Daniel P. Modaff > Quotes

“For example, consider the
following from Diane, one of a few female lawers in a large law practice:
One late afternoon I was up on the 7th floor of our building, and I walked by a
room that is usually locked, but the door was open a bit and I could hear people
laughing and joking behind it. When I opened the door, I saw several of the other
lawyers, all male, sitting around, drinking alcohol, and having a great time. I
walked in and said, “What is this room? I didn’t even know it was here.” One of
the male lawyers said with a smirk on his face, “Oh, that’s because only the kings
have keys.”
In this law firm, a boy’s club was alive and well.”
― Daniel P. Modaff, Organizational Communication: Foundations, Challenges, and Misunderstandings

“they must create the environment for action. In June 1967 Robert Kennedy said,
“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself. But each of us can work to
change a small portion of events. And in the total of all those acts, will be written
the history of this generation” (p. 237).”
― Daniel P. Modaff, Organizational Communication: Foundations, Challenges, and Misunderstandings

“The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership (2005). He advises that a leader
“needs to be able to see the shades of gray inherent in a situation in order to make
wise decisions as to how to proceed” (p. 7). He encourages leaders to examine all
arguments without forming an opinion, using an F. Scott Fitzgerald quote for support: “The test of a first-rate mind is the ability to hold two opposing thoughts at
the same time while still retaining the ability to function”
― Daniel P. Modaff, Organizational Communication: Foundations, Challenges, and Misunderstandings

“This isn’t, however, just a public relations challenge for organizational leaders;
corporate social responsibility is a very real issue for job seekers. For the 2007
Cone’s Millennial Cause Study, 68 percent of Generation Y’ers stated that they currently do or will refuse to work for a company that does not have a strong corporate social responsibility record, and 75 percent will pay particularly close attention, both for employment and consumer choices, to companies who have strong
CSR records. Numerous studies have found that a company’s CSR record will affect
an organization’s ability to recruit and retain qualified employees (i.e., Chesloff,
2010; Greening & Turban, 2000). Murray’s (2008) survey found that one third of
the respondents felt working for a caring and responsible employer was more important than the salary that they earned, and nearly one half would turn away from
an employer with a negative corporate social responsibility history.”
― Daniel P. Modaff, Organizational Communication: Foundations, Challenges, and Misunderstandings

“In our experience as employees, leaders, and consultants, issues of power and
control—more than any other emotions—create the greatest conflicts and most
unpleasant work environments. Unfortunately, some individuals are motivated by
power alone to seek positions of leadership.”
― Daniel P. Modaff, Organizational Communication: Foundations, Challenges, and Misunderstandings

“My father works in a factory, and has done so for the past 14 years. All of their
workers have to wear the same outfits—navy blue coveralls, brown steel toe
boots—and they have to produce so much work each night. The company is telling
them how to look, how to work, and sometimes how to think. Dad comes home
each morning and he is still running like that machine. Before he began this job, he
was much livelier. I never get to see the Dad that I had before age six. His constantly having to work as a part of a machine has stripped him of his personality
and happiness. In another instance at the factory, he was injured on the job by a
crane, and was instantly replaced by someone else on the line because the job could
be done by “anyone.”
― Daniel P. Modaff, Organizational Communication: Foundations, Challenges, and Misunderstandings

“Unfortunately, some leaders use their power to instill fear in employees.”
― Daniel P. Modaff, Organizational Communication: Foundations, Challenges, and Misunderstandings