A new series debuted on CBS tonight (Feb 7), called Undercover Boss.
Basically, it’s about bosses who go undercover into their workforce to see how things are going, to know and appreciate what things are really like, how tough and/or bad things might really be, etc. As far as I’m concerned, it’s management in large organizations learning about reality in a way they should far more often than happens. I think the premise of the show is great for that reason. How it’ll be done in the coming weeks will have to be seen.
What I want to know, though, is if you think bosses should go undercover to be more in touch with reality in their organizations? The poll is at the end. This could only apply to large organizations where bosses might not be known to most people at some lower level, of course. Otherwise, their cover would be blown easily.
Me, I work for provincial government, and I can tell you my answer to that question is a definitive “yes”. I don’t think the general public would disagree with me on that, but I think the public might be surprised that some of us do. Personally, I’m nobody’s boss as an analyst. However, I’ve gone “undercover” numerous times just to learn how some things work, or how some things are, rather than call up people and ask. It’s not I think my colleagues would be dishonest with me. I just need the view and experience from the other side. I need to know what the public has to face the way they face it, not the way it’d be described to me from someone on the other side where the perception can be drastically different. I can also tell you all of my undercover stints have been very enlightening, too, though I’m not going to disclose what and where I did this.
And yes, I know I should be very careful about blogging on work related stuff. In my view, though, this is a good thing I’m sharing, not a bad thing. Notice how I did not comment on whether or not I thought we went undercover often enough in government, though.
Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on winning the Super Bowl! They played well and deserved it completely. A big interception thrown by Peyton Manning returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter spelled the end for the Colts, but I think the way the Saints marched down the field easily in the second quarter meant the Colts had to be flawless because anything less meant the Saints would capitalize on it. That’s when I thought the Colts were first in trouble.
More importantly with the Super Bowl win, congratulations to the people of New Orleans. They really needed this one, cause I’d hate to have seen the next week there if the Saints had lost. I know they had a parade planned whether the Saints won or not, but it’d have been a downer, and further propagated the team’s image for not being able to win the big one. Now, I wonder if New Orleans native Peyton Manning will be attending that Super Bowl party. It’d almost feel like he would have to given it’s his true home town. His Dad probably has to since Archie played for the Saints and is a key part of their history. How awkward, eh?
As a side plot, what a fantastic story for Drew Brees! As Kurt Warner retires, the NFL needs a new Cinderella story and Drew Brees stepped up for it.
Finally, looks like the “wisdom of crowds” theory held up on my poll of who would win the Super Bowl in 2010. Despite New Orleans being underdogs, the vote was 52% Saints to 48% Colts out of 297 votes. Way to go, folks!
As for me, I am a Colts fan and it is hard to take. However, the Saints were my #2 team as from the story told with that poll post, with my Parents living there and me having adopted the team as a result. It’s not as hard to take, the loss, with my #2 team winning, like it might have been if some other team had beaten the Colts in the playoffs, like the Patriots or Chargers.
Now, that Saints hat I’ve got that is going to be some commodity in Halifax, Nova Scotia!
But really, let’s hope New Orleans get something more real to cheer about than this Super Bowl that will only lift the people’s spirits, not repair their homes, get them back their jobs, and so on.
Enjoy the thrill, New Orleans! You definitely deserved this one!
Basically, it’s about bosses who go undercover into their workforce to see how things are going, to know and appreciate what things are really like, how tough and/or bad things might really be, etc. As far as I’m concerned, it’s management in large organizations learning about reality in a way they should far more often than happens. I think the premise of the show is great for that reason. How it’ll be done in the coming weeks will have to be seen.
