Leadership

• Most Topular Stories

• How to Decommoditize Your Leadership

  Leading Blog: A Leadership Blog

  10 Mar 2010 | 5:25 pm

• March 7 Leadership Development Carnival - Academy Awards Edition

  Great Leadership

  7 Mar 2010 | 6:46 pm

  This is the second part of a five part series about the little things a leader can do that could make a BIG difference in how they are perceived as leaders.I have bad news and good news for all of you leaders and aspiring leaders. You decide which you’d rather read first. Start with the good or jump to the bad and come back.The Good News:The ability to listen has been identified in study after study as one of the most important leadership skills – if not THE most important – than any other.When you listen, you’re seen as a leader that: Is trustworthy Is patient Cares…

• An Important Leadership Lesson

  Center For Leader Development

  Scott J. Allen

  7 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am

  History will tell, but it would seem (regardless of your politics) President Obama is on the cusp of this: “The five dimensions of authentic leadership: pursuing purpose with passion, practicing solid values, leading with heart, establishing connected relationships, demonstrating self-discipline. Authentic leaders are genuine people who are true to themselves and to what they believe. Rather than letting the expectations of others guide them, they are prepared to be their own person and go their own way. As they develop as authentic leaders they are more concerned about serving others…

• Challenges Facing Women in Business

  Women on Business

  Susan Gunelius

  11 Mar 2010 | 7:59 pm

  Are you committed to your business?  That’s an obvious “yes” or you wouldn’t put out the welcome mat each morning.  What is your business committed to?  This is a different question.  Is your business committed to fulfilling your initial start-up vision?  Is your business committed to fulfilling a perceived need?  Is your business committed to something beyond the framework of commerce? Recently while working on my newest mosaic piece, I went to the garage and grabbed a fresh bottle of water from the case we keep out there – being winter right now it stays…

• The CEO Revolving Door Keeps Spinning . . .

  Rich Gee Coaching

  Rich Gee

  8 Feb 2010 | 3:38 am

  Bailout watchdog and Middle Class advocate Elizabeth Warren has accused Wall Street CEOs of abusing consumer trust and challenged them to step up and support financial reform — for the nation’s benefit as well as their own. In an opinion piece to be published in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal, Warren writes: For years, Wall Street CEOs have thrown away customer trust like so much worthless trash. Banks and brokers have sold deceptive mortgages for more than a decade. Financial wizards made billions by packaging and repackaging those loans into securities. And federal regulators…

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  HBR.org

• Target the Right Executive for Your Next Sale

  Dr. Steve Bistritz

  12 Mar 2010 | 1:29 pm

  When navigating any complex client organization you can usually identify multiple executives who exert power and influence over buying decisions. However, for each sales opportunity there is typically one executive who is most relevant to your success. Identifying that relevant executive may be the best use of your time in your next sales campaign. Who is the relevant executive? The executive who stands to gain or lose the most from your sales opportunity. Why is it so critical to identify the relevant executive? Because that executive can often exert his informal influence to either…

• Three Steps to Make Your Next Speech Your Best

  Nick Morgan

  12 Mar 2010 | 12:28 pm

  In my experience of over two decades of coaching executives in their public speaking, I rarely run across one who has both the time and the inclination to do what it takes to deliver a great speech. Most of them are satisfied with average, which is partly why there are so many bad speeches given. The bar is set very low, and most executives are content to clear the bar, just. What's to be done about this sorry state of rhetorical affairs? Here, I offer three quick steps leaders can take right now to improve their next speech. The steps are conceptually sophisticated but relatively easy to…

• Worth Your Time This Week

  Katherine Bell

  12 Mar 2010 | 11:19 am

  Useful and/or intriguing ideas we've come across this week, plus the occasional worthwhile distraction. The Internet's moment of truth David Gelernter, Yale computer science professor and survivor of the Unabomber, has written a fascinating treatise on the future of the Internet. In it he writes: The Internet is no topic like cellphones or videogame platforms or artificial intelligence; it's a topic like education. It's that big. Therefore beware: to become a teacher, master some topic you can teach; don't go to Education School and master nothing. To work on the Internet, master some part of…

• How Individual Performance Scales Up

  Harvard Business IdeaCast

  12 Mar 2010 | 10:06 am

  Featured Guest: Michael Schrage, research fellow at MIT Sloan School's Center for Digital Business and author of Serious Play: How the World's Best Companies Simulate to Innovate.

