Organizing in the News

This month, there have been several interesting news stories related to organizational topics. These stories highlight some of the emerging issues in organization and illustrate some unique responses to organizational needs.

Organizing Your Thoughts: Choosing Your Communication Tools

One of the biggest challenges for many people and businesses today is navigating the sea of communication options available. People are no longer communicating just by email or text message. Some now “live” on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. If you don’t live there too, you could be missing out on important opportunities to connect with your friends, family or customers.

For many people, social networking is intimidiating. On top of the need to learn new technology, each medium comes with its own set of rules to follow about the style of language to be used and the appropriate actions accepted. The etiquette for these media is still a work in progress and there are as many opportunities for embarrassment for the uninitiated as there are opportunities for the social networking pro to make a positive impression.

Some of the thought-provoking stories in this area this month:

“You can argue that because we have more ways to send more messages, we spend more time doing it. That may make us more productive, but it may not. . . . And we will no doubt waste time communicating stuff that isn’t meaningful, maybe at the expense of more meaningful communication.”

Why Email No Longer Rules – The Wall Street Journal, October 12, 2009

“Twitter doesn’t allow room for reflection. It gets people to the barest emotion.”

Short Outbursts on Twitter? #Big Problem – The New York Times, October 8, 2009

“When someone tells you that they don’t have Facebook, it’s untouchable. It’s a sign of disrespect to try to convince them.”

In a Generation That Friends and Tweets, They Don’t – The Washington Post, October 15, 2009

Cleaning is Sexy!

Need some motivation to clean your house? A new study published in the Journal of Family Studies indicates that housework is the ultimate aphrodesiac.

“A survey of 2,020 U.S. adults placed “sharing household chores” as the third most important factor in a successful marriage, behind faithfulness and a happy sexual relationship, says the nonprofit Pew Research Center. . . . [H]ousework outranked even such necessities as adequate income and good housing.”

Housework Pays Off Between the Sheets – The Wall Street Journal, October 21, 2009

The Best Endorsement for Index Tabs . . . Ever!

In case you need proof that organization matters, even down to the smallest details, like index tabs, check out the video below of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. As everyone knows (or should know), Captain Sullenberger executed the miracle emergency landing of U.S. Airways flight 1549 in the Hudson River earlier this year, saving the lives of all passengers and crew onboard. Here, he discusses his new book and his recommendation for organizational improvements in airline emergency manuals.

Hope these articles have given you some food for thought this Wednesday. As always, your comments are welcome!