On Tuesday I read Chapter 10 from the book Management of the Absurd by Richard Farson. The title of Chapter 10 is: "In Communication Form is more Important than Content". The chapter is divided up into four sections. An introductory section followed by "The Power of the Invisible", ""Where we sit Matters" and "Remembering Rituals".
In the introductory section the author claims that feelings are more important than words, mode of expression is more important than words and that corporate image is "a triumph of form over content".
In the second section Mr. Farson creates meta-messages that he claims are in hidden school curriculum and management training programs and that meta-messages are more powerful than the message itself.
In section three Richard Farson gives another example of form over content by describing how it is that people arrange themselves at business meetings. As the arrangement changes so does the form of the meeting.
In the last section Mr. Farson reminds us that "the feelings, the arrangements, the rituals, the physical and social design...are crucially important".
No where in this chapter does Mr. Farson define his terms. What is the difference between form and content? No answer. Also, Mr. Farson seems to suggest that form and content are actually the same.
Mr. Farson erroneously starts with the premise that ideas are true until proven false - a fallacy.
The attractiveness of this chapter and as a matter of fact the whole book comes from the illusion that one is being let in on a secret that one is being taught things that are esoteric. Shortcuts that will allow the reader to get an edge in the workplace. Too bad that the book fails to deliver.
No comments:
Post a Comment