• Must-See Movies for Entrepreneurs

  Anthony K. Tjan

  12 Mar 2010 | 9:33 am

  After the Oscars last weekend, I started to think about which movies have really inspired me as an entrepreneur. Here are three films I believe that you should not only see, but also share with your teams. Each ties to an important entrepreneurial and leadership lesson. Man on Wire A story of the fanatical pursuit of a dream. Philippe Petit, a French tightrope walker, was consumed by the idea of walking a wire between New York's former World Trade twin towers. To do so, he would need years of planning and would have to do it as a covert mission. When I first watched this film, I did not know…

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  Forbes.com: Managing news and reports

• Airport Security: Bin Laden's Victory

  3 Mar 2010 | 7:56 am

  We have paid hundreds of billions of dollars in lost time and productivity.

• Leadership Is Something You Decide To Do

  22 Feb 2010 | 8:59 am

  A conversation with the psychologist Robert Jeffrey Sternberg.

• How Not To Market On The Web

  19 Feb 2010 | 9:07 am

  New research suggests that ads which complement online content will work--but not if they rouse consumers' privacy concerns.

• Why Forecasts Fail. What To Do Instead

  11 Feb 2010 | 8:40 am

  Forecasting has advanced significantly in recent years. But managers need to understand what they can and cannot predict and develop plans that are sensitive to surprises.

• The New Guerrilla Philanthropy

  9 Feb 2010 | 2:43 am

  How do you give away $100 ''creatively''?

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  SmartBrief on Leadership

• Kiwis go crazy for bottled spirits

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm

  A New Zealand woman has sold two small bottles for more than $1,400 after announcing that they contained ghosts trapped in th -More- VP Business Development Datamonitor

• How to change the world in 15 minutes a day

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm

  World-changing business innovations start off as simple questions, says business professor Jeff Dyer.  -More- 

• Why pay isn't the key to corporate greatness

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm

  Higher wages and performance-related pay aren't always the key to employee performance or organizational success, writes Alan -More- 

• China's economic miracle may not last

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm

  The Chinese economic boom is fundamentally unsustainable, writes David Ignatius, and transitioning to a more stable position  -More- 

• Can corporate hardball save Chicago's schools?

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm

  The Windy City's public schools are embracing tough corporate tactics in a bid to improve teacher performance.  -More- 

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  Leading Blog: A Leadership Blog

• How to Decommoditize Your Leadership

  10 Mar 2010 | 5:25 pm

  All leaders want to make a difference; be transformational. And some do and some really don’t. We’ve all known leaders that are easily replaced. And (hopefully) we’ve known some that we can’t imagine doing without. The difference begins with the bond we create by integrating who we are with what we do. Making a difference has a lot to do with how completely we integrate what we are (our character, values and attitudes) with what we do (our competencies). All leaders have to set direction, give orders, and display competence. But if that’s all they’re doing, they’re replaceable.

• Get to the Why by Starting at the Epicenter

  9 Mar 2010 | 11:31 pm

  When beginning or introducing anything—an idea, a project, or a new venture—you need to start with asking yourself why. In Rework, authors Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson write candidly about where to begin: When you start anything new, there are forces pulling you in a variety of directions. There’s stuff you could do, the stuff you want to do, and the stuff you have to do. The stuff you have to do is where you should begin. Start at the epicenter. For example, if you’re opening a hot dog stand, you could worry about the condiment, the cart, the name, the decoration. But the…

• Becoming A Linchpin

  5 Mar 2010 | 1:30 am

  Linchpin is about personal leadership and is the most leadership oriented book Godin has written to date. He makes a good case for developing yourself to reach your potential against the backdrop of the changing workplace. Changing workplace or not, it is the thing to do. In the industrial workplace it was easier, even expected that you could hide behind your job in exchange for job security. “You weren’t born to be cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become cog.” (His assessment of our educational system is spot on.) Today successful companies are looking for…

