EKG technique and procedures, as well as other aspects of Medical Assisting. While this was not happening at my campus, it has happened at my campus.
In my view, not managing supplies and budgets properly is a matter of commitment to the mission. The lack of essential supplies is a prima facie case for the mission statement being cast aside in favor of immediate profit. It demonstrates poor planning from the top.

Speaking of poor planning, we are often tasked with implementing a new program of instruction without having the proper number of faculty or the proper supplies in place. At my campus we have been strapped for room for quite sometime. Currently we have at least two classes being taught in the same working space. The practice of putting classes into inappropriate space or not having adequate faculty resources seems to be the norm for this organization. The real kicker is that if corporate HQ would let loose of its tight-wad strings, there is a whole other space available right next door to our current location that could be had for a song and remodeled into classrooms at a minimum of cost. Yes, it would throw a wrench into our budget, but it would allow our programs to expand and accommodate our rising enrollment.

Oh, well, all I can be thankful for is that I am not the "king of the world" and I am not the corporate idiot that has to take the blame for the issues at hand. If someone were to get a proverbial "hair across their butt" they might actually complain to the state department of education or the accreditation bureau with which we are associated. But I think I will keep my job for a while longer before I let that hair fester.

Cognitive Dissonance Is...

Cognitive dissonance is a phenomenon that occurs when what is supposed to happen doesn't happen.

For over 18 months I have been consistently advocating that every person that enters our campus have a picture identification card prominently displayed. For months it has appeared that these issues have gone all but unnoticed and unheeded.

Now we haven't had many incidents on our campus, but we have had a few. Some of the incidents were fights between students. Some incidents involved theft. We have had a few odd visitors to our campus, as well as several homeless persons living in our trash dumpster. But, as a former security and facilities manager for a major corporation, I have been advocating from the position of prevention.

Evidently the managers at this campus decided to implement the policy of requiring all students to have an ID badge prominently displayed at all times. They refused to implement a further step of the policy that says any person without an ID badge is asked to leave the campus. The managers decided it would not be necessary for faculty and staff to have an ID badge until some unspecified time in the future.

So far so good. I can live with the slow progression and move toward better safety. But the managers decided that this new approach to safety must be implemented immediately. The person assigned to take the pictures and create the ID badges was instructed to interrupt classes and "get the job done." No discussion or notice was given to faculty members so that the process could be appropriately scheduled and faculty members could tweak their class activities to adjust to this process.

Cognitive dissonance is a phenomenon that occurs when what is supposed to happen doesn't happen.

I have told my bosses that there are specific fire and safety codes to which a school campus must adhere. I have pointed out that audio-visual equipment cannot be stored in the hallways in such a manner that the equipment blocks doorways, hides fire extinguishers, or creates an obstacle that would hinder egress or exit during an emergency.

Additionally, the massage therapy program is required to break down the classroom equipment (tables and chairs) every afternoon to facilitate the use of their massage tables and equipment. The use of the massage tables, massage chairs, and other equipment is a must to train the students. However, there is not a safe place to store the tables and chairs that are broken down, so this equipment is stored in the hallway, just a short distance away from a 3-step set of stairs. These tables and chairs create a blockage and a violation of the fire code and life safety code for schools (even private schools).

Cognitive dissonance is a phenomenon that occurs when what is supposed to happen doesn't happen.

In some meetings our faculty and staff are told that we need to "raise the bar" and strive toward continual quality improvement. In other meetings we are told that we have to limit the amount of grades, workloads, and be flexible in our grading standards.

Something is just plain WRONG.

Jim

Workplace Stupidity Continues

The stupidity at work continues. This past Wednesday we had our Director of Human Resources provide a training on sexual harassment in the workplace. The training itself was offensive because of its tendency to dehumanize the workplace.

It is important to note that I am a teacher in an adult vocational career school and that my campus teaches primarily Allied Health courses and programs. Many of the faculty are required to teach a course on Legal Aspects of Allied Health and we include materials on workplace discrimination and sexual harassment.

Most of our faculty are nurses and have years of experience in dealing with patients, families and co-workers regarding the most intimate of issues: sex, sexuality, gender, chronic illness, family dysfunction, terminal illnesses, depression, surgery and even sexual harassment.

Myself, I have over 10 independent certifications in Human Resource subjects, including Legal Issues for HR & Management, Legal Issues for Employees, Benefits Administration, Benefits Management, Change Management, Business Coaching, Diversity Awareness, Human Resources Generalist, Behavioral Interviewing, Interviewing & Hiring, Interpersonal Communications, Legal Research, Managing People, Negotiation Strategies, and Sexual Harassment Awareness. All of these certifications were achieved or renewed in July 2004.

Much of what the HR folks had to say about sexual harassment in the workplace was straight forward. However, several major pieces of information were questionable, and some issues were just plain wrong. Some of what was said is not in keeping with the EEOC guidelines, the case law, or the "reasonable person standard" which is the final arbiter of the matter IF a case were to go to court.

The entirety of the presentation was to get our signatures on a piece of paper saying that we had received the training and a copy of the company policy. It was purely a CYA move that put the entire faculty and staff on notice that if a sexual harassment complaint is filed, we are on our own.

The end result is that the vast majority of the faculty and staff are now making jokes about our corporate leaders having their proverbial craniums stuck between their legs and inserted deeply into the large colon via the rectal cavity. It has proven to the faculty and staff that the corporate leadership has no real regard for its workers. The training has alienated us (or should I say further alienated us) from the leadership and the corporate mission. The whole experience has the faculty and staff wondering if the corporate leadership has an inkling regarding what it is that we do at our campus.

In the mean time, I still get and give hugs to my colleagues. I still make appropriate physical contact with colleagues, students and others based upon our mutual understanding of our relationships and recognition of appropriateness. I still stand toe-to-toe with my bosses and decry what is wrong about the campus and corporate leadership, then go have dinner with them... often having some form of appropriate physical contact with either of the three people that administer the programs I teach.

What is it that makes the "big bosses" in the corporate leadership insist on dehumanizing the workplace and the teaching-learning experience in favor of following some lawyer's interpretation of the world? Something is wrong.

There is no doubt that sexual harassment is a real issue with devastating results. However, the vast majority of these issues are misunderstandings or failure of someone to behave themselves appropriately. Those issues that go beyond an investigation by management and into EEOC complaints (or courts) are usually because MANAGEMENT has not done the job of screening idiots out of the workplace.

In the case of "quid pro quo" harassment, the managers and supervisors are usually the culprits. Clarence Thomas should have never made it to the Supreme Court Bench and his "act-alikes" should never hold a management or supervisory position.

In the case of "hostile environment" harassment, management has not done the job of screening people appropriately at the time of hiring.

In either case, beating falsely developed ideas and information about sexual harassment into our heads, proferring ill-defined procedures for dealing with issues that arise in the workplace, and employing a seriously defective CYA approach is just plain WRONG.

Please feel free to hug me if you drop by my workplace. If I feel offended or uncomfortable, I am adult enough to let you know directly. If you don't get the message that I want you to stop, I'll probably break a body part or two until you either get the message or can never touch someone inappropriately again. Either way, I win... you lose... and I will still get touched appropriately and will still receive a joke in my e-mail now and again.

Jim

The Purpose of Rantings

Sometimes you find yourself in the position of needing to rant about the stupidity done at work. If you rant and rave while at work, you are often labelled as a "nay sayer," a curmudgeon, or a disloyal employee. However, I have found that most of my bosses, including the executives for whom I have worked, do some pretty stupid things.

I honestly feel that most businesses would run more efficiently if the bosses would stop and listen to their employees more often. More often than not, most bosses can't get beyond their own egos or their lack of a backbone to stand up to corporate hotshots and say, "No, that isn't an effective way to resolve the issues at hand."

Truly, there are more laws breached and more crimes committed in the name of corporate blunder that crimes on the street. A good example is a company for whom I worked as a national manager. I was assigned to review and make recommendations for a building security project that involved over 300 buildings nationwide. The software and hardware being proposed fo the security system was already installed in a building within my local market. In theory, a simple update of the software and installation via the corporate VPN was all that was required. However, upon careful examination of the project, the existing systems and hardware, and research of the OEM, I found that the project was fiscally and technically unsound.

I wrote a four-paged memo to my boss, an executive VP in the top ten executive positions in the company, detailing how this software was not fully debugged; how there were numerous existing customers that complained about the lack of technical and product support; and how much the project would really cost.

The initial project--a startup project--was to be implemented. Despite my protests, my boss, a longtime friend, put me in charge of the initial project. I was given a budget of $14,000 and 3 weeks in which to implement the project. I immediately whipped off a memo detailing how the project would require at least $40,000 and 8 weeks to implement. My boss began raking me over the coals for being disloyal to him and inefficient in my duties and tasks.

The initial project finished in 7.5 weeks and cost $38,000 to implement. Each of the issues that I raised in my two previous memos were realized. Of course, I kept my boss in the loop on a daily basis. Despite the obvious failings of the software and the underestimates of costs and time, my boss insisted that I take over the entire project. I begged him, on the basis of our long-term friendship, to let me off the hook since he was insisting that we stick with the software and OEM vendor. No such luck.

I was given a budget of $1.2 million. I protested. The budget was limited to that amount. Again memos and e-mails went back and forth. I documented every detail BEFORE it was set into motion as to why it would cost over $10 million to do the job with the selected software, OEM vendor, and the contractors in place. I worked on the project for over 14 months. The project incurred expenses over $11 million in the first 10 months. When I left the company, the project was still no where near complete, there were numerous technical failures, and numerous cost and job estimate overruns (all of which had been fore warned in my memos) that rose to over $15 million.

Seven months after leaving the company, a colleague of mine who had been assigned to take over shared with me that the project was in the red to the tune of $27 million and still did not work properly after two years of implementation.

The long and short of it is the company is now in serious bankruptcy and my stock investments are worth about 69 cents a share. The CEO is going to leave the comapny with a generous golden parachute (despite driving the business into Chapter 11), my former boss and I are no longer on friendly terms, and the project STILL isn't working properly some 4 years later.

Why do bosses hire people for their expertise and experience, then ignore them when they provide solid information and advice?

This BLOG is for intelligent working people to come together and share their working stories about bosses, policies and practices that don't make much sense. Hopefully, the rantings will be of a sound nature and the person doing the ranting will have a safe place to let it out... and not be fearful of who is listening. The rules are simple...

No names please... no names of comapnies, bosses or colleagues. Use pseudonyms or job titles. First names would be acceptable providing the name is not one of those really rare and unique things that would identify the person simply by a process of eliminating everyone without that name.

No swearing, cursing or other vulgarities. An intelligent person can make the point without such crudeness.

No ad hominem attacks toward other postings or posters. Constructive advice is welcomed, but name calling, attacking or unwelcomed criticism of other members of the blog are not permitted.

Rant away.