Global Forum: I Bid You Adieu!

Michael M. Harris
University of Missouri-St. Louis

Well, I have finally reached the end of my stint as a columnist for TIP. Most recently, I have written the Global Forum column; prior to that, I wrote Practice Network, which was initiated by my old friend, Tom Baker (I don’t mean “old” in terms of years, Tom, just that you and I have been friends for a long while; indeed, we met in 1991) a number of years ago. If my numbers are correct, I have been writing for Practice Network for about 9 years altogether, and I have decided that I have run out of material to write about. So, it’s time to go do something else, besides writing for TIP.

In the remainder of this farewell column, I will discuss what I have learned from writing for TIP over these years and what I plan to continue doing to further my knowledge base in terms of global issues. Hopefully, you will glean some helpful ideas for your own development from these words (or, find a cure for your insomnia!). First, however, I will describe how my work mission fits with writing a column for TIP.

My Work Mission and TIP

A number of years ago, when the articulation of the company mission was the latest management fad, I spent some time wondering what my work mission was (my personal mission is rather different). I concluded then that my work mission involved (a) acquiring I-O and HR information, (b) synthesizing that information, and (c) disseminating that information (not very different from the classical input–throughput–output notion).  Any kind of I-O and HR activity, whether it is collecting data, publishing an article, teaching a class, or conducting data analysis fits into one or more aspects of this mission.  Writing for TIP, then, focuses primarily on the dissemination of information, but it may also involve acquiring and synthesizing information.  Viewed this way, writing for TIP provided a good fit with my mission.

Fulfilling My Mission: Writing for TIP

I saw several advantages of writing for TIP, compared to other potential publications, as follows:

1. One can reach a wider audience by writing for TIP. I must admit I’ve often wondered who really “reads” TIP. Taking myself as a somewhat typical reader, I tend to flip through most articles very quickly, then select one or two articles for more careful reading. I guess that is how most people read most publications these days, especially in light of just how much is “out there” to read. I believe, however, that TIP reaches a different audience than many research journals do. Writing for that audience is also interesting; my favorite example of an article I wrote for Practice Network that I aimed for a wider audience was on the use of multiple regression analysis in assessing pay discrimination (Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics: The Use of Multiple Regression Analysis in Pay Discrimination Challenges with Mary Suszko, April 2004).  I always intended to follow up that piece with a more academic version, but so far, I haven’t had the time to do so.

2. One can write some interesting things for TIP. Few I-O psychologists write for popular outlets such as business magazines and doing so doesn’t appeal much to me. I-O psychologists also have few “practitioner” outlets. TIP is probably the closest to a practitioner outlet for I-O psychologists and in that way, provides a place to author articles focusing on practice. TIP enables one to write some rather diverse kinds of columns, some of which I found quite interesting. Perhaps the best example of that is the piece I wrote on cross-cultural skills (Cross-Cultural Skill: An Emerging Construct for the 21st Century) in January 2006. It seemed like the perfect place for that article, which was something I had really wanted to do.  TIP seemed to me to be a perfect outlet.

3. Writing for TIP is a good way to stay up-to-date. Nothing like a deadline to get one thinking and preparing to write. Yes, there were times I struggled with the thought “what in the world can I write about?” Writing about global I-O issues seemed particularly challenging to me, compared to Practice Network, where one could write about domestic or global issues. In turn, this forced me to acquire new information about topics of interest that were being addressed in the global arena. My writing on business process outsourcing exemplifies the value of writing for TIP as a way to stay current (BPO: Yet Another Acronym? October 2001).

Carrying on My Mission: Post-TIP

The term “life-long learning” is almost a cliché today. It is clear to me, however, that life-long learning is necessary if I-O psychologists are to stay relevant. This is true for almost any profession, but it is especially true for our field, where we devote so much time and attention to training and development. Let’s be honest, can we really emphasize the importance of training and development to others if we are not doing it ourselves? Frankly, it would probably be interesting to do a survey regarding the extent to which I-O psychologists engage in their own development and what tools I-O psychologists use in this regard. Nevertheless, here are some things I will be doing in my post-TIP career to stay current, off the streets, and out of “trouble.”

1. Continue to read interesting publications. I actually enjoy reading certain non-I-O psychology publications. In the past, I have subscribed to business magazines such as Fortune and Business Week, but as of late, I have become particularly fond of reading The Economist. Besides the fact that this publication is published in the UK, and therefore it covers international business news to a far greater extent than other business magazines I have read, I find The Economist to be more sophisticated and broader in its approach. There are excellent articles on such areas as brain research, happiness, and executive compensation, which are far more readable and thought provoking than I expected. In keeping with my international interests, The Economist is an ideal way from me to keep abreast of new developments that fall outside the “I-O psychology” domain.

2. Keep writing. I must admit that when I first began writing, which was in high school, I thought I was an excellent creative writer. In my senior year creative writing class, I wrote a couple of short stories that my teacher really liked; but I also wrote one or two she really disliked. Later, in graduate school, some of the professors really despised my writing (one professor explained to me that I was fortunate he knew me before graduate school because he understood my writing was poor and therefore he would be able to improve my writing). That was a tremendous blow to my ego and I became much more hesitant to write. Only after years of writing did I regain some self-confidence regarding my skills in this area. Anyhow, I have agreed to write another book chapter, which will address the competencies required for knowledge management work. The topic represents some areas I am quite familiar with (e.g., competency assessment), and some new areas (knowledge management work). I also am involved in data collection for several new projects, mostly compensation related, which I look forward to writing up, once the data are gathered.

3. Keep traveling. As I have noted elsewhere, my university (University of Missouri-St. Louis) and my college (the College of Business Administration) and dean (Keith Womer) have done a good job in providing funding for international travel. I am particularly grateful to our Center for International Studies (CIS), and its director, Joel Glassman, who has been very supportive of my international interests. I plan to travel to Stockholm, Sweden this spring to attend and present at the EAWOP (European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology) conference.  I just was informed that the CIS has announced its annual program to meet with Chinese academics in Beijing, China, for the purpose of learning more about China and possible research collaboration. The program is ideal in many ways for me: it is relatively short in duration (2 weeks), it involves meeting faculty with similar interests (which is arranged ahead of time), first-time visitors will be given tours of the area, and all expenses will be paid. Unfortunately, other commitments probably prohibit me from participating this year, but I am hoping to participate in 2008.  In sum, there is no shortage of opportunities from the university to travel and learn about other cultures. For academics, I recommend that you check to see whether your university has funding for similar trips. For practitioners, investigate whether your company has any business opportunities or task forces that would necessitate international travel.

To the Future: The Beat Goes On

I have had a great deal of fun writing for TIP. Oh sure, sometimes I was out of ideas and it really took some work to sit at the keyboard and to decide what to write about. My hope is you, the reader, have learned one or two things from the articles I wrote over the years, and that the information was well received from a customer, student, or peer. I’m also hopeful that the next group of TIP writers improves the quality even more and that my name is overshadowed by their work.

And so, as the old saying goes, “That’s all folks!”

Thanks for reading my columns and corresponding with me over the years; feel free to say good-bye via e-mail: mharris@umsl.edu. I plan to be at the SIOP conference in New York City in April, so see you there, I hope!