• Leading Views: Structure Formally, but Work Informally

  2 Mar 2010 | 6:33 pm

  In The Right Fight, authors Saj-nicole Joni and Damon Beyer explain that in order for a leader to receive reliable information they need to go outside the constructs of the formal organization: Great leaders learn how to work out tensions and conflicts through the informal networks that make the formal organization hum. They acknowledge their need for access to unfiltered information and recognize the creative potential in opportunities for unfettered thinking. They leverage their personal and expertise-based relationships in the informal organization to gather information, to gauge employee…

• First Look: Leadership Books for March 2010

  1 Mar 2010 | 9:07 am

  Here's a look at some of the best leadership books to be released in March.   The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence by Tom Peters   Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson   Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently by John C. Maxwell   Denial: Why Business Leaders Fail to Look Facts in the Face--and What to Do About It by Richard S. Tedlow   The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life by Robin Sharma For bulk orders call 1-800-423-8273

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  Management-Issues : News

• How capitalism was tested beyond its limits

  9 Mar 2010 | 12:00 am

  Capitalism has been tested beyond its limits by completely false and inherently risky assumptions. Globalisation transpired to be a trap and a delusion. What looked like a dead cert for the world economy became a sure nightmare.

• The power of proactive thinking

  9 Mar 2010 | 12:00 am

  Every organisation can benefit from some deliberate thinking. This isn't the thinking we do when we are sitting at a desk or taking part in a discussion. It is a formal process designed to generate new ideas and perceptions, and to take action around any possibilities that exist.

• Discouraged workers may hold the key to recovery

  8 Mar 2010 | 12:00 am

  Real economic recovery can't come until the million or so U.S workers who have lost their jobs and given up all hope of finding another can be tempted back into the jobs' market.

• If you want to succeed, get used to failure

  8 Mar 2010 | 12:00 am

  Failure is commonplace. Ninety-nine percent of all species and organisations that exist will eventually disappear. Once you accept this and understand that every innovation begins with a series of aberrations, you will be better placed to succeed now and in the future.

• March Brainstorm

  4 Mar 2010 | 12:00 am

  This month, advice on tapping into your 'Inner Google', how to embark on a one-day revolution, getting off to a strong start and the subtle pleasure of being an amateur.

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  How to Change the World

• Pictures from my trip to the Winter Olympics

  GuyKawasaki

  17 Feb 2010 | 3:32 pm

  Having a great time in Vancouver. If you want to see how great, check out my pictures from Day 1 and Day 2.

• How to Avoid Gullibility

  GuyKawasaki

  8 Feb 2010 | 3:45 pm

  We’ve all been sucked into doing something stupid, right? Fortunately, Steven Greenspan has written a book called Annals of Gullibility. In its conclusion he explains how to avoid gullibility, and I’ve provided a synopsis for you. Read the full story at the American Express Open Forum. More on psychology if you need the advice.

• How to Be Empathetic

  GuyKawasaki

  4 Feb 2010 | 10:24 pm

  By definition, good marketers are empathetic. That is, they have a capacity to understand and care for the needs of others. Bruna Martinuzzi explains how to be empathetic over at the American Express Open Forum.

• How to Not Be Annoying on Twitter

  GuyKawasaki

  4 Feb 2010 | 10:19 pm

  Amber MacArthur explains how to not be annoying on Twitter over at the American Express Open Forum. Sage advice for you to develop a great reputation and following on Twitter. More Twitter tips.

• The Elements of Guyle: British Blogging

  GuyKawasaki

  27 Jan 2010 | 10:06 pm

  Want to make your blog classier? You should blog like a Brit. I explain how to do this in ten easy steps.

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  Learned On by Andrea Learned

• Sustainability Leadership: SHIFT or SHOW?

