Comments on: Corporate Boardroom in the Woods http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/ A weekly stimulant for those who lead Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:53:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Anonymous http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3090 Tue, 15 May 2007 13:19:16 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3090 Thank-you for recognizing women in the business world and the sex bias in the work place. I have studies on the pay and promotional difference in the work place. This is not imagined, but proving the bias in the work is almost impossible. One would have to have calibration of the men in the office, and as you notice in most cases it will not happen. Thank-you for recognizing women in the business world and the sex bias in the work place. I have studies on the pay and promotional difference in the work place. This is not imagined, but proving the bias in the work is almost impossible. One would have to have calibration of the men in the office, and as you notice in most cases it will not happen.

]]> by: Anonymous http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3086 Tue, 15 May 2007 11:54:47 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3086 Yes Dan! I think you've got it, now don't hold the ball, be a team player and pass it. Yes Dan! I think you’ve got it, now don’t hold the ball, be a team player and pass it.

]]> by: Evelyn http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3071 Mon, 14 May 2007 23:26:37 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3071 My thought was about how many people of color were on the list as well. There are multiple levels of diversity and when everyone is not represented at the table, then the decision makers have not included all stakeholders or their perspectives. That can make a big difference. My thought was about how many people of color were on the list as well. There are multiple levels of diversity and when everyone is not represented at the table, then the decision makers have not included all stakeholders or their perspectives. That can make a big difference.

]]> by: B H http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3062 Mon, 14 May 2007 20:39:33 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3062 What if the exercise was a measure of use of brute force versus reason. Would the first be last and the last be first? Somewhere back in my younger days, I had a coach that liked to repeat to us that it wasn't about winning, but how you played the game. And what if all the yelling demonstrated is just another example of the predominance of a failed approach in problems solving? The ends justify the means? For who, and to what ultimate end? Being a woman and/or a minority is often, alone, a very risky business. Being someone who follows quiet reason and fairness, in this culture, is very risky; and shouldn't be. What if the exercise was a measure of use of brute force versus reason. Would the first be last and the last be first? Somewhere back in my younger days, I had a coach that liked to repeat to us that it wasn’t about winning, but how you played the game.

And what if all the yelling demonstrated is just another example of the predominance of a failed approach in problems solving? The ends justify the means? For who, and to what ultimate end?

Being a woman and/or a minority is often, alone, a very risky business. Being someone who follows quiet reason and fairness, in this culture, is very risky; and shouldn’t be.

]]> by: CS http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3059 Mon, 14 May 2007 18:36:29 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3059 As an owner of a small Michigan manufacturing company, I've had the pleasure of employing and observing women that held down various positions, ie; traveling machinery sales person, order desks, machinest, Kiwanis and Rotory club members, bank officers ,board members etc...and most have stepped up to the plate and performed as well as their male counter parts.... But I know that some men are afraid to promote women to the "Big Chair", because down deep they can't get beyond the perception, true or false, that women in authority can if necessary, exibit feline traits that could lead to a management disaster. And firing an underperforming minority is a very risky business, so best not to promote them in the first place.That's unfortunate. But, true talent always rises to the top , and as women move up though the ranks, gaining experiance and exposure, the Big Chair is waiting. The Donald Trump show may have set the female cause back twenty years. As an owner of a small Michigan manufacturing company, I’ve had the pleasure of employing and observing women that held down various positions, ie; traveling machinery sales person, order desks, machinest, Kiwanis and Rotory club members, bank officers ,board members etc…and most have stepped up to the plate and performed as well as their male counter parts….
But I know that some men are afraid to promote women to the “Big Chair”, because down deep they can’t get beyond the perception, true or false, that women in authority can if necessary, exibit feline traits that could lead to a management disaster. And firing an underperforming minority is a very risky business, so best not to promote them in the first place.That’s unfortunate.
But, true talent always rises to the top , and as women move up though the ranks, gaining experiance and exposure, the Big Chair is waiting.

The Donald Trump show may have set the female cause back twenty years.

]]> by: Mary Scoblic http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3054 Mon, 14 May 2007 14:09:12 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3054 I would also have asked what the experience of the blindfolded woman was related to those of the others. Did she feel more supported because of the quiet leader, or just frustrated by the loud ones. We do the same with many disabled people...talk louder to the blind or the person in a wheelchair as if that challenge merits more heat than light! I would also have asked what the experience of the blindfolded woman was related to those of the others. Did she feel more supported because of the quiet leader, or just frustrated by the loud ones. We do the same with many disabled people…talk louder to the blind or the person in a wheelchair as if that challenge merits more heat than light!

]]> by: Tom Nugent http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3053 Mon, 14 May 2007 13:51:08 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3053 Dannemiller Tyson Associates from Ann Arbor did a great forum two weeks ago on diversity. Scott Page from U of M presented his work, based on a mathematical model rather than a social science model, that diverse groups are more effective at solving problems than groups of experts. Seems that after a certain critical mass, experts points of view become redundant. Diverse groups bring more points of view and more problem solving techniques, so arrive at better solutions. Scott makes the case that adding diversity, more women for instance, may or may not be not a social justice issue, but is surely a productivity and performance issue. To improve problem solving performance, increase the diversity of the group. Scott has his research posted online at http://www.cscs.umich.edu/~spage/diversity.htm and his book is: THE DIFFERENCE How The Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Teams, Schools, and Societies Dannemiller Tyson Associates from Ann Arbor did a great forum two weeks ago on diversity. Scott Page from U of M presented his work, based on a mathematical model rather than a social science model, that diverse groups are more effective at solving problems than groups of experts. Seems that after a certain critical mass, experts points of view become redundant. Diverse groups bring more points of view and more problem solving techniques, so arrive at better solutions.

Scott makes the case that adding diversity, more women for instance, may or may not be not a social justice issue, but is surely a productivity and performance issue. To improve problem solving performance, increase the diversity of the group.

Scott has his research posted online at http://www.cscs.umich.edu/~spage/diversity.htm
and his book is:

THE DIFFERENCE

How The Power of Diversity Creates Better

Groups, Teams, Schools, and Societies

]]> by: CJC http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3052 Mon, 14 May 2007 13:49:37 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/05/corporate-boardroom-in-the-woods/#comment-3052 Another angle - What was the goal? For each individual group to get done, or for all of the groups to done - if it was the second, then how would the direction on getting it done need to change, because then we all 'lost' if we had some slow groups regardless of the fast groups that yelled over everyone. Sometimes we need to think like a team instead of like individuals - something some of us don't do well (probably all of us don't do well at some point or another). Another angle - What was the goal? For each individual group to get done, or for all of the groups to done - if it was the second, then how would the direction on getting it done need to change, because then we all ‘lost’ if we had some slow groups regardless of the fast groups that yelled over everyone. Sometimes we need to think like a team instead of like individuals - something some of us don’t do well (probably all of us don’t do well at some point or another).

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