Clark B. Montgomery M.Ed. Extension Cohort Fast Company November, 1998

"Dan Hanson" by Heath Row, December, 1998. Pg. 192

Summary

In general, the article concerns the importance of "meaning" in the workplace. How a meaningful workplace/occupation positively affects employee morale, productivity and ultimately the overall success of the organization. Dan Hanson is a former and current corporate executive with Land O' Lakes, Inc. Diagnosed and treated for cancer in 1991, Hanson considers himself now cured, with the disease in remission the past six years. As a result of personal reflection during his battle with the disease, this previously "fast-track" and "bottom-line only" executive now considers a healthy work community the key to success. In Hanson's own words, "I [previously] played with people as pawns and businesses as though they were valued by only their bottom line. I was losing touch with the fact that organizations are made up of people". Hanson now feels that when employees don't find meaning or meaningful relationships at work, the problem isn't with the people - it's with oppressive work environments that stifle creativity or with unhealthy work relationships that keeps colleagues at odds with one another.

Hanson's management philosophy of creating a healthy work community involves four principles:

1) Management must focus on organizational and personal problems that affect the workplace, not the balance sheet. Organizations that grow at the expense of treating employees as people soon find their employees feeling alienated and disconnected.

2) Highlight examples of exceptional accomplishment made possible through work-community based action.

3) Community must come from grass roots, not from top down. Employees feel better when the organization succeeds because of them, not because of management decisions.

4) When people succeed, tell them so. Avoid pampering as well as undeserved praise. People want to be challenged as well as appreciated.

Reflection

I realize that the point of the article was to showcase innovative success. However, I find it curious that what seems to be common knowledge for someone like myself (blue collar origin) is regarded as almost a spiritual revelation in the corporate world. Although Dan Hanson's current attitude towards management certainly seems "on track", I find it a little offensive to learn that it required his near death experience to understand that employees also have feelings, ambitions, wants and needs. It made me feel blessed to know I didn't have to work for Land O' Lakes in 1990. Perhaps the real story is not Mr. Hanson's change in attitude, but how he implemented changes and made Land O' Lakes a more friendly, challenging and profitable place to work. Unfortunately, the articles failed to address, in any way, those implications.

Discussion

In discussion with others, most comments were that I either "missed the point" or was "overreacting". That's probably true. However, that's the way the article struck me. While it's refreshing to see evidence of evolving employee consideration, it's also distressing to be reminded that it's not the norm. The phrase "follow the money" rings true once again.

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-- Anonymous, December 03, 1998

Answers

Clark Montgomery,

I agree with your comments on this article about the importance of "meaning" in the workplace. It certainly should not take a near death experience to understand employees. Well written and organized.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 1999