“But I have told him a dozen times how to get the job done,” Nelson explained. “So, it can’t be a matter of skill.”

“You mean, you have explained the technical part to him?” I confirmed.

“Till I am blue in the face.”

“What about the other part?” I asked.

“What other part?”

“Look, Nelson, I can explain it to you, how to throw a ball. I can demonstrate a hundred times, but if you want to gain the skill, is that enough? What do you have to do?”

“Well, I would have to practice,” he replied.

“So, when you explain things to Isaac, it does not mean he has the skill. Isaac has to practice. If there is any degree of difficulty, he has to practice a lot. And what is your role while Isaac is practicing?”

“I am pretty sure that Isaac is a Stratum I and that’s why he is having difficulty with his new responsibilities,” Nelson explained.

“Isaac’s not doing well?” I asked.

“No, I swear, I have explained things to him a dozen times. He always says that he understands, but when I look at the work, he is like a deer in the headlights. Definitely Stratum I.”

“And if you are wrong?”

“I might be wrong?” Nelson tilted.

“What if he is just not interested in the work he is assigned?”

“But that’s the work I gave him to do,” Nelson replied.

“Just because you gave it to him, doesn’t mean he places value on that work. And just because he underperforms, doesn’t mean he is a Stratum I. Your assumption may lead you down the wrong road. Here are some better questions that are more helpful.

1. Does Isaac have the right skills for the assigned task? Is there some technical knowledge that he needs to know and has he practiced enough to gain the required skill?
2. Is Isaac interested in the work? Does he place a high value on its completion?
3. Has Isaac been effective in completing tasks with a similar Time Span?

From Time Span 101 (in final beta test).

Question:
Can a person move from one Stratum to another Stratum?

Response:
Instead of defining all the words necessary to understand the answer to this question, let me rephrase the question. Takes some of the mystery out of all this.

Can people, as they grow and mature through their lifetime, also grow to handle tasks of increasing complexity?

The re-stated question is easier to answer. Yes, as people grow and mature through their lifetime, they also grow in their capability to handle tasks of increasing complexity.

The Time Span of a task can be used to measure its complexity. In the workplace, the Time Span of a task can last from brief minutes to several years. Stratum is used to describe a range of Time Spans.

• Stratum I – ranges from 1 day to 3 months
• Stratum II – ranges from 3 months to 12 months
• Stratum III – ranges from 12 months to 24 months

Stratum is a way to measure. So, let’s restate the question again.

Can we measure the growth of a person’s capability to handle increasingly complex tasks through their lifetime?

Yes, we can measure that growth using Time Span as a measuring stick.

From Time Span 101 (scheduled for release in about a week).

Question:
I’m not all the way through the sessions yet, but I’m wondering how small businesses (less than 30) fill the roles of Stratum III and Stratum IV managers? I can see they have Stratum I and Stratum II but can the role of Stratum III and IV be filled by the same person? Can a person have two different time span roles depending on the “hat” they need to wear?

Response:
Sometimes, through necessity, one person can “fill in” by playing a role with shorter Time Span goals. Even in longer Time Span roles, we have many short Time Span goals, so the shift is not difficult, in terms of capability.

Beware, however, the shift may prove difficult in terms of interest. If all I ever get is short Time Span goals, with no challenge, you may find my interest begin to lag.

In small business, it is likely the entrepreneur will fill the role at Stratum III. And in a small business with less than 30 people, it is unlikely there is a need for the Stratum IV Integrator role. There isn’t anything to integrate. The business isn’t big enough to have those problems (yet).

There are many successful Stratum II companies (with less than 30 people). In their competitive environment, all they have to do is follow consistent processes. This would be typical of a fleet based service company (like plumbing or carpet cleaning).

Most of the time, the discussion here is about the practice part of management. And, for the past several years, I have trucked around the US and Canada, doing a workshop called Management Myths and Time Span, an introduction to the research of Elliott Jaques. That’s the theory part.

Now, an online version.
Management Myths and Time Span has generated so much interest, that we created an online version of the workshop, scheduled for release in a couple of weeks.

I need 20 people.
Right now, I need 20 people to test drive the program, kick the tires and give us some feedback. The test group will receive a free login to the program.

If you are interested, please [reply] to this email and I will put you on the list.

Details, for those who sign up.
The online version will go faster than the original workshop, but, it’s in-depth with tantalizing detail, so I don’t want you to think you can skim this in 6-7 minutes. The menu navigation organizes the program so you can pick it up and put it down.

You will most likely be interested if you have

• attended one of our workshops
• tried to explain it to someone else
• tried to read Requisite Organization

If you have any questions, please let me know. Looking forward to seeing you online. -TF