Ever wonder why the comic-strip "Dilbert" is so popular today? Maybe its because it rings of a certain element of truth. Management in "Dilbert" is commonly portrayed as befuddled buffoons who are not in touch with reality and only do what is politically expedient for themselves. But is the state of management really as bad as "Dilbert" portrays it? I'm afraid so.

Regrettably, we now live in a litigious society. Whereas we used to be able to hire, fire, and manage people accordingly, we must now check with a Human Resources department or corporate lawyer before we do anything in fear that an employee might slap a lawsuit on the company. There are now voluminous federal and state laws in place that encumber management. Its not that I'm in favor of racial or sexual discrimination or harassment, but management now has to walk on eggshells for every move they make, and employees are acutely aware of management's delicate position. Consequently, we see abuses of the system and a company flounders.

Instead of a results orientation in corporations, we now have political correctness, where we focus on clever maneuvering in the office as opposed to getting anything done. Sadly, I have seen more than one company "prosecute the innocent and promote the guilty." People who quietly go about their work and get their assignments done on time and within budget are often overlooked in favor of those who botch high profile assignments. I guess its a matter of the squeaky wheel getting the oil. This may be why people tend to avoid tackling substantial jobs of any real merit, preferring quick and dirty solutions instead.

Years ago, W. Edwards Deming, the father of quality circles in Japan, preached a philosophy of "Win-Win", whereby two groups work cooperatively to achieve success. In today's society, unfortunately, the mindset is "Win-Lose" - the only way someone wins is if someone else loses. This sets up ferocious competition and back-stabbing in the workplace and complicates any desire for teamwork. Deming should be spinning in his grave.

To go even further, people no longer seek responsibility, but prefer to be told what to do, thereby blaming others when something goes awry. To overcome this problem, companies need to learn how to manage from the bottom-up, not just top-down. Instead of supervising every action of the employee, delegate responsibility and let employees supervise themselves. Only when a problem pops-up should a manager get involved. This is saying to the employee, "You're a professional; if I have to supervise everything you do, then I'm wasting my time, as well as yours; Supervise yourself and get the job done." Don't be afraid to delegate responsibility and encourage personal commitment.

So, how good is today's management? Let me put it this way: American management used to be legendary in terms of getting major jobs done; e.g., the Panama Canal, the transcontinental railroad, skyscrapers, men on the moon, etc. Now, American management is boxed in by government legislation and today's social mores. Its not that they don't want to manage, they can't.

Let me leave you with one last thought: