Finding the Fit!

A question was raised in my Principals of Management class this week.  Why do we learn all of this management theory when we have never seen it in real life? When I asked some clarifying questions I found a common thread in each of their answers.

 

Most of the class has only post-recession work experiences.  The real world to them is built around cost control and part time transient jobs. In the past five years most of the students have held four or more jobs. Each of their stories ended with the same result the job was over or gone.  Only one of the students had had the same job for more than two years.  Each student was questioning the relevance of a college degree with theory that they have never experienced first-hand.
 
Following my traditionalist concept of business theory and my Machiavellian thinking we must follow the tried and true. It is clear that we face an uncertain future and we are surrounded by underemployment. Companies that have traditionally built on the strengths of their people have had to stream line to remain profitable. We see far less of what we have grown to expect of American employment but it will be the companies that have applied proven theories that will be the best companies of our future. 

 

We learn this to change the future outcome and not accept the current environment as the status quo! Ships are not easily turned but the ship’s turning is started with one of its smallest components. Change starts with someone . . . maybe you.