Many of us question just what executives actually do to warrant their huge financial rewards.
Once they arrive in the morning and sit down at their desks what really comprises their activities? On speculative observation, time wasted would be the answer in part. Executives should be only coordinators-in-chief.
Executives are admonished with all kinds of advice. The Economist has an article citing some, such as “book yourself solid,” conducting “business at the speed of now” (whatever that means!) or “never eat alone.”
That same magazine article stated the biggest problem in the business world is not too little, but too much busy-ness, such as endless meetings, emails, excessive discussion, or other unwelcome distractions. So much seems to take place that is senseless.
This columnist, when working at the Privy Council Office in Ottawa, which is the executive office of the minister, chaired meetings of the major branches of the federal government, endlessly discussing one topic, namely what constitutes poverty!
Decisions seldom were reached, and pointless actions unfortunately were the norm.
According to the Centre for Disease Control, many in the United Stated are deprived of adequate sleep time because they were so busy at work. A survey by Good Technology reported than more than two-thirds of people responded that they do not go to bed without checking their inbox, and many go on working at the dinner table.
At restaurants one can observe business people rudely ignoring their guests by talking on a cellphone. Growing numbers of Ontario coffee pubs have electric outlets so that people can check their emails on a computer. Is that rational?
On the other hand, Lord Melbourne, one of Queen Victoria’s prime ministers, praised the virtue of “masterful inactivity”. Peter Drucker, a management expert, suggested that one always should have a large waste paper basket to discard material that does not require attention.
At office meetings this columnist noted a super-conscientious employee taking copious notes there as if every word from “on high” should be retained for posterity.
Eight years after the National Industrial Recovery Act was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, a visit to its office revealed employees on the telephone and at their desks doing something. What?
Clearly, over-management and the very zealous workers are veritable scourges of the business world.