The LADGAS problem (motivation in management)

I think one of the the biggest challenges with management (and perhaps life in general) is dealing with people who happen to be feeling lazy, and just don't give a sh!t at the moment.

This seems to be particularly difficult with "boring" jobs, like call centers, retail, etc.

How many times have you called up a company to get some information, do some calculations, fix an error on your phone bill -- but they just aren't into it?

Perhaps they haven't had their coffee yet, or stayed out too late the night before.  Who knows.

Whatever the cause, you can tell they really and truly don't care one bit about what you need them to do.

When it comes down to it, motivation might be the most important aspect of management.

You could have the best processes in the world, but if people have no incentive to follow them, they won't.

So what's your advice?  How do you manage people who are feeling Lazy And Don't Give A Sh!t?

Google Buzz Privacy blah blah blah

The recent Google Buzz fallout has me confused.

Why does everyone get so bent out of shape about public privacy?

Don't get me wrong -- I'm a big advocate of personal privacy.  People should be able to do whatever they want in their homes, behind closed doors without being harassed -- as long as it's legal, of course :)

Your online activities, however, are by default not really that private.  Maybe people just don't understand this.

Even if you're using a brower's "privacy mode", anonymous proxies, etc., you're still leaving a digital trail behind you.

Clearly things like credit card numbers, social security numbers, health information, etc. need to be protected, and that's what strong encryption and privacy laws are for.

Likewise, it should be illegal for unauthorized snooping -- key loggers, spyware, etc. are like phone wiretaps and should be treated similarly.

But I don't think status updates, or drunken club photos that you willingly upload should fall under the same legislation.

Before you send an email or post something on Facebook, stop and consider for a moment that you're creating an essentially permanent digital record of that content.

It you upload content you later regret, it's not Facebook's fault, nor Google's, nor that of any other online provider.

It's your own fault for putting it out there to begin with.

Even if Google published your entire Contact List for the world to see, would that really be horrible privacy breach?

I'm sure a lot of people would view it that way, but I don't know if Google really has (or should have) any legal obligation to keep that type of information private.

Clearly this is a subject that will require much debate, but I think at least some of the responsibility for keeping things private should rest on the end user.

Perhaps Google just needs to continue with some of the modifications they've made so far -- making it more obvious to people what they're sharing, and warning them (maybe with bold, highlighted, flashing text) of the possible implications.

Technology for Relationships

Has technology improved your relationship?

Some people think that technology has hindered personal relationships, but I'd argue that its helped in some cases.

My girlfriend and I use technology constantly to help us stay connected.

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I've put together a few examples that might be of use to other couples.

1. Google Calendar

One of the great things about Google Calendar is that it lets you combine several different calendars into one handy view.

Along with our own personal calendars, which we can make visible to each other, we have a shared calendar that we can both add to and edit.

Have you ever been asked, "So are you ready for that dinner we have in half an hour?"  And have you ever responded, "Dinner? What dinner? You never told me about any dinner!"

We've all been in this situation.  With a shared calendar, moments like this are a thing of the past.

2. Google Docs

This is basically like having an online, sharable version of Word, Excel and Powerpoint.  We use this all the time, primarily for two things: vacation planning and expense sharing.

Before we go on vacation, we create a shared document containing all of the essential details of our trip.  Itineraries, hotel bookings, flight details, confirmation numbers.  It's all there in one place.  We can both update it at any time, and then print a copy or two before we go.

Having this prepared and on hand really reduces the stress of traveling!

We also use Google Docs for keeping track of shared expenses.  A single spreadsheet tracks all dates, expense categories, and amounts along with payments.  This really helps out with budgeting too.

No more, "Hey, did I give you the money for the electric bill?" or "Did you pay for gas last time or did I?"

Instead, you can just copy-and-paste from your online bank statement.  What could be easier?

Summary

Ok, so maybe this wasn't the most romantic post in the world, but with a bit of technology, you can reduce the work and stress of those annoying everyday hassles -- leaving more time for fun and romance :)

Happy Valentine's!