CONTACTS 
0201 - Chips & Tech.                      408 434 0600
020101 - Mr. Morris E. Jones
020102 - Sr. Vice President =4283 Ext

SUBJECTS
Child Development
Morris & Teri
Managing Managers
Overhead Managers are Unproductive

0706 -    ..
0707 - Summary/Objective
0708 -
070801 - Followed up work at ref SDS 5 line 64, ref SDS 4 line 52.
070802 -
070803 - Submitted via internet ref DIT 1 line 30 to Morris to congratulate him
070804 - on the effort with Jeff yesterday working on the sprinkler.
070805 - ..
070806 - Morris replied via internet with ref DRT 1 line 18 saying the
070807 - patch worked.  He says the epoxy patch is much stronger than the PVC
070808 - pipe, and so it should hold even though it is an extrnal patch on a
070809 - pressure pipe.
070810 -
070811 - Morris points out that...
070812 -
070813 -     Working with Jeff is the only way to get him to follow through at
070814 -     his age.  I think [it] is important that he learn a little about
070815 -     life, and the things you have to do to keep a home and family.  It
070816 -     would be easier to just hire the work done. I feel it is important
070817 -     for Jeff, and plan to spend 2 days a month doing projects with
070818 -     him.
070819 -
070820 - After Jeff gets the hang of doing essential chores and taking
070821 - responsibility for results, which will come under the regimine Morris
070822 - sets for himself and Jeff, it could also be helpful to go ahead and
070823 - find some occassions to hire some tasks done, so Jeff can observe a
070824 - different kind of very difficult work which is "managing."
070825 -
070826 -
070827 -
070828 -  ..
070829 - Managing Professionals and Contractors Requires Experience
070830 -
070831 - Generally, "managing" is viewed as a process that occurs between a
070832 - "worker" and a "boss" or "manager."  Morris was the manager on our
070833 - sprinkler job, and Jeff and I were the "workers."  Since this was a
070834 - small job, the boss, did a lot of the direct labor, similar to a
070835 - foreman on a small job who does a lot of the work.  This model applied
070836 - the "team leader" approach Morris posed a few years ago in noting that
070837 - project managers are "overhead" who do not produce anything,
070838 - ref SDS 2 line 150, but "team leaders" provide management and perform
070839 - some of the work, ref SDS 2 line 150.  Jeff got good exposure to this
070840 - process on the sprinkler job.
070841 -
070842 -     [See where Morris hired a project manager shortly after this, ref
070843 -     SDS 6 line 93.]
070844 -
070845 - After this foundation is established, some lessons might be helpful on
070846 - another aspect of managing.
070847 - ..
070848 - When we hire a plumber to fix the sprinkler, a doctor to fix a
070849 - knee or cancer, an engineer to design software, a contractor to build
070850 - a house, a bridge, a pipeline; a lawyer to adjust an outcome, it takes
070851 - a lot of effort to ensure there is adequate communication (leadership,
070852 - understanding and follow up), and to do so in a way that enhances the
070853 - process, without impugning professional credentials and causing hurt
070854 - feelings, per our discussion on 960721. ref SDS 3 0120  This, too, is
070855 - messy, hard work that requires the same strength of character needed
070856 - to perform the work directly, see on 970526, ref SDS 5 2458, as Jeff
070857 - observed on the sprinkler job. ref SDS 5 2007
070858 - ..
070859 - This record shows that it is very hard for professionals and
070860 - managers to accept communication, help, because proactive metrics that
070861 - SDS provides, shows things that don't line up with requirements and
070862 - commitments. Rather than see this as a chance to change course so
070863 - mistakes doesn't occur, many managers fear proactive metrics is an
070864 - implied attack on competence and self-esteem, see executive mind set
070865 - on 960224. ref SDS 1 9008
070866 -
070867 - I explained that constant exposure to error, and making adjustments
070868 - early, so that small issues do not grow into big problems and crisis,
070869 - is psychologically demanding.   That why a Communication Manager is
070870 - needed, similar to the accountant role.
070871 -
070872 - Hopefully, Morris will be able to present opportunities for Jeff to
070873 - experience the communication process as part of learning to be a
070874 - responsible member of the community.  He is preparing a strong
070875 - foundation with the present course.
070876 -
070877 -
070878 -
070879 -
0709 -