‘Will Work at Home’ sounds like a sign a bum on the corner would hold. Doesn’t make any more sense than the pilot with a sign around his neck ‘Will Fly For Food’ joke you sometimes see in flight schools. Both are an attractive way to earn a living, so begging for them is, well, a joke.

Still, there are some employees who have to beg for the opportunity because their bosses have a sweatshop or typing pool managment mentality. Top managment gets it, from all we’ve read (over 250 studies, in case your wondered), but middle managers still don’t. Why?

We think it goes back to the difference between product and process. Some managers realize it’s product that counts, and are adept enough and confident enough to create a results oriented work environment. Other managers seem to think process is what counts (they’re the ones that use meaningless buzzwords like  “encapsulate testability as a reality check,” and schedule lots of meetings where no decisions are made.)

So what’s the solution? Top management needs to drag middle managers into the 21st century, even if they’re kicking and scream about, “that’s not how we used to do it.” People like you need to start asking to be managed based on results not perfect attendence.

Kate was on a nationwide radio show recently, and a caller—a saleswoman—asked how she could convince her boss to let her telecommute and work from home. Kate said, “Ask him to judge your performance based on sales. If you can close as many deals from home as in the office what does he care if you’re working in your jammies?”

The host remarked that radio ad salespeople are notorious, from managements view, for always being out of the office, perhaps having 3 martini lunches. Kate’s response, “what difference does it make if they hit their quota?”

He didn’t get the point, interestingly.