  Andrea Learned

  12 Mar 2010 | 9:49 am

  So, why did I undertake the exercise of polling my readers/Twitter followers on the question of who the “women at the forefront of sustainability” might be? Because, I’d noticed a gender imbalance in the names of those who have written the majority of the books and articles I’ve come across in my own intensive research.  So – that begged the question. Now, if you know me at all, you know I’m not setting this up as a men versus women discussion.  Rather, the awareness of who gets “known” for sustainability versus who doesn’t (yet…

• Sustainability Content: A “Social Proof” PSA

  Andrea Learned

  10 Mar 2010 | 8:39 am

  As I wrote in my last post, delivering “social proof” to consumers and organizations is likely key to persuading around the concept of sustainability.  Whether its consumers or corporate decision-makers, the “masses” have to start to sense/see/read/hear that a lot of people/organizations they know are already pursuing sustainable life and business practices.  In this way, providing or supporting sustainability content is like producing an extra-powerful public service announcement (PSA). Just as is the case with well produced PSAs, what those of us who provide…

• Leveraging “Social Proof” for Sustainability

  Andrea Learned

  9 Mar 2010 | 10:12 am

  Why do people do what they do?  This has long been studied to benefit the marketing of goods, but how can we leverage what we know about human behavior to forward the sustainable practices of consumers and organizations?  With that in mind, I revisited Robert Cialdini’s now-classic book, INFLUENCE: The Psychology of Persuasion.  And, in this case it was the concept of “social proof” that drew me in. When a consumer hears or reads that “others think this is the way to go/product to buy,” that may be all it takes.  And that’s one reason marketers have…

• The Poll: Women At Forefront of Sustainability

  Andrea Learned

  5 Mar 2010 | 6:38 am

  Updated: Noon, eastern time, 3/10/10 – this poll has closed. Thanks to plentiful submissions, we now have a big list of incredible women who have made their mark in sustainability.  Because the polling widget I’m using limited us to 64, I left off some names that seemed to represent more regional sustainability work – but that doesn’t mean they won’t be known globally very soon (we can hope)! Now, to the voting.  Though I have no way of enforcing it, please select only three names from this list who are at your top-of-mind whenever the topic of sustainability…

• If GOP Could Go “Green,” Couldn’t Your Business?

  Andrea Learned

  1 Mar 2010 | 6:45 am

  How to engage the skeptics, whether on the topic of marketing to women or on the topic of sustainability, is a driving passion for me.  What are the words, framing, and concepts that will be “accessible” to most people, and open up the conversation – so it doesn’t have to be men versus women or conventional business thinkers versus sustainable business thinkers?  That was the seed of my recent HuffingtonPost “diatribe” and my pondering continued, as I mulled Thomas L. Friedman’s Sunday column in the New York Times. He writes how Senator Lindsey…

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  Great Leadership

• 5 Little Things That Make a BIG Difference as a Leader - Part 2: Listen Up!

  11 Mar 2010 | 6:37 pm

  This is the second part of a five part series about the little things a leader can do that could make a BIG difference in how they are perceived as leaders.I have bad news and good news for all of you leaders and aspiring leaders. You decide which you’d rather read first. Start with the good or jump to the bad and come back.The Good News:The ability to listen has been identified in study after study as one of the most important leadership skills – if not THE most important – than any other.When you listen, you’re seen as a leader that: Is trustworthy Is patient Cares…

• March 7 Leadership Development Carnival - Academy Awards Edition

  7 Mar 2010 | 6:46 pm

  It's Sunday night, and it's time for the Leadership Development Carnival - Academy Awards Edition!Every one of these posts are Oscar-worthy.Opening Musical Extravaganza:Art Petty sings and dances with a glamorous showgirl on each arm with Leadership Caffeine-Learning to Lead in the Project-Focused World posted at Management Excellence.Best Supporting Actress:The nominations are:Janna Rust in Self Leadership: Lead yourself to success posted at Purposeful Leadership.Erin Schreyer in Do I Have Food Stuck In My Teeth? posted at Authentic Leadership.Anna Farmery in…

• 5 Little Things That Make a BIG Difference as a Leader Part 1: Show up on Time

  4 Mar 2010 | 5:09 pm

  This is the first of another 5 part series about some of the little things you can start or stop doing that can make a big difference on how you are perceived as a leader. BTW, some of you may be looking for my next installment of “Leadership Lessons from Undercover Boss”. You can stop waiting – I’ve stopped watching after the third episode. I said I would give it one more chance after the disappointing Hooters episode – and I did. I suffered through watching 7’Eleven’s CEO Joseph M. DePinto be amazed at how much coffee one of his store sold, how much food they threw away, and…

• Leadership Development for “The Little Guys”

  28 Feb 2010 | 5:17 am

  I received the following comments on my recent “Best Companies for Leadership” post:“The list of things that make these great companies for leadership development is impressive. How do you apply these lessons to small business. A staff of five or eight or even 25? The opportunity for promotion and growth may be limited. Lateral moves don't really exist. I'd love help to implement great leadership development with small staff companies.”“Yeah, there are lessons to be learned, but the small business experience is extremely different than that of the large corporations. I guess the…

• Brain Exercise: The Top 10 TED Talks

  21 Feb 2010 | 5:26 am

  Do you ever just take the time to learn about something that may have nothing to do with your immediate job or personal life?I never used to. I’ve never been a learner for the sake of learning. I naturally want to gravitate towards what’s “practical” and highly relevant. If you’re like that too, you may be missing out. Some of the most innovative ideas come from seemingly unrelated fields. A lot of leaders want to be “more strategic”. Being strategic involves recognizing patterns, making sense out of seemingly unrelated information, and being able to step back and see the…

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  800 CEO Read

• Friday Links

  dylan

  12 Mar 2010 | 3:35 pm

  ➻ Portfolio, publisher of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time, announced the formation of a new imprint this week. It will be called Current, and will focus on popular science titles. And, if it does half as good as Portfolio does with business titles,* we all have a lot to look forward to. (*Here is a list of Portfolio’s current and upcoming titles.) Portfolio also put out a new issue of the Business Beat recently, featuring (as always) Jack Covert in the Just Jack corner. ➻ Fresh from victory over Amazon in the famous price wars, Macmillan CEO John Sargent has entered the…

• Jack Covert Selects – Rework

  800-CEO-READ

  11 Mar 2010 | 1:21 pm

  Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeir Hansson, Crown Business, 288 pages, $22.00, Hardcover, March 2010, ISBN 9780307463746 I’m usually the first responder to new books that come in the office, but this book created much internal excitement even before I got my hands on it. The galley that is currently on my desk is quite beat up already from use. My conclusion after reading it is: if you are an aspiring business book author and wonder what a good business book looks like, Rework is the example to study. The book offers short, direct chapters written by two guys who have actually…

• Jack Covert Selects – Getting Naked

  800-CEO-READ

  11 Mar 2010 | 1:14 pm

  Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty by Pat Lencioni, Jossey-Bass, 220 pages, $24.95, Hardcover, February 2010, ISBN 9780787976392 For over ten years, Pat Lencioni has helped define the genre of the business fable. He is most famous for The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, which I thought so highly of that I included it in our collection of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time. When Lencioni’s newest book came across my desk I was curious about the title, but also cautious: the title is eye-catching and memorable, but how was Lencioni…

• Jack Covert Selects – The Art of Choosing

  800-CEO-READ

  11 Mar 2010 | 1:05 pm

  The Art of Choosing by Sheena Iyengar, Twelve, 329 pages, $25.99, Hardcover, March 2010, ISBN 9780446504102 We make choices every day: small choices about what we will eat for breakfast, what clothes we’ll wear, how we react within our jobs; and big choices about relationships, purchases—real life-changing choices. But what is choice? What drives us to make one and, when we find ourselves faced with a choice, what determines how we respond? Dr. Sheena Iyengar, a professor at Columbia Business School with a doctorate in social psychology, deconstructs the science and the emotion behind the…

• The Linchpin Voltron

  dylan

  9 Mar 2010 | 4:53 pm

  Books can do a lot for us: inspire, teach, jolt, enlighten. They can be a call to action, but they can’t actually make us act. You have to find the gumption to do that on your own. Or do you? Seth Godin’s Linchpin is certainly a call to action. His last book, Tribes: Why We Need You to Lead Us, showed the high regards he holds his readers in. With Linchpin, he reveals what high expectations he has of them… indeed, that he thinks they can and should be (or become) indispensable. In fact, I’d say Linchpin is more than a call to action; it’s a challenge. It’s…

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  Philanthropy