Attention to detail, that's what Steve Jobs was known for in addition to his other management practices.
Where else can you find such attention to detail to provide inspiration for him, but this weeks parsha.
Methodically planned out, every piece defined, the number of rings, the layers of gold or wood and so much more. When you are working on a project you need to include everything to the last bolt. It is not easy to be so meticulous. There is always something changed or unknown in the more complex situations.
When you have a guide to follow it does make it easier for everyone. And when you are done building your project, then what? How often does one look back on the diagrams or blue prints and think how awesome they are or the beauty of the design? No, it is the external appearance which most of us follow and remember.
The Torah goes on to tell us not just what the outside should look like, but the inside as well. The bones or structure of everything, is just as important as the appearance. Without a strong base there will not be any final product.
A house of cards can not stand up forever.
There have been more than enough companies that have bluffed their way to riches only to see everything crumble around them when it was found it everything was built on lies.
Don't be them.
Build your company strong and proper and it may too be talked about 3,000 years later.
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Parsha Terumah in the book of Shemot, 25:1-27:19 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom
Friday, February 15, 2013
Friday, February 8, 2013
Don't Lie to Customers
A basic belief when hiring employees is that they are honest and above board about everything they do. Unfortunately too many times the good managers are fooled by the deceptive employee. I would venture that bad managers probably are okay with a few close to the edge employees, but for the rest of us it can be a painful experience.
Perhaps out of fear for lawsuits or monetary damage or customer loyalty, the manager chooses not to fire the employee once they find out they are not such a great person. Ethics are just one issue, but lying is another. Many times in the course of projects fingers get pointed and eventually someone will say "it wasn't me" or "I never touched it" or my favorite from support "didn't change a thing" only to find out in the end, indeed they did do something but were trying to avoid the punishment so to speak for their incorrect efforts.
But if you are their manager what do you do? Do you call them on this? You should. Not in front of the client of course but afterwards you need to deal with this at the first sign of it happening. If you do not, you may not have the benefit to change it later. Once you let it slide you have set the precedent and that is not a good precedent to set.
In this parsha, we read the following line from 23:1 :
Sounds simple enough but the lines get blurred in business often. If the customer knows your team lied, you face up to it and move the person from the project. To do anything less would invite distrust on you and your company or brand. Clients respect you more when you deal with situations internally. They may have their own ideas about what happened, but as long as they believe you stopped it, they will continue to trust in you.
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Parsha Mishpatim in the book of Shemot, 21:1-24:18 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom
Perhaps out of fear for lawsuits or monetary damage or customer loyalty, the manager chooses not to fire the employee once they find out they are not such a great person. Ethics are just one issue, but lying is another. Many times in the course of projects fingers get pointed and eventually someone will say "it wasn't me" or "I never touched it" or my favorite from support "didn't change a thing" only to find out in the end, indeed they did do something but were trying to avoid the punishment so to speak for their incorrect efforts.
But if you are their manager what do you do? Do you call them on this? You should. Not in front of the client of course but afterwards you need to deal with this at the first sign of it happening. If you do not, you may not have the benefit to change it later. Once you let it slide you have set the precedent and that is not a good precedent to set.
In this parsha, we read the following line from 23:1 :
| 1. You shall not accept a false report; do not place your hand with a wicked person to be a false witness. | א. לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא אַל תָּשֶׁת יָדְךָ עִם רָשָׁע לִהְיֹת עֵד חָמָס: |
Sounds simple enough but the lines get blurred in business often. If the customer knows your team lied, you face up to it and move the person from the project. To do anything less would invite distrust on you and your company or brand. Clients respect you more when you deal with situations internally. They may have their own ideas about what happened, but as long as they believe you stopped it, they will continue to trust in you.
=======================================================================
Parsha Mishpatim in the book of Shemot, 21:1-24:18 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom
Friday, February 1, 2013
Fear of God, Do CEO's get it?
Do you have some distinct laws in your office that violation of them are grounds for dismissal? Does anyone keep to them and truly follow them? Do they get broken regularly?
Getting fired is not that bad, look at the executives who get away with all types of things and get fired. Boohoo, that multimillion buyout, because the Board agreed to the farce upfront, just makes it laughable.
Evidently the 10 Commandments are not universally followed and some hint of why is found in this parsha. In 20:15-16 right after hearing the 10 Commandments, the children of Israel say:
How convenient that if God were to tell us something, we would die, but if a man told us something we will hear, not we will do, but we will hear.
So corporate greed? Discussed early on in civilization. Already trying to skirt the rules, check. And thus the "Fear of God" line comes from this point. Do CEOs believe in god or fear God? What do they fear?
Why make this point? Because if you walk around with no limits to your life or guidelines, as some call these 10, then how can you lead others? Unless you want to lead others down a path that may lead to their demise. Hopefully that is not how you view management. And more importantly it is not how management views you or shapes the company culture in this way. On the flip side, do not hold a whole company accountable because of one person that has failed everyone.
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Parsha Yitro in the book of Shemot, 18:1-20:23 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom
Getting fired is not that bad, look at the executives who get away with all types of things and get fired. Boohoo, that multimillion buyout, because the Board agreed to the farce upfront, just makes it laughable.
Evidently the 10 Commandments are not universally followed and some hint of why is found in this parsha. In 20:15-16 right after hearing the 10 Commandments, the children of Israel say:
| 15. And all the people saw the voices and the torches, the sound of the shofar, and the smoking mountain, and the people saw and trembled; so they stood from afar. | טו. וְכָל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת וְאֶת הַלַּפִּידִם וְאֵת קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר וְאֶת הָהָר עָשֵׁן וַיַּרְא הָעָם וַיָּנֻעוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ מֵרָחֹק: | |
| 16. They said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear, but let God not speak with us lest we die." | טז. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל משֶׁה דַּבֶּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה וְאַל יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ אֱלֹהִים פֶּן נָמוּת: |
How convenient that if God were to tell us something, we would die, but if a man told us something we will hear, not we will do, but we will hear.
So corporate greed? Discussed early on in civilization. Already trying to skirt the rules, check. And thus the "Fear of God" line comes from this point. Do CEOs believe in god or fear God? What do they fear?
Why make this point? Because if you walk around with no limits to your life or guidelines, as some call these 10, then how can you lead others? Unless you want to lead others down a path that may lead to their demise. Hopefully that is not how you view management. And more importantly it is not how management views you or shapes the company culture in this way. On the flip side, do not hold a whole company accountable because of one person that has failed everyone.
=======================================================================
Parsha Yitro in the book of Shemot, 18:1-20:23 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom
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