Is Your Organization Engaged in Self-Sabotage?

Productivity is becoming more important every day. Fundamentally, it means doing much more with much less. And to be sure, there is scope for making, not only workers, but also the environment in which they work more efficient. You’ve probably noticed, for example, just how many organizations in both the public and private sectors waste…

Going-the-Extra-Mile-or-Taking-a-World-Cruise_Did-TQM-Turned-Perfectionism-into-a-Virtue

Going the Extra Mile, or Taking a World Cruise: Did TQM Turned Perfectionism into a Virtue?

Following the Second World War, the allies determined that if the enemy nations were going to be able to make meaningful contribution the world’s economies, then they would have to receive some assistance in rebuilding their manufacturing infrastructure. A particular challenge was to get the Japanese up to a point where they could actually compete…

Four-Ways-to-Lead-Through-Conflict

Four Ways to Lead Through Conflict

Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict. – William E. Channing   French novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas once had a heated quarrel with a rising young politician. The argument became so intense that a duel was inevitable. Since both men were superb shots they decided…

Employee-Recognition-More-frequently-Please-and-Link-it-to-Core-Value

Employee Recognition: More frequently, Please, and Link it to Core Values

Companies are turning to employee recognition as an internal strategy to boost employee engagement and positively impact such metrics as productivity, ROA, ROE, and retention of both employees and customers. For example, companies that have a formal strategic recognition program in place had a voluntary turnover rate (i.e. people choosing to leave) of 14%, vs.…

Does-Change-Have-to-be-Painful

Does Change Have to be Painful?

A corporate leader’s job is hardly easy.  He or she must efficiently manage employees, account for outside competition, note any changes in the industry landscape and if necessary, profoundly modify the operational model a business should employ.   Ironically, most leaders shrug in defiance at such duties due to their seemingly complex nature.  However, there are…

Criticism_Behind-Closed-Doors-or-in-Plain-Sight

Criticism: Behind Closed Doors or in Plain Sight?

Nearly every company revolves around the central idea of team performance.  The synergy created by having multiple personalities and motivations can help any project be completed with efficiency and with quality results.  Naturally, there are some times when things may not go as smoothly as planned.  Indeed, if every effort always resulted in superior results,…

Setting-Company-Culture-means-Understanding-Employee-Motivation

Setting Company Culture means Understanding Employee Motivation

People in the business community love their clichés. “There’s no ‘I’ in team,” “work smarter, not harder,” and my personal favorite, “think outside the box”. Ugh. When it comes to describing a workplace culture, clichés are abundant here as well. With our open-door policies and expectations of giving 150% (how is this even possible?). These general statements…

Change-Management-Insights-from-a-Fortune-500-Apparel-Companys-Restructuring

Change Management Insights from a Fortune 500 Apparel Company’s Restructuring

Recently, consulting firm Emergent partnered with a Fortune 500 apparel company to undertake the biggest business transformation in the company’s history. Below is a mini case study that provides insights from that project. Building upon its solid performance in 2012, the company chose to implement a new global structure designed to fuel its long-term, international growth. The project…

Job-Squeeze-Is-Real.-Talk-about-it

Job Squeeze Is Real. Talk about it

My alma mater, the Industrial and Labor Relations School of Cornell University recently hosted a conference on “The Quality of Jobs.” They looked at how trends in what they call the “intensification” of work, the restructuring of jobs, and classic downsizing have impacted the quality of jobs and the levels of satisfaction employees (who are…

4-ways-great-leaders-use-the-4-Drive-Model-to-impact-employee’s-motivation

4 ways great leaders use the 4-Drive Model to impact employee’s motivation

How leaders can impact employee’s motivation using the 4-Drive Theory The 4-Drive Theory of Employee Motivation states that there are four main drives that motivate employees, these are the drives to: Acquire & Achieve, to Bond & Belong, to be Challenged & Comprehend, and to Define & Defend.