Comments on: Getting Your Employees Up to Snuff

By: Glenys Yates

Glenys Yates — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 00:13:11 +0000

My sympathies lie with the older person. Computer use is not part of our basic skill set – it is something we acquired in middle age. I’d like to ask who is teaching this “older individual”? If it is a young person, maybe they are just moving too fast and assuming a high level of prior knowledge, just making “older individual” feel inadequate. Get an older person to teach him.. SeniorNet (which I think is a world-wide organisation) teaches in a more relaxed and slower way and has great success with older learners.

By: Pavan Desai

Pavan Desai — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 14:29:30 +0000

Thank you for this post; “Explore natural consequences” gave me a new perspective, especially this sentence: “You can surrender the need to manage his choices.” Appreciate the insightful material.

By: Ed Schneider

Ed Schneider — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 14:07:49 +0000

As both an older invidual and someone who has managed a few staffs I was very interested in your column. I agree with almost everything you say but have to take exception to your premise in #3. You say ‘Too many managers think it’s their job to motivate people to change. It isn’t.’ I say why not? The major asset of most organizations is the people and managers are responsible for their people. Shouldn’t the manager’s manager hold the manager responsible for how the manager’s people perform and the manager’s role in their performance? I think it shortsighted to say that the manager is not responsible for motivating the person they are managing. For me it’s part of the role of the manager. I am fine with what you advise in #3 – do help them understand the consequence of their decisions. That part makes perfest sense. It’s the caveat you lead with I am questioning. It did make me stop and question my belief. It is challenging, but upon reflection I think it is unnecessary to your point.