Charles Handy article on the danger of labeling people and assuming things about others based upon their title, background, and nationality. He suggests that organizations should abandon labels and titles and emphasize the individual workers behind such classifications. Handy begins the article discussing how August Sander is described by some as the best photographer there has ever been for capturing the souls of the German people during the period before World War II, and how his portraits were confiscated by the Nazis in 1934, who were furious that his images did not conform to their visions of an ideal society. Handy comments that, to his contemporary eyes, Sanders stereotypes people by categorizing them, and obscures their individuality by not giving any of the people he captures names. He proceeds to discuss the common stereotypes associated with different professionals, and how he himself endured stereotypes from Americans due to his Anglo-Irish origins. Handy goes on to note how labeling people, although convenient, may brand people for life, and praises the Japanese use of a horizontal fast track to the top for their best and brightest so that they are not locked in to one profession. He proceeds to recommend a similar track for all young people, and suggests that organizations could do more to discover the individual in their employees in this new, less stereotyped age.
Handy, Charles B Handy, Elizabeth Management today series Semler, Ricardo, 1959- Semco (Firm)-Management Sander, August National Portrait Gallery (Great Britain) Nazis Stereotyping Ireland Great Britain Germany Japanese
Source
Charles Handy article on the danger of labeling people and assuming things about others based upon their title, background, nationality, etc. Handy suggests that organizations should abandon labels and titles and emphasize the individual workers behind such classifications, 1997; Charles Handy Papers; Box 20, Folder 12; 1 page
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