Professionally Found

I like reading. I like going over a really good book. But I go gaga over a profound one.

Many people define profound as “having deep insight or understanding”. But for me, profound simply means a way of thought that is simplistic in the surface, but hides infinite wisdom underneath. But hey that’s just me. Maybe that’s why I like Dilbert or even The Simpsons, they are at the surface, just simple and sometimes crass depictions of everyday life, but subtly hide nuggets of wisdom on what to do or not to do in real life.

What am I trying to say? Well this is my poor attempt at trying to be profound.

I recently came across an interesting author and teacher, Bob Sutton. He is a Professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University, where he also co-founded the Center for Work, Technology and Organization. At first, he comes across as a really serious guy, but he really tries to take being profound very seriously. He wrote a book whose title I cannot even reprint here, but I will try, its called “The No As***le Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t.” Now if that’s not a profound title, I don’t know what is.

But seriously, I like how he is able to make us or at least me, think. I would love to be able to attend his class one day, if I could afford it. Why? Because he is fun and doesn’t take himself too seriously, and yet, is able to stimulate the students into becoming great managers.

I want to share this list that he gives his students at the last day of class, his nuggets of wisdom for managers. Professor Sutton believes:

 “1. Sometimes the best management is no management at all – first do no harm!

2. Indifference is as important as passion.

3. In organizational life, you can have influence over others or you can have freedom from others, but you can't have both at the same time.

4. Learning how to say smart things and give smart answers is important. Learning to listen to others and to ask smart questions is more important.

5. You get what you expect from people. This is especially true when it comes to selfish behavior; self-interest is a learned social norm, not an inherent feature of human behavior.

6. Getting a little power can turn you into an insensitive self-centered jerk.

7. Avoid pompous jerks whenever possible. They not only can make you feel bad about yourself, chances are that you will eventually start acting like them.

8. The best test of a person's character is how he or she treats those with less power.

9. Err on the side of optimism and positive energy in all things.

10. Work is an over-rated activity.”

Two of his students added two more:

“11. Have strong opinions, weakly held.

12. Argue as if you are right, listen as if you are wrong .”

I would love to add one more, “If he says he just wants to help the poor and yet is spending so much trying to get elected, he must really just be after helping his poor self”. Sorry, off topic, but I couldn’t help it… its another of my poor attempts of trying to be profound, maybe that’s why I need to go back to school, Bob Sutton here I come…

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