Bringing Leadership Science to OD and HR
The Fascinating Work Philosophy of Elliott Jaques
June 5, 2009, 8:30 to 11:30am
Regus Corporate Center, Meridian Parkway, Durham NC

$170.00 per person, nonrefundable except in event of program cancellation.  Substitutions are allowed at any time.  Limited to 18 participants.

Program Description

Have you noticed that most organizations attempt to fix employee performance through training rather than addressing the underlying system which caused them?   When performance slips, companies typically just schedule more classes.  Training is great (we’re in that business!), but it helps only under certain circumstances, with certain people, at certain times.  At the end of the day, employees are somewhat better informed but still largely unengaged.

Have you noticed that most organizations spend thousands (or millions) promoting initiatives like teamwork, creativity, and collaboration -- while at the same time informally discouraging everyone from taking risk?  Initiatives are great (we’re in that business!), but they stick only when the company simultaneously gets the disincentives out of the way.  Otherwise, they become "flavor of the month."

Do your employees feel mismatched to their talents? Are your costs of low productivity growing, especially as your company frantically convenes meeting after meeting to “address” these problems? 

Despite good intentions, companies change little and remain structured in ways that constrict the free flow of information and leadership.  Companies do aspire to make work a noble, highly-gratifying experience, but mostly they just try to stay out of trouble whether that's productive or not.

So how does HR and OD create meaningful change?  It doesn't happen without systems-level solutions.  To that end, we have a time-tested, science-based leadership model to share with HR and OD professionals.  Its genesis is a brilliant thinker who died in 2003 after a phenomenal career.   Brilliant, controversial Elliott Jaques.  Although ignored by many academics, his ideas are widely used by consultancies and organizations across the world.  He is a hero to many.  

• He coined the term “corporate culture” and “midlife crisis”. 
• He founded the Tavistock Institute (precursor to OD’s seminal home, the National Training Lab).
• He received a special award from General Colin Powell in 1992 for military leadership and instruction.  
• He created an actual science out of arbitrary, highly subjective promotion schemes, the kind most corporations use every day. 
• His body of research, called Requisite Organization, is best appreciated by experienced managers who have personally struggled with issues such as accountability, teamwork and leadership.  You will immediately understand what Jaques is talking about and be able to use his ideas.