Thank you very much to the cat owner, who also offered to ensure the Maratitas got their very own “fur baby.” I am sure the day will come again, and when it does — yes, I’ll probably contact Guam Animals in Need.
As my day begins, I typically review over coffee what other media around the world are saying.
The U.K.’s Financial Times — also known as the “pink paper” due to its salmon color had an interesting article on its website — also tinted salmon pink.
On May 27, the FT shared a survey on the control people have in the workplace. It’s a government funded survey that has been running for almost 40 years.
You can find the article “Professionals are losing control of their work” at www.ft.com
In brief, the survey showed a decline in “task discretion,” or how much control people have over which tasks to do and how to do them, most recently among professionals and more highly skilled workers.
In our world at Glimpses Media news deadlines rule, so task discretion had better lead to meeting deadlines.
But start discussing what stories and what issues we should cover (as the news team and I did over a recent breakfast meeting) and my voice is just one of many. That’s as it should be — journalists base their opinions on what they know, and what they want to know, and what we think readers want to know, and what readers tell us they want to know.
The beauty of the breakfast discussion (at Shirley’s for Guam readers) was we walked away with great plans for news, which will be coming to you soon.
But in today’s offices we all have processes and procedures — designed for cyber security, and to make life efficient, and more. In certain industries — like construction — procedures to follow regulations by OSHA and QC control are essential.
What about the rest of us? Are we giving people enough freedom as to how they do a job? Are we stifling their skills?
Back to the news team, who are — thank the lord — a group of individuals with their own way of doing things and their own skills, and a willingness to follow where a story leads.
You can say the same about Glimpses Media and all the individuals who bring their own talents and strengths to our teams.
But as I pondered all this, I thought of Job Descriptions, which is one way of describing tasks. I know I have one. I just need to remember where it is. I am sure it had all the HR requisites, but the bit I remember is “… and other duties.”
Do people go back and read their job descriptions regularly? I think we all know the answer to that.
I remember at some point we simplified some of the job descriptions, because they were pages long and so detailed that they would terrify even the most determined of job applicants.
I’ll leave you with those thoughts and go back to my own tasks and today’s “To-Do List,” which includes finishing this column and zipping it over for layout. mbj
— Maureen N. Maratita is the publisher at Glimpses Media. Glimpses Media includes the Marianas Business Journal, Guam Business Magazine, The Guam Guide, Wave 105.1 FM, Power98 and Route99.