Ever wondered what it felt like to be a lab rat? Constantly being observed and tested. Literally put under the microscope; each action scrutinized. Well, if you’re a leader – you might understand that feeling. As leaders, we must realize that, like it or not, we are being watched. Closely. The nuances of our behavior…
DetailsI don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody – Bill Cosby Ask any Green Bay Packers fan and they will tell you without any hesitation that the infamous call at the end of the game against Seattle was blown and it cost them the game. Before…
DetailsI recently heard Marc Benioff say that working at Apple changed his career perspective. The great Steve Jobs turned the hot box programming room into an extended organizational culture. Finding “doors” in programming function became a quest for a new frontier. It was no longer about writing better code; it became a mission to change…
DetailsWhen I was a child, I was often awakened by rumblings in the back of the house while the sun was still down. Occasionally, I would brave the cold air in my Incredible Hulk underwear to see my father suiting up for work. He was up early, home late and always in a suit. I…
DetailsHewitt 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…
DetailsI can’t help but notice the abundance of articles dedicated to workplace stress. Bottom line: Workplace stress is a very real phenomenon that can bring about an array of health concerns. It’s no secret that stress is a major contributor to employee absenteeism and low morale, which can result in a substantial loss of productivity.…
DetailsCertain words and phrases block connections cold and at the same time can make people steaming mad Here are some tips on language, words and phrases to avoid:
DetailsWhen you have got an elephant by the hind legs and he is trying to run away, it’s best to let him go. – Abraham Lincoln A well-known story in some sectors of coastal communities such as where I live is that of the crab mentality. It is used to describe selfish or short-sighted people…
DetailsDo you remember the last time you attended the initial meeting of a new task force or project team at work? No one could agree on the goals. A couple of people complained about all their other work demands. Someone was pushing a personal agenda to become the team “leader.” After a couple of hours…
DetailsAs we increasingly live in the fast lane, a few road signs might be useful to guide us along the way-words warning us when good connections are being overlooked, threatened, or endangered. Some possibilities might include: Yield to Connection, Stop to Connect, or Use Caution … Relationships at Work! Following these signs could make the…
DetailsIn a recent survey titled, why do people give up on your company? it was noted that 68% quit because of an attitude of indifference toward the client by the owner, manager or employee. This indifference comes about because we tend to forget that to stay employed and succeed in our business or organization we…
DetailsIt was one of those business trips where I was going to have to be on four planes and deliver the opening keynote for a conference all within 24 hours. In an effort to conserve energy, I hunkered down in the seat of my first flight, turned on my ipod, opened my computer and entered…
DetailsMy 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…
DetailsThe bigger we get the smaller we have to think. Customers still walk in one at a time. – Sam Walton A story is told of how many years ago a man conned his way into the orchestra of the emperor of China although he could not play a note. Whenever the group performed, he…
DetailsThis post was triggered by a great post in the HBR Blog Network by Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman. This essence of their article is that most of the behaviors of so called “bad bosses” are, in their words, sins of omission, not commission. In other words, it’s more what the boss fails to do…
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