CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
Psychologically Demanding, Truth
Communications Automation, Implementing, 930119
Reengineer Project Management
New Age Business, Self-Actualization
Downsizing Justified by Using PCs to
Psychologists, Communication Specialists,
Anger Conflicting Understandings Assuaged
Reengineer Legal Practice to Apply Legal Metrics for Communications
Reengineer Fire People Streamline Downsize Remove Management Levels G

1412 -
1412 -    ..
1413 - Summary/Objective
1414 -
141401 - Follow up ref SDS 2 0000.
141402 -
141403 - Developed information about impact of "reengineering" to reduce
141404 - support staff on theory that the "Information Highway" enables fewer
141405 - people to do more work.  This record reflects in part results of using
141406 - TQM ideas to improve efficiency.
141407 -
141408 -
141409 -
141410 -  ..
1415 -
1416 -
1417 - Discussion
1418 -
141805 - The meeting at a promient law firm in San Francisco involved about 20
141806 - employees.  It was conducted by a psychologist, and intended to
141807 - improve communications.  This was one of a series of group meetings
141808 - held today.  Similar meetings have been conducted over the past few
141809 - months.
141810 -
141816 - ..
141817 - A major cause of frustration in the office that led to these
141818 - group training and counseling sessions results from assigning a single
141819 - secretary to support multiple (2 or 3) attornies, all of whom need
141820 - dedicated attention, or otherwise feel their work requires "top
141821 - priority."  The idea is that wages have escalated to the point that
141822 - the cost of support must be distributed, and the hope is that
141823 - automation (called the "Information Highway") enables fewer people to
141824 - do more work.  Attornies are crafting some of their own documents
141825 - rather than dictating them, but this has not led to the productivity
141826 - gains hoped for and attornies want dedicated attention.
141827 -
141828 - The psychologist ellicited concerns of attendees that cause people to
141829 - feel angry and despondent, including non-work relationships.
141830 -
141831 -      [On 960217 applied this record in developing analysis to support
141832 -      a particular attorney. ref SDS 4 Q69H
141833 - ..
141834 - Several scenarios were acted out:
141835 -
141836 -    1.  Someone goes to the fax machine and says they have an urgent
141837 -        document that needs to be faxed immediately.  The person using
141838 -        the fax says they are sending an urgent fax, and there are 3
141839 -        others that have to be sent first.
141840 -
141841 -        The psychologist asks attendees how to resolve this delima.
141842 -
141843 -        One person suggests using the internet.
141844 -
141845 -        Another says to call Kinkos.
141846 -
141847 -        Someone says the request is not believable because every fax
141848 -        cannot be top priority, so priority should be verified, and the
141849 -        recipients of faxes should be notified that a delay has
141850 -        occurred, which causes people to get mad, increases anxiety
141851 -        having to deal with people getting mad, which takes time that
141852 -        delays other tasks, cascading into major conflicts due to
141853 -        limited time.
141854 -        ..
141855 -    2.  A lawyer asks a secretary for a document in order to make
141856 -        further corrections.  The scretary says the document has been
141857 -        issued pursuant to earlier instructions from the lawyer.  The
141858 -        lawyer says the mailing instructions given earlier were only
141859 -        about where to mail the document, and were not intended to
141860 -        authorize releasing the document.  These parties become angry
141861 -        at one another for miscommunicating.
141862 -
141863 -        The psychologist asks attendees how to resolve this dilemma?
141864 -
141865 -        One person suggests calling the recipients and request that
141866 -        they ignore the mailing.  Someone suggests color coding
141867 -        documents ready for release to minimize miscommunication.
141868 -        Someone else suggests be given more responsibility for document
141869 -        content so mailing readiness is more apparent.  Lawyers can
141870 -        apply the expert communication skills they use in court to
141871 -        improve communication in administration of their work.
141872 -
141876 -
141877 - Later in the day a real life situation occurred that caused personal
141878 - tension in human relations.
141879 -
141880 -    3.  While making copies, the machine suddenly showed it needed
141881 -        toner.  Then, while changing the toner cartridge, the cartridge
141882 -        was defective:  it would not install properly.  There were no
141883 -        other toner cartridges in the copy room, so one was obtained
141884 -        from the central supply department.  A sign was posted not to
141885 -        use the copy machine, while a toner cartridge was being
141886 -        retrieved from central supply. After taking the elevator to the
141887 -        Central Supply room, a new copy toner cartridge was requested
141888 -        in order to complete a copy job that needed to be accomplished
141889 -        right away.  The support person was busy on another project,
141890 -        and would take time out to either provide a toner cartridge nor
141891 -        advise where to get one. He said he would take care of it after
141892 -        he completed his current project, but did not specify when that
141893 -        would be. The supply clerk got angry about being asked to stop
141894 -        his project and get a toner cartridge to complete copy project.
141895 -
141896 -        A solution was achieved in this case by going to another copy
141897 -        room and borrowing a toner cartridge.
141898 -
141899 -
141900 -
141901 -
141902 -
141903 -
1420 -