One correspondent got me to thinking:
Anonymous said...
"Richard:
Why don't you ask around and find out what ever happened to the Hay Group consultation a few years ago for UJC. Lots of $$, was supposed to streamline the title mishegas you describe.
Actually, I think your post aptly describes the current top-heavy structure of UJC/JFNA. The vast majority of those who got laid off the past few years were below the Director level.
Directors (and those above them) with relatively few people remaining to actually direct...."
So here's the sad story...you've got a lot of Directors (and those above them) with relatively few people remaining to actually direct...."
Lacking the means to discover the shelf at 25 Broadway on which the Hay Group consultation sits, I would recommend that the press take a look, if they have any interest. (Or if any of you have it, send it on to me.)
While on the subject, how about the Rochester Research Group Reports (multi-year)? And whatever were the results of the inspired "Great Place to Work" Consultancy? For that matter, other than the latest Branding and Marketing Initiative, the $2 million (+) effort that produced...tata...The Jewish Federations of North America name and mark, where have all of the consultant studies gone..or were they left behind at 111 Eighth Avenue.
**************
Congrats to the marketing geniuses who came up with the idea of The Jewish Community Hero Awards. 20 finalists -- and by my amateur count -- 2/3rds appear to have been put forward by the incredible effort of the Chabad. So, forgetting the fact that many of the "votes" were cast by the same people time-and-time-and-time again (the Chabad, I'm betting, learned their voting practices in my fair city -- "vote early and often"), it is fantastic that The Jewish Federations of North America (by another consultant, of course) culled 570,000 votes, hundreds of thousands of new names and e-mail addresses -- most of which will be found at Chabad Houses worldwide.
The Award Ceremony (the "Hero of the Year" will be selected from the 20 finalists) will be another highlight of the D.C. GA. If I haven't given you enough reasons to attend the GA already, now you have another. In my opinion, however, the men and women, young and old, lay and professional, whom you see in the halls in D.C. are the real heroes. But, that's just me.
Rwexler
well at least the Rebbe wasn't in the the top 20 -- that would have called for a real manipulation of the rules!
ReplyDeleteThe entire Hero idea is great use of the new standard of grass-roots organizing in cyber space.
ReplyDeleteBut, here comes the "but".
But, why?
Please tell me why would UJC set out to name heroes particularily out of the Federation volunteer system and celebrate them at the annual gathering of Federation volunteers?
Does the value of 500,000 fragile and short lived e-mail addresses bring so much value to UJC that it would collect them at the price of insulting the very volunteers, whose day-in and day-out work, make up the very lifeblood of Federations?
And then wonder why UJC dues collection are such a struggle.
I am sure that the current UJC leadership did not think this initiative through.
And that is the problem.
Team Rowing is a great analogy.
The Federations are rowing the boat and providing the power. UJC must be like the coxswain who coaches the rowers, provides motivation and steers the boat.
In this project the coxwain is motivating some other boat and it can only serve to hurt the motivation in our boat.
"Team rowing" is a terrific analogy -- or, to stay with the analogy, we have ships crossing in the night. When you see such bright and creative people jump at idea afer idea without any apparent thought of the consequences (or any apparent discussion of them), you just want to cry.
ReplyDeleteDid someone look at this and say "eureka we've found the secret to engaging the Chabad?" If so, success -- as when Ford rolled out the Edsel.
a conspiracy theorist might surmise that it is all linked to the immediate past CEO's well known affections for Chabad...not that they are without merit but resources tend to flow to them not from them!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteI think you give the former CEO way too much credit for thought of any kind.
that's right, insult and character assassination. you should be proud, 3:29 pm anonymous. but then again, you've had a good mentor in richard. jewish ideals in practice, huh?
ReplyDelete...and yes, i'm sure this entire initiative was born of howard's "affection" for chabad.
what a crock.
Last "Anonymous,"
ReplyDeleteI think anyone who tracks this Post knows who wrote it. My apologies to my readers.
unpacking the controversy it can be said that chabad's cyber assault on the competition was not particularly honorable and a contest that marginalized the heroes of the federation movement was not particularly well thought out. It can therefore also be said that both Chabad and UJC have invited the derision of the various commentators -both should have known better. Lastly, Howard's defender should be commended for his loyalty and pointing out that even indefenseable people deserve their dignity.
ReplyDeleteTo those who have written to attack me for an Anonymous Comment made by a third party. I take responsibility for that which I have written. When the subject was the ex-CEO almost all of my Posts focused on the actions and the results, not the person. As with all things, at least one claiming Anonymity (but for all it is clear who this "writer" is) has chosen to characterize anything I write that mentions an action taken by the ex-CEO as "insult and character assassination." Now the Comments of others are being attributed to me not only by that "Anonymous" but by at least one other hiding behind anonymity defending him. Fine with me but as long as you "hide behind the mask," don't expect your Comments to be accepted for this Blog, but know that I read them with interest.
ReplyDeleteRichard:
ReplyDeleteYou're a fool.
Best,
Anonymous
I think, based on an experience I had talking about involving "the next generation" with some individuals who were not truly internet-savvy, hat perhaps the idea was that this would create a "buzz" of sorts with the "next generation"...
ReplyDeleteThe basic idea is good, but perhaps the people who ran this should have paid a little more attention to the true nature of internet-based stuff - if you don't completely control it, it is completely controlled by other people. In this case - Chabad.
Too bad, for if they had used communities, such as that Lynn Schusterman created, this could have been a REAL picker-upper. Oh, well. Better luck next time.