You’ve all heard it. The more people you get together, the dumber the group is. It probably explains why when election time comes around, we should just get monkeys to do the voting for us. Maybe just vegetables. I hear broccoli has an IQ of 10.
This also works with walking around. The larger the group, the slower the pace. I’m not exactly sure why. I’ve been with several people who like to move quickly, but the pace automatically slows down, no matter who the slowest person in the group is. When you’re like me this can be frustrating. I enjoy getting to my destination. How you get there may be the nobler part, but I’m no shepherd.
Recently, I read an article about people being dumber in meetings. Its not from the best of sources (ABC news), but it seems reliable. I mention this because of my urge to get things done in the most efficient way possible. At work, no matter where you work, you’ll have meetings. These meetings can go one of several ways. First, they are great and everyone contributes just what they need and we go back to work. Second, everyone tries to show up everyone else, no one listens and the meeting drags on forever, wasting everyone’s time. Lastly, the group can try unprepared brainstorming during the meeting. This is by far the worst thing that can be done in a meeting. Studies show people can’t think as well in groups. I’ve noticed this at my current workplace and I’m tired of it.
In my free time, I invent things. Sure they aren’t always practical, but often they are. How do I know? I see the things I sketched turn up in Sharper Image, or in a science article about extra-solar exploration. Sometimes years after I wrote them down. I also like to think of new ways to do things. I thought of the 6 day week long before I ever logged onto the internet. I think this way about everything I do.
I’ve had several jobs where I try and suggest ways to do things differently, usually with logic and reason backing me up (sometimes sketches). The most common response to my thoughts are “we do it ‘this way’, its how we do it” sometimes with an “I’m more experienced than you” added to it.
Experience and innovation can sometimes work at odds with each other. When you want a fresh, new idea the best place to look for inspiration can be from the antithesis of it, or just fresh blood. I’m always trying to improve things and I wish my lack of ‘experience’ would stop getting in the way of people hearing me.
I’m well aware that this problem will plague me at every job I will ever have, but it doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it. If I’m ever in a director/manager position, meetings will have agendas, follow Robert’s rules of order, and be as short as humanly possible. You should work for me!
Philosophical, Work
