Conference 7.286::digital

    
    duh...
    
     I know lots of former 3M employees that have other opinions. Sounds
    like a glossy job to me. I hope your not trying to compare this to
    something like our current Digital culture.
    
    -Mike Z.

    Re -1 Since 3M is often quoted as an example of the way to go can
    you give specifics of what the opinions are of some of those
    former 3M employees you know?
    
    re roelof

Here are a couple of 3M's 'rules':

	15% rule - technical people are encouraged to spend up to 15% of their
	time working on projects of their own choosing

	25% rule - each division is expected to gererate 25% of its revenue from
	products introduced to the market within the last 5 years, preventing 
	people from resting on their successes.

-mark	

    
    ......re 1....there is no culture at  DIGITAL.....
    
    hoRNet
    

re Note 3680.2 by HLDE01::VUURBOOM_R:

>     Re -1 Since 3M is often quoted as an example of the way to go 

        Wasn't Digital, at one time at least, used by Tom Peters as
        an example of "excellence"?

        Bob

Yes, but how do we manage noncreative (but possibly productive) people?
And how does a manager identify the difference between the creative, 
the productive, the creative and productive, the smoke and mirrors employee, 
etc.?  The Globe had an article some time back describing different types 
of workers, such as the "Soldier," the "Politician," the "Ideal Worker," 
the "Brown Noser," and others.  I thought it showed insight into true 
diversity of talents and the manager who can recognise these distinct 
talents and put them to use is the manager who will produce results.

Mark

    Perhaps the author of the ten commandments meant to indicate that
    utilizing these management tactics/theories would help support and
    bring out the creativity in all of us.
    
    Just a thought.  I'm a creative worker, so I *loved* those
    commandments.  Best of all, my manager seems to subscribe to most of
    them.  (most notable exception = the celebrations -- that's nearly
    impossible with employees spread across 23 states! :) )
    
    M.
    

# 10 Don't heed any thing Wall Street says


Is the most Important.

    I would like to know more about #8?

Re .5:

>        Wasn't Digital, at one time at least, used by Tom Peters as
>        an example of "excellence"?

As I recall, DEC was only in their first well-publicised list of excellent
companies.  (Doubtless it was mentioned in this conference at the time).  More
to the point, Peters [& Waterman?] dropped us like a hot potato after that;
maybe he[/they] "sensed a trend".
				/AHM

Maybe we stopped doing the things that made us an excellent company.

Jim

    re.-8
    	
    	Keeping Wall Street as happy as possible is good business.
    Ask anyone in the field who tries to sell stuff to customers
    that keep reading bad news in the financial section of their
    newspapers...

>                     <<< Note 3680.12 by NCMAIL::SMITHB >>>
>
>    re.-8
>    	
>    	Keeping Wall Street as happy as possible is good business.
>    Ask anyone in the field who tries to sell stuff to customers
>    that keep reading bad news in the financial section of their
>    newspapers...


From my observation once you start making Business decisions just to 
please Wall street you're in trouble. Then no matter what you do they're
not satisfied. and thing just spirel down from their.

    That's not what I said.  There is two ways to deal with Wall Street.
    You can be their friend or an adversary.  Friends paint you in the
    best possible light, adversaries?  Well you figure it out.  We haven't
    helped ourselves until very recently, more could be done.
    
    Executing a business strategy and schmoozing Wall Street can be totally
    distinct efforts.

    Peters himself has been quoted as being somewhat sheepish about the
    high percentage of their "excellent" companies that are now out of
    business or gone though significant downturns. 

    	Wall street is only relevant even as publicity if you are selling
    to senior management. When did you last buy a tin of cat food (or a PC)
    and check the company share price before buying.
    
    	Over 20 years ago, before I joined DEC I was involved in buying
    decisions for PCs (PDP-8 and similar at the time), and as a techie Wall
    street was nothing more than some vague rumour of something over on
    another continent.
    
    	A few years ago, DEC was having a little trouble with Sun. They had
    a product we couldn't match technically, and they were selling to
    techies. Wall street was all in our favour. I still have the Live Wire
    print out showing our stock at $197 3/4.
    
    	Currently I do look at the value of DEC share prices, because the
    value of my DEC stock and the outstanding amount on my mortgage are
    rapidly approaching each other, and when they get close enough I will
    get rid of both. I wouldn't look at stock prices before deciding to buy
    a *commodity*!! that will be obselete within 2 years.
    
    	If what you are buying is some sort of proprietary architecture
    that you expect to use for many years then financial stability of the
    supplier is important. If what you are buying has either a short life,
    or has lots of suppliers, you buy from the one that currently has the
    best price/performance, and you don't care if they go bankrupt next
    month. I wouldn't buy a nuclear power station from a company that
    didn't look stable, but I would buy a PC manufactured by a company that
    was already in bankruptcy court. Ignore Wall street!

... poor he isn't!

	R.

    RE: .16
    
    Well said Dave!
    
    Cheers, Laurie.

Re .15

I have one word to describe Peters, but I don't think I could use it here
without having the note set hidden.  OK a hint - it's 6 letters long, 
starts with W and ending in R.

These guys seem to move from management fad to management fad every few years
or so, just ahead of the posse who are about to crack on that they know little
or nothing about what they are talking about.  

I've not seen any of them give back the money they've taken from the thousands
of books they've sold touting those so called excellent companies that go
bankrupt only a few years later.

                               James.

>These guys seem to move from management fad to management fad every few years
>or so, just ahead of the posse who are about to crack on that they know little
>or nothing about what they are talking about.  

Say, I think I know some people with this talent!  8^o

    About 10 years ago PBS did a number of shows on companies featured in
    Peters books.  One of them was a grocery story in Connecticut called
    Stu's I believe and contained all the usual accolades Peters bestowed
    on well run companies.
    
    About 6 months ago, Frontline also featured the owner of Stu's during a
    program on money laundering.  He had be caught trying to smuggle two
    suitcases full of cash to the Caymen's.  I now believe he is, or was, a
    guest of the U.S. Penal system.

    .21
    I seen that also and had a good chuckle ove it. I think Stu himself
    took cash to the Islands in the Carib to develope property.

    
    ...and I remember watching those 'In Search of Excellence' shows
    thinking, well it must be run better every where else.

    It's easy to make fun of Stu Leonard trying to evade taxes,
    but I'd like to have suitcases full of money, just so I could
    think about the morality of avoiding taxes.

    His store had the highest gross per ft� of any supermarket.
    In one interview, he talked about what he did -- just skim
    the 'cream' the product mix. If he had a bookstore, only sell
    bestsellers.  In his dairy/grocery store, he only sold the
    fastest moving highest margin goods.

    Sort of the opposite of the Digital everything to everyone
    (former?) philosphy.  

    Of course in the original IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE, Tom Peters
    claimed Digital Equipment was a well run company.  Now,
    that's a morally-repugnant crime!