Topic: Why Work Sucks Virtual Book Club - Question #1

The main issue I have is the last minute requests for information and data reports. Even with our attempt to streamline and put systems in place to control this, the buy in from upper management to enforce forward thinking is just not there. It is a major cause of stress for me and my staff. Becasue we are a major Cancer Hospital, there are MANY hoops to jump through to get anything done, simple as well as more complex. For my staff I have instituted the "Results over Time" paradigm. I even have trouble with staff buying into it, giving me PTO slips for two hours if time taken for a family issue. I give it right back to them and never send it through. This is done "under the radar" at the moment.

Hi John,

The challenge you're having with reactive behavior is a common one. In the current work environment, proactive behavior is not rewarded the way it should be. In a ROWE, as you know, it pays to plan because time takes on a new meaning.

What you're doing with PTO slips is great - it reinforces to your employees that you mean what you say with "Results over Time". They have their own beliefs about work engrained in their heads about how they should do things - and to them, it's weird not to request time off for family issues, etc. We've heard people say they'll feel guilty if they just take the time and don't submit a request. Until they actually migrate to a ROWE, that is! Then they realize it's not about their time requests at all - the only question is whether or not they are delivering on expectations.

To help your employees understand where you're trying to go with them with "Results over Time", perhaps you could give them copies of Why Work Sucks. In our experience, it's not until people actually read the book that they really understand what the whole results vs. time thing means. Might be a good step to take...might also want to have a few key members of upper management read it, too :)

C&J

I actually gave them the portion you could download for free to gauge their interest. The trick is now getting them to read it. working with nurses can be a challenge! ;)

Right - you can't force them, that's for sure! But if you keep referring to it, they'll be bound to take a peek at it. When you get wind that one of them has read it and might be starting to understand what you're going for, give him/her lots of positive reinforcement...take what you can get and run with it.