Change for change's sake

I spend a lot of time reading management books, listening to management audiobooks and perusing management resources on the Internet. While no one source will turn me into the "greatest manager since sliced bread," they all offer things that will benefit my endeavors to be better at what I do.

Once such resource is www.managementhelp.org. I sometimes read the articles to gain insights into general management principles. One topic I read had to do with Organizational Change:

It seems like the topic of organizational change has reached evangelical proportions. There's an explosion of literature about the subject and an accompanying explosion in the number of consultants who offer services in this general area. The following information attempts to provide some basic perspective about the concept of organizational change.

If you are interested in the entire article, I encourage you to visit their website. As I read, one item caught my attention:

Under "General Guidelines for Organizational Change was the following:

4. Don't get wrapped up in doing change for the sake of change. Know why you're making the change. What goal(s) do you hope to accomplish?

The statement made me think about the upcoming elections. There are those who would have us all believe that we should change every person in every office throughout the state of Louisiana. In a sense, they are advocating an "organizational change" not much different than what I was reading on this web site.

However, how many are wanting to change, just for the sake of change? Sure, Louisiana is not where any of us would like it to be, but to see complete turnover as the only answer seems short-sighted and potentially dangerous.

Term limits has really caused a shakeup at the state level. There are some that are jumping from one house to the other in an effort to stay on the job. Others are in the final years of eligibility.

As voters, we have to evaluate each candidate on their abilities, versus their drawbacks. Just because they have been there for "x" years does not necessarily make them good or bad for the state.

Louisiana is definitely at a crossroads. Elect the right people and we can usher in some of the best year ever seen. Elect the wrong ones and we might just spiral out of control.

However, that decision should not be made based only on a calendar.

May the Blog Be With You.

Societal Division: The New Math

I am not going to go into some long dissertation about the events of the past several days. We have seen quite enough of it all.

I will say that I see a recurring theme... Unity (or should I say they lack of it?)

It seems our nation (and our area) find reasons to split about anything. The phrase "there is always two sides to the story" has never been more true. Equally true would be the phrase, "Disharmony is a way of life."

Conservatives vs. Liberals
White vs. Black
Republicans vs. Democrats
Truck Stops vs. Neighborhoods (Did that hit a little too close to home?)
North Louisiana vs. South Louisiana
North Bossier vs. South Bossier

I thought long and hard about the things that split our society. First and foremost, I am not referring to spirited debate or differences of opinion. This is about "irreconcilable differences."

Two things come to mind when I think of the divsion in our society - money and power. Usually, these splits are rooted in one or the other, or both.

There is no fundraising for certain groups if there is unity. Why would we need to campaign for change if all is well?

Unity erodes the power of those who rose to there current level of influence during divisive times.

Power and influence brought about through division often corrupts the empowered individual. What once may have been a noble effort with the best of intentions, often becomes an effort of self preservation. If all is well, the "advocate" is no longer needed.

And old marketing concept is as follows: "If you want someone to change to your brand, you have to make them change their mind about their current brand." Face it, can you really tell a difference between digital cable and satellite TV? Seriously, there are definite differences, but each will tell you how far superior they are to the competitor.

The same is true with our society. There are those who will tell you that things are far worse than imagined. No progress has been made, or some other group is getting more than their fair share. The aim is to divide and to elevate those who are "beating the drum."

Before you break out your checkbook with a contribution to this cause or that cause. Before you sign this petition or that petition. Before you become outraged at the issue. Take a moment to look closely to see if there is really something there - or is it just "Societal Division."

Division never added anything to anyone.

May The Blog Be With You.

I'm not a preacher, but...

"Are you a preacher, sir?" the voice at the end of the aisle asked me.

"Uh, no." was the best response I could give on such short notice. I can see where the mistake could be made. After all, I was in a Christian book store. I was wearing a shirt and tie. I was mumbling to myself - (OK, that last part was an exaggeration).

The man who had caught me off guard had a little humor of his own. "That's OK, I'm not a deacon, I'm a 'dickens.'"

The fact that I had been mistaken for a preacher isn't a bad thing. In fact, I would say that I was rather humbled that someone would think of me that way. He obviously didn't hear me call the person at the red light an "idiot."

In retrospect, perhaps the correct answer should have been, "Aren't we all?"

Whether we like it our not, our actions are louder than any sermon preached on a Sunday morning. How we treat others is a direct reflection on ourselves, our faith and the God we serve.

The encounter made me think of my own actions. While this man saw a preacher, the "idiot" at the red light may have only seen an impatient driver. And that sermon is preached a little too often.

In Act 1:8, Jesus told his disciples "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

That includes red lights on Youree Drive. I hope my next "sermon" is better.

May the Blog Be With You.

Walk the line

Good journalists know the difference between covering the news and "making" the news. We have learned that if we interject ourselves into a story, then that story or even our own reputation comes into question.

In the past, this has been easy. All a journalist had to do was keep their opinions out of news stories and on the Editorial Page. Not so with the advent of the Internet.

On Monday, I received an email from the Republican Party of Louisiana. In it, was a link to the GOP's governor's race blog, A Fair Fight.

The gist of the blog was taking issue with Gubernatorial candidate and Bossier Parish resident (and Public Service Commissioner) Foster Campbell. In particular, comments he made about Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in a commercial that is airing statewide.

I found the GOP's take rather humorous, so I forwarded the email to local blogger Marshall Fannin (Not his real name). He really has a great sense of satire and I knew it would be right up his alley.

Lo and behold, I checked Marshall's Blog this morning and there is the commercial and link to the GOP's blog - in all its glory. There is also a thanks to me for the "tip."

Most folks would recognize that this tip was merely giving a fellow commentator something to see. But this is political season, you know.

I am sure there are those in the GOP and in Foster Campbell's campaign that think I had ulterior motives - people tend to think things like that during campaigns.

When you run one "press release" or don't run another during a campaign, people call you biased, or in the corner of one candidate or another. It is just the way things happen in politics.

I treated this email like many others I have forwarded in the past. We all get jokes, prayers and other items of interest in our emails. We then forward them to people we think would enjoy such things.

This time, an innocent forward may be taken the wrong way. I just have to be more careful next time I guess.

May the Blog Be With You.

AFCYBER coming home

We've been talking about it for months. In fact, I am sure some person are tired of hearing about this "Cyber Command" stuff. But Wednesday, it was made official - well, at least as official as the military and federal government can be. Barksdale Air Force Base will be home to AFCYBER - at least on a "provisional" basis.

When news first came out about the potential for the command coming to our area, most people did not believe in such a thing. A close friend of mine who has been part of this process all along said it would be the "biggest thing to ever this this area, perhaps the entire state."

At first, I wasn't sure how true it all was, and if so, if we could pull it off. This is Louisiana, you know. Then I heard the City and Parish were ponying up $50 million. With a little work from our area legislators and some of us behind the scenes, the state kicked in an additional $50 million for infrastructure.

It was at this point I began to believe it could become a reality.

Now, the rest of the country doesn't quite buy our claims of this being a "done deal." And, like anything involving the government, nothing is ever permanent.

However, our area WILL BE where Cyber Command is initiated. Our area DOES HAVE a leg up on any other out there. We just need to make sure we stay on course in the coming months and years to protect what the Air Force has entrusted to us.

If our local officials have anything to say about it, we always will.

May the Blog Be With You.