Learning Lessons from Mr. Scrooge

I wrote last week about how much I like cold weather for the holidays – between Thanksgiving and New Years. And then no more!

Christmas movies are something else I really look forward to, and we watch ‘em all. From Ralphie and Clark, to Susan and George, and even The Santa Clause movies. One of the movies we watched this week is A Christmas Carol. I like the one with Alistair Sim as Scrooge; it just seems like the real thing to me. I’ve seen the one with George C. Scott, and I just can’t get past the General Patton as Ebenezer Scrooge thing.

Anyway, as I was watching, I cringed at the notion of “face time equals quality time” in the workplace. If you’ve seen the movie, you know the scene where Bob Cratchit, working late on Christmas Eve(!), asks for Christmas Day off “if it’s quite convenient.” Of course, Scrooge decries its inconvenience and begrudgingly gives him the day off contingent on him being back at work “all the earlier” the day after.

I’ve beaten this drum before, and I’ll probably do it again (and again, and again), but there are organizations out there that are still stuck in this model. It’s the 21^st Century people! It doesn’t even matter that the workplaces of yesterday were the only place workers could access the tools needed to do their jobs; it should be about productivity. Are you getting the job done? If the answer’s yes, what difference does it make if you’re there “all the earlier” or staying later?

Granted, some jobs require workers onsite for a certain period of time – it’ll always be that way. But even for those folks, as long as the job is getting done and customers are being served with the exceptional service they expect and deserve, why should it matter if the Facebook account gets some attention from time-to-time? That’s the world we live in – it won’t end. Just get your stuff done.

I’ve talked a lot this year about transparency and open communication; it's what makes communication meaningful. Real constructive organizational communication requires the conversation to flow from all directions, not just directives pushed from the top. Speak up, give feedback, express your ideas – it’s a team effort. That’s how we grow.

I came across this the other day in an article and thought, “These guys really had it together.” This is the way Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, who founded HP in 1939, ran their company from the outset. Look at their success. It’s worth emulating.

The HP Way

We have trust and respect for individuals.

We approach each situation with the belief that people want to do a good job and will do so, given the proper tools and support. We attract highly capable, diverse, innovative people and recognize their efforts and contributions to the company. HP people contribute enthusiastically and share in the success that they make possible.

We focus on a high level of achievement and contribution.

Our customers expect HP products and services to be of the highest quality and to provide lasting value. To achieve this, all HP people, especially managers, must be leaders who generate enthusiasm and respond with extra effort to meet customer needs. Techniques and management practices which are effective today may be outdated in the future. For us to remain at the forefront in all our activities, people should always be looking for new and better ways to do their work.

We conduct our business with uncompromising integrity.

We expect HP people to be open and honest in their dealings to earn the trust and loyalty of others. People at every level are expected to adhere to the highest standards of business ethics and must understand that anything less is unacceptable. As a practical matter, ethical conduct cannot be assured by written HP policies and codes; it must be an integral part of the organization, a deeply ingrained tradition that is passed from one generation of employees to another.

We achieve our common objectives through teamwork.

We recognize that it is only through effective cooperation within and among organizations that we can achieve our goals. Our commitment is to work as a worldwide team to fulfill the expectations of our customers, shareholders and others who depend upon us. The benefits and obligations of doing business are shared among all HP people.

We encourage flexibility and innovation.

We create an inclusive work environment which supports the diversity of our people and stimulates innovation. We strive for overall objectives which are clearly stated and agreed upon, and allow people flexibility in working toward goals in ways that they help determine are best for the organization. HP people should personally accept responsibility and be encouraged to upgrade their skills and capabilities through ongoing training and development. This is especially important in a technical business where the rate of progress is rapid and where people are expected to adapt to change.

It’s great to work for a company that thinks like this, so be a participant, not a bystander. You’ll not only have more fun and be more productive while it’s happening, you’ll be able to look back in a few years and say, “I helped do that.”