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…

Matrix-Organization_At-Best_a-One-Off

Matrix Organization: At Best, a One-Off

Whenever volatility occurs in the market, companies start thinking about how to reorganize themselves so that they can cope with those changes effectively. But since they’re trapped by traditional thinking, they tend to recycle old models rather than to create new ones. One such model is matrix; and like so many that have gone before…

Onboarding_Make-sure-your-new-hires-are-‘all-aboard’

Onboarding: Make sure your new hires are ‘all aboard’

Remember those first-day of school jitters? You were nervous with anticipation and, as a result, probably slept very little wondering where your classes were and what your new teachers were like (stickler for rules or laid-back and fun)? That’s not even considering all the social issues that arise such as who would be in your…

Developing-Gen-Y-Leaders

Developing Gen Y Leaders

What leadership competencies do newly minted Millenial employees need to develop, from the get go? And what strengths do they, as a cohort, bring to the workplace? We hear so much “gen Y bashing” these days. We hear the stereotypes: unfocused, texting obsessed, ADHD prone, the world owes me recognition and, BTW, I’m pretty well…

Hungry, hungry, HiPos – Feed your stars, or kiss them goodbye

Ahhh, I recall with sincere fondness the memory of playing certain childhood games.  Sorry, Monopoly, LIFE, and one of my personal favorites – Chutes and Ladders.  Now, each of these has messaging, or themes, that could be related in some fashion or another to Corporate America – risk/reward; entrepreneurial spirit; getting ahead with good deeds…

Leadership-Development-and-Succession-Planning_-Two-Sides-of-the-Same-Coin

Leadership Development and Succession Planning: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Leadership development and succession planning are often seen and treated as separate activities. Yet they really should go hand in hand, or even be thought of as two-sides of the same coin. You can’t have an effective succession plan if you’re not continually identifying and developing high performing, high potential people in your organization, and…

Roadmap-for-Designing-High-Performing-Organizations

Roadmap for Designing High-Performing Organizations

Companies are frequently facing the need to restructure their organizations.  Changes in leadership, a shift in strategy, or changing factors within an organization often create the need for reorganizing. Organization design is one of the most powerful tools available to senior managers for shaping the direction of their organizations. “Organization design” is often used incorrectly…

Why-Newly-Appointed-Leaders-Fail-and-How-to-Avoid-It

Why Newly Appointed Leaders Fail and How to Avoid It

Whether a company promotes a successful candidate from within – appointing someone to a new or lateral role – or selects a candidate from outside the organization, the company has confidence that a new leader’s skills and experience can meet the challenges of the job.  However, consider this startling statistic regarding new leaders: estimates of…

The-Four-Strategic-HR-Challenges-for-the-Upcoming-Decade

The Four Strategic HR Challenges for the Upcoming Decade

Boston Consulting Group, in conjunction with an association of people management associations worldwide, completed a comprehensive on-line + live interviews study on how they are approaching strategic human capital development for the next decade. It’s called “Creating People Advantage 2010” and worth downloading if you are concerned with the strategic element of human resources in…

Latest-Findings-around-Performance-Goals-and-Competencies

Latest Findings around Performance Goals and Competencies

Hewitt Associates have come out with another informative study, called The Current State of Performance Management and Career Development 2010. They surveyed HR professionals from 193 employers. On the performance side, it looks at how companies are using performance goals (the “what”) and behavioral competencies (the “how”) in their year end performance assessment process. Here…

Leading-with-Talent-Development

Leading with Talent Development

Using talent management software packages to administer employee performance has suddenly become hugely popular. Within this new-found appreciation of the need to better address the management of human capital is the need to develop the actual talent within that resource pool. According to a recent report titled Human Capital Management: The CFO’s Perspective, sponsored by…