Management

[oudivesherpa]

I received my MBA from OU over 40 years ago but one of things was that discussed back in the day was the life cycle of a manager, the initial phase or learning stage, the highly productive stage, the Plateau stage and the declining stage. With the realization that every manger is different but in the end most will go through these four stages, the trick is to move the manager before he hits the Plateau stage to either a more challenging job (or out of the organization) and to avoid at all costs letting a manger get aphetic (declining stage) where his performance will hurt the organization. Hmm…

[Breadburner]

Fire Nick Saban........!!!!

[oudivesherpa]

One of the hardest thing for most managers is to be objective about personnel matters, it is very hard to fire people and that is not always the best answer, but one has to be objective and do what's best for the organization. Living in Texas I can see a lot of similarities between Stoops and Mac Brown a few years ago. The real question is whether after a dismal season can stoops make the hard decisions and objectively evaluate his staff.

[BoulderSooner79]

I received my MBA from OU over 40 years ago but one of things was that discussed back in the day was the life cycle of a manager, the initial phase or learning stage, the highly productive stage, the Plateau stage and the declining stage. With the realization that every manger is different but in the end most will go through these four stages, the trick is to move the manager before he hits the Plateau stage to either a more challenging job (or out of the organization) and to avoid at all costs letting a manger get aphetic (declining stage) where his performance will hurt the organization. Hmm…

So, after 40 years, what stage are you in? (Football message board is actually stage 5 right before death :surprise:)

[KantoSooner]

Has it ever struck you that virtually everything wrong with our country today is completely rooted in "MBA Thought"?

[cherokeebrewer]

I've reached the death spiral stage.

[BoulderSooner79]

I've reached the death spiral stage.

I'm right there with ya.

[OUinFLA]

I think I went from plateau stage to over the edge stage.
I was unaware I was supposed to decline.

[rock on sooner]

Has it ever struck you that virtually everything wrong with our country today is completely rooted in "MBA Thought"?

Holy Crap! The profundity involved in that question rattles the very foundation
the 535 monkeys....Kanto reigns!

[8timechamps]

I see a lot of folks comment that "if Stoops were running a business, he would have been fired years ago!". That's a crock of ****. That's not to say he should remain the coach forever, but comparing coaching to business is near impossible. Apples and Oranges.

[oudivesherpa]

Boulder, thanks for asking, best stage of all retired...but still too busy...

[BoulderSooner79]

Boulder thanks for asking, best stage of all retired...but still too busy...

I was considering the same for this year, but then I realized I haven't saved any money. Doh!

[oudivesherpa]

Kanto, I respectfully disagree with you. I am very proud of earning my MBA from OU. More that just learning about accounting, finance and marketing, a significant portion of the program dealt with ethics and ethical behavior. While every manager has a fiduciary duty to his stockholders, he also has a duty to be fair and just to his employees, be a good steward of the environment, and be a productive and active citizen in his community.
As one of my former economics professors (Dr. K) stated after an ethics lecture, we also have a legal system to ensure that you follow minimum guidelines for ethical behavior if you don't follow those guidelines we have jail time and BB for you. Of course I asked what BB was, Dr. K replied, "BB stands for Bubba's Bitch." Unfortunately, the term prepare your anus hadn't evolved yet.

[oudivesherpa]

I see a lot of folks comment that "if Stoops were running a business, he would have been fired years ago!". That's a crock of ****. That's not to say he should remain the coach forever, but comparing coaching to business is near impossible. Apples and Oranges.

8timeschamps, I disagree with the statement that Stoops would have been fired a long time ago, based on his performance and the assets he manages, the Revenue he generates and the way he turned the program around, Stoops had an outstanding job.
I agree with you that their are different skills sets in football and management, but both are organizations that to be successful you need to recruit the best people, train them in their jobs and motivate them to do more than they think they are capable. However, that is not saying that being a great coach and a great manager are interchangeable, they are not. The major difference is a great coach has to be responsible to his public (the fans) while most managers make the mistake of ignoring their customers.

How long is too long...I don't know, but I have a feeling that if next year is not better than an 8 and 5 season, Coach Stoops who had done an outstanding job may be in trouble. I think Sooner fans are loyal but the beast needs to be feed... and it has a short memory.

[KantoSooner]

Sherpa, my comment was not directed towards ethics as much as devotion to short term thinking. And don't take it personally. It's only my take on MBA think.