From 3b4ad818b06d989b423dc448bd1fb2524e5e544d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Phil Haack Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2018 09:51:13 -0800 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Initial draft of war is hell --- _posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown | 59 +++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 59 insertions(+) create mode 100644 _posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown diff --git a/_posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown b/_posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown new file mode 100644 index 000000000..c5ad2c6bf --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,59 @@ +--- +title: "Avoid war metaphors at work" +description: "War is hell, so why are we so fascinated by using it as a metaphor for work. It's outdated and not inclusive." +date: 2018-12-14 -0800 09:03 AM PDT +categories: [management] +--- + +William Tecumseh Sherman was a general for the North during the U.S. civil war and is famous for the "War is hell" quote. If anyone should know, he would. + +This quote was part of a speech delivered to the Michigan Military Academy. What's telling is the context in which he [delivered this phrase](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Tecumseh_Sherman). + +> I’ve been where you are now and I know just how you feel. It’s entirely natural that there should beat in the breast of every one of you a hope and desire that some day you can use the skill you have acquired here. Suppress it! You don’t know the horrible aspects of war. I’ve been through two wars and I know. I’ve seen cities and homes in ashes. I’ve seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, __war is Hell!__ + +War metaphors are pervasive in the workplace today. Look at internal communications, job posting, etc. and you'll find language like: + +1. We're in the trenches together. +2. We will conquer the market. +3. We will crush the competition. +4. Mobilize the troops to ship this project. + +And so on. + +If war is hell, why would we ever describe work in this way? + +> Come work for us! You'll enjoy the smell of sulphur and we provide headphones to block out the wails of the damned - aka typical open office perk! + +In his speech, Sherman points to both the reason this metaphor persists, and the fallacy in that thinking. + +There's a variant of his quote that goes like this. + +> There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all Hell. + +The persistence of war metaphor is because those who have never seen its true horror continue to glorify it. I have not experienced war first hand, but I trust Sherman's account. + +There's a couple of problems with this fascination in the workplaces. + +## It doesn't reflect our real goals in business + +As Frank V. Cespedes notes in [Stop Using Battle Metaphors in Your Company Strategy](https://hbr.org/2014/12/stop-using-battle-metaphors-in-your-company-strategy)... + +> But the metaphor is not suitable because business, unlike a war or battle, is not primarily about defeating an enemy. Business is primarily about customer value: targeting customer groups and tailoring products, sales and other activities to serve those groups better or differently than others. + +Work requires collaboration and customer focus. Other companies might be your competition, but they are not your enemy. And as Bezos points out, you [shouldn't be so focused on them anyways](https://www.geekwire.com/2013/interview-jeff-bezos-explains-amazon-focus-competitors/). + +> “If you have a customer-centric culture, that cures a lot of ills,” responds Bezos. “Let’s say you’re the leader in a particular arena, if you’re competitor-focused and you’re already the leader, then where does your energy come from? Whereas, if you’re customer focused, and you’re already the leader, customers are never satisfied.” + +## It's not inclusive + +Mark Peters notes in [The hidden sexism in workplace language](http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20170329-the-hidden-sexism-in-workplace-language) that... + +> Similarly, male-centric lingo derived from sports, war, and machinery (like the insufferable cliché “drill down”) also reinforce the idea that the workplace is (or should be) a man cave with water coolers. + +Research shows this has a material effect on your business. For example, [women do not apply to "Male-sounding" jobs](http://time.com/48578/study-women-do-not-apply-to-male-sounding-jobs/). + +## What to do instead + +Take a hard look at your business goals. Look hard at what values and qualities your team needs to achieve them. When you do this, it should become clear that the war metaphor is at odds with that. It promotes the wrong kind of thinking. + +Don't be lazy with the language used to describe your business. Use language that emphasizes the qualities that correlate to the success of your work. From a4e7914e0c015a64e7e1b27a4590c4176610fa15 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Phil Haack Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2018 14:33:53 -0800 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] WIP --- _posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown | 59 --------------------- 1 file changed, 59 deletions(-) delete mode 100644 _posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown diff --git a/_posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown b/_posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown deleted file mode 100644 index c5ad2c6bf..000000000 --- a/_posts/2018/2018-12-14-war-is-hell.markdown +++ /dev/null @@ -1,59 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "Avoid war metaphors at work" -description: "War is hell, so why are we so fascinated by using it as a metaphor for work. It's outdated and not inclusive." -date: 2018-12-14 -0800 09:03 AM PDT -categories: [management] ---- - -William Tecumseh Sherman was a general for the North during the U.S. civil war and is famous for the "War is hell" quote. If anyone should know, he would. - -This quote was part of a speech delivered to the Michigan Military Academy. What's telling is the context in which he [delivered this phrase](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Tecumseh_Sherman). - -> I’ve been where you are now and I know just how you feel. It’s entirely natural that there should beat in the breast of every one of you a hope and desire that some day you can use the skill you have acquired here. Suppress it! You don’t know the horrible aspects of war. I’ve been through two wars and I know. I’ve seen cities and homes in ashes. I’ve seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, __war is Hell!__ - -War metaphors are pervasive in the workplace today. Look at internal communications, job posting, etc. and you'll find language like: - -1. We're in the trenches together. -2. We will conquer the market. -3. We will crush the competition. -4. Mobilize the troops to ship this project. - -And so on. - -If war is hell, why would we ever describe work in this way? - -> Come work for us! You'll enjoy the smell of sulphur and we provide headphones to block out the wails of the damned - aka typical open office perk! - -In his speech, Sherman points to both the reason this metaphor persists, and the fallacy in that thinking. - -There's a variant of his quote that goes like this. - -> There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all Hell. - -The persistence of war metaphor is because those who have never seen its true horror continue to glorify it. I have not experienced war first hand, but I trust Sherman's account. - -There's a couple of problems with this fascination in the workplaces. - -## It doesn't reflect our real goals in business - -As Frank V. Cespedes notes in [Stop Using Battle Metaphors in Your Company Strategy](https://hbr.org/2014/12/stop-using-battle-metaphors-in-your-company-strategy)... - -> But the metaphor is not suitable because business, unlike a war or battle, is not primarily about defeating an enemy. Business is primarily about customer value: targeting customer groups and tailoring products, sales and other activities to serve those groups better or differently than others. - -Work requires collaboration and customer focus. Other companies might be your competition, but they are not your enemy. And as Bezos points out, you [shouldn't be so focused on them anyways](https://www.geekwire.com/2013/interview-jeff-bezos-explains-amazon-focus-competitors/). - -> “If you have a customer-centric culture, that cures a lot of ills,” responds Bezos. “Let’s say you’re the leader in a particular arena, if you’re competitor-focused and you’re already the leader, then where does your energy come from? Whereas, if you’re customer focused, and you’re already the leader, customers are never satisfied.” - -## It's not inclusive - -Mark Peters notes in [The hidden sexism in workplace language](http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20170329-the-hidden-sexism-in-workplace-language) that... - -> Similarly, male-centric lingo derived from sports, war, and machinery (like the insufferable cliché “drill down”) also reinforce the idea that the workplace is (or should be) a man cave with water coolers. - -Research shows this has a material effect on your business. For example, [women do not apply to "Male-sounding" jobs](http://time.com/48578/study-women-do-not-apply-to-male-sounding-jobs/). - -## What to do instead - -Take a hard look at your business goals. Look hard at what values and qualities your team needs to achieve them. When you do this, it should become clear that the war metaphor is at odds with that. It promotes the wrong kind of thinking. - -Don't be lazy with the language used to describe your business. Use language that emphasizes the qualities that correlate to the success of your work.