I am often willing to participate in surveys, as I realize that, when well-done, they can be useful, but I am often turned off by questions (and answer choices) that are irrelevant, simplistic, based on flawed assumptions, or pushing an agenda. I would urge any organization performing surveys to ask themselves the question, 'does this make us look out-of-touch, self-absorbed or incompetent?' I was half-expecting the article to be along the lines of 'these HR surveys helped me realize that I was wasting my time at this company.'
How my third email reminder from HR motivated me to launch my startup
41–45 of 45 posts
Re: How my third email reminder from HR motivated me to launch my startup
#42The main reason I never liked filling out surveys is not because their websites didn't work well (but of course that was true too). It was because they were usually pointless. Surveys are always gamed by management. Positive results were used by management to pat themselves on the back, and would affirm that nothing needed to be changed. Negative results would be ignored by management, and therefore nothing needed to…
I know this is not reddit, but this video drives OP's point home. https://youtube.com/watch?v=G0ZZJXw4MTA
Taking that humorous example further, you could go down both questions, still have a have a final "Yes" to both questions, but then have a final question to ask which one of the two a particular voter is worried about. e.g.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ZZJXw4MTA&lc=Ugja0o_XRxNOR... has a comment with the transscript of the skit
HUMPHREY: No. So she starts asking you some questions. Mr Woolley, are you worried about the number of young people without jobs?
BERNARD: Yes. HUMPHREY: Are you worried about the rise in crime among teenagers?
BERNARD: Yes.
HUMPHREY: Do you think there's a lack of discipline in our comprehensive schools?]
BERNARD: Yes. HUMPHREY: Do you think young people welcome some authority and leadership in their lives?
BERNARD: Yes. HUMPHREY: Do you think they respond to a challenge?
BERNARD: Yes. HUMPHREY: Would you be in favour of reintroducing national service?
BERNARD: ...Oh. Well, I suppose I might be.
HUMPHREY: Yes or no?
BERNARD: Yes.
...
HUMPHREY: Mr Woolley, are you worried about the danger of war?
BERNARD: Yes. HUMPHREY: Are you worried about the growth of armaments?
BERNARD: Yes.
HUMPHREY: Do you think there's a danger in giving young people guns and teaching them how to kill?
BERNARD: Yes.
HUMPHREY: Do you think it's wrong to force people to take up arms against their will?
BERNARD: Yes.
HUMPHREY: Would you oppose the reintroduction of national service?
BERNARD: Yes.
...
FINAL QUESTION: Are you more worried about the rise in crime among teenagers or about the growth of armaments?
POTENTIAL FINAL ANSWERS: The rise in crime among teenagers / The growth of armaments / Undecided between the two.
Re: How my third email reminder from HR motivated me to launch my startup
#43I am often willing to participate in surveys, as I realize that, when well-done, they can be useful, but I am often turned off by questions (and answer choices) that are irrelevant, simplistic, based on flawed assumptions, or pushing an agenda. I would urge any organization performing surveys to ask themselves the question, 'does this make us look out-of-touch, self-absorbed or incompetent?' I was half-expecting the…
But an "out-of-touch, self-absorbed or incompetent" entity would never ask itself that. And even if it did, would not recognize it.
A french singer, Brassens, used to sing something that can be translated that "to admit your are not intelligent, you need to be".
And of course you have the famous simpson episode:
http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/000/645/713/888...
Re: How my third email reminder from HR motivated me to launch my startup
#44I am often willing to participate in surveys, as I realize that, when well-done, they can be useful, but I am often turned off by questions (and answer choices) that are irrelevant, simplistic, based on flawed assumptions, or pushing an agenda. I would urge any organization performing surveys to ask themselves the question, 'does this make us look out-of-touch, self-absorbed or incompetent?' I was half-expecting the…
But an "out-of-touch, self-absorbed or incompetent" entity would never ask itself that. And even if it did, would not recognize it. A french singer, Brassens, used to sing something that can be translated that "to admit your are not intelligent, you need to be". And of course you have the famous simpson episode: http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/000/645/713/888...
In the limit, I agree, but we probably all have these characteristics to a degree, and can sometimes recognize that we do.
Re: How my third email reminder from HR motivated me to launch my startup
#45At Sun, during the dark days of Solaris, when everyone was depressed and wanted to quit, our manager sat down with each of us and asked: "I want to know your happiness index, a number from 1 to 10. You can use any algorithm you want to come up with it, just use the same algorithm each time so we can track how it changes over time." I had a BS degree in Computer Science, but I was never taught an algorithm for calcula…
I might just try this 'use the same algorithm' approach for my short- to midterm happiness. Very interesting idea, and it seems to fit within the zen/CBT approach I've been working on. Thanks!