tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post6182171957801020672..comments2024-03-16T07:55:54.153-07:00Comments on Views From the Bald Patch: Pitfalls of measurementBotanisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098709722475364465noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-3542142362055120832012-07-24T18:53:24.487-07:002012-07-24T18:53:24.487-07:00Hi Teresa, yes, I did change the picture at the to...Hi Teresa, yes, I did change the picture at the top. I do that from time to time just to see if anyone notices :)Botanisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12098709722475364465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-79788760739619201292012-07-22T20:42:41.243-07:002012-07-22T20:42:41.243-07:00Really interesting post, Botanist! A lot of the th...Really interesting post, Botanist! A lot of the things I never before gave a thought. People are inherently competitive, and I don't think there's any way around it. Thus, we keep score. Most of us probably barely notice it. Some people are blatantly obvious about it, though. It can leave a person with a sense of inadequacy when they don't as you put it, "measure up". I'll be back to read the next installment.<br /><br />It looks different here. You've changed your picture up top! Looks good. How is life?<br /><br />And...I must be one of the very fortunate ones--I'm blessed with a day job that I really like. But I've had a few that I didn't. :-)Teresa Cypherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08940430996766842518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-55957142595010601682012-07-19T20:26:16.173-07:002012-07-19T20:26:16.173-07:00Susan, that is high praise indeed from someone who...Susan, that is high praise indeed from someone whose blog is the epitome of inventiveness and captivation! I am indeed writing books - nothing published yet :)<br /><br />Thank you also, Lydia. I didn't set out to write an essay - the very word brings back cold chills, I gave up essays back in school :) However, I'm starting to get worried that many comments bemoan the horrors of the "day job". This is sad, seeing how much of our time we spend there. There has to be a better way!Botanisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12098709722475364465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-54550515016419957692012-07-19T17:49:43.769-07:002012-07-19T17:49:43.769-07:00In healthcare, they've taken the "art&quo...In healthcare, they've taken the "art" out of medicine and replaced it with a ruler. Not good. <br /><br />Wonderful essay. (I agree with Jennifer--this is beyond a post!)Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-23790692202380896322012-07-19T11:28:32.679-07:002012-07-19T11:28:32.679-07:00As I read this post I thought about how many blogs...As I read this post I thought about how many blogs I’ve visited that are similar in nature. The difference is, the majority of their posts have me nodding off before I’m even half way through, while yours keep me captivated. <br /><br />You’ve made some interesting and valid points here (as in your other posts), which lead me to believe you’ve got an innate understanding about human nature and how and why we act as we do. <br /><br />I hope you’re thinking about writing a book someday because you most definitely have the skill and the ability to hold readers’ attention! :)Susan Bodendo/Super Earthlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10552499547660991944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-37229042338989087032012-07-18T21:01:12.349-07:002012-07-18T21:01:12.349-07:00You are too kind, Jennifer. More posts to come, wh...You are too kind, Jennifer. More posts to come, when I get around to forming my thoughts. I reckon there is hope, but not until we work out how to tame the corporate beasts.<br /><br />Shell, I had not considered the quantum analogy - and there's me an avid science follower too! - so thanks for that insight. I think it is entirely apt!Botanisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12098709722475364465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-68298648118860099022012-07-18T20:07:44.371-07:002012-07-18T20:07:44.371-07:00Ah,this speaks on so many levels. First I think of...Ah,this speaks on so many levels. First I think of work and the ridiculousness of some of the benchmarks designed for robots, I mean employees. Seriously, it's all about cheating the system just for entertainment, not because you can't meet the guidelines, I swear. Kind of like in quantum physics, the observed is affected by the observation.Shell Flowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08127004188099765270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-16523847095675508112012-07-18T19:46:07.286-07:002012-07-18T19:46:07.286-07:00This is a great essay (it's too good to just b...This is a great essay (it's too good to just be a "post"!) and I agree with you. It's one of the reasons I don't miss my old day job - it was all a numbers game and nobody was ever satisfied.Jennifer Hillierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783975547643539868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-68054453100872875052012-07-18T12:25:14.733-07:002012-07-18T12:25:14.733-07:00Glad to hear it, Unikorna :) A lot of people in th...Glad to hear it, Unikorna :) A lot of people in the world could do with taking themselves rather less seriously!Botanisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12098709722475364465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-22761603235651844912012-07-17T04:33:29.981-07:002012-07-17T04:33:29.981-07:00I am endowed with a significant dose of self irony...I am endowed with a significant dose of self irony, which I hold dear :). That is why I never take myself too seriously...so whoever might measure my abilities in one way or another...would eventually discover, that the object of their measurement is entirely uninterested. But I am very interested in the good opinion of those I admire and respect.unikornahttp://unikorna.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-71392421185322168202012-07-16T17:53:39.969-07:002012-07-16T17:53:39.969-07:00Mynx, sales targets, yeah, that's an example o...Mynx, sales targets, yeah, that's an example of organizational behavior that then imposes pressures on people. Depending on how forceful the company is with punishments and rewards - to "motivate" the work force - that can easily lead to nasty and unwanted behavior on the part of otherwise decent human beings.<br /><br />Jean, maybe I'm just getting cynical in my old age, but I'm seeing modern politics as the biggest failing of the democratic ideal :(<br /><br />Jenny, when measurement comes in, emotions and plain old common sense tend to fly out the window.Botanisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12098709722475364465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-29276932335181339322012-07-16T09:42:54.030-07:002012-07-16T09:42:54.030-07:00I had an experience today where measuring the abil...I had an experience today where measuring the ability of the person sent to deal with a parking problem showed how little stock is put into the involvement of emotions and how quickly they can change any preconceived measurement one may have had of said person.<br /><br />Good post.Pearson Reporthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05422640826640133140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-68083782039788782442012-07-16T08:35:26.141-07:002012-07-16T08:35:26.141-07:00Good points. While it's good to have a goal, h...Good points. While it's good to have a goal, holding ones self to standardized measurements only leads to unhappiness and disappointment. Ugh, and the political popularity show, don't get me started.Jean Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02047709505502621618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828517374142265050.post-84756068842036866422012-07-16T03:38:57.128-07:002012-07-16T03:38:57.128-07:00One of the main reasons I hated my last job was th...One of the main reasons I hated my last job was the sales targets. Each evening we would have to declare to the manager our results for the day.<br />You could flog yourself all day and just not get a sale while another would fluke several with little effort. This form of measuring effort ended up being very demoralising.not displayedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11637174135437423585noreply@blogger.com