I’m writing this blog on July 4, the day on which our nation celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the revolution which followed. The American Revolution was a watershed in history. It became the inspiration for other … Continue reading →
Recently I was training a group of men and women who had become managers for the first time within the last year. Someone asked, “What are the most important qualities of really good managers.” I answered almost instinctively with five … Continue reading →
For management, few challenges are more daunting than implementing wholesale change. Yet, in today’s fast-changing world, few management teams can evade such challenges. What compounds the difficulty of effective change management is that it involves so many variables. And the … Continue reading →
For decades now we’ve been told that collaboration is critical to enhanced performance, creativity, and productivity. Managers have been encouraged to shift from authoritarian styles of management toward more collaborative approaches. Creating Collaborative Space A similar shift has been underway … Continue reading →
Have you ever known an organization which listed “mediocrity” as one of its core values? Probably not. On the other hand, you can easily find hundreds of organizations who include “excellence” in their core values. That being the case, why … Continue reading →
Failure to delegate properly is a fundamental cause of organizational dysfunction. Most commonly this type of dysfunction rears its ugly head in one of four ways. First is insufficient (or even non-existent) delegation. In this case delegation is so limited … Continue reading →
Recently I asked an audience, "How well do you manage your past?" It’s a strange question on the surface. After all, the past is past. There’s not much we can do to manage it. Viewed from another perspective, however, the … Continue reading →
In the November 2012 issue of Inc Magazine Jeremy Quittner offers an intriguing summary of strategies that companies are using successfully to engage and motivate Millennials. This generation of workers prefers electronic communication — email, instant messaging, and video or … Continue reading →
Leadership has little to do with holding a particular title or position. Leadership is about wielding influence. The function of leadership is to rally people around a common purpose, then motivate them and mobilize them to achieve it. Leaders succeed … Continue reading →
Piloting an aircraft means constant management of its attitude. That’s pilot lingo for whether the nose is pointed upward or downward. Pointing the nose up confers more lift to the wings. Pointing it down diminishes lift. That’s a good metaphor … Continue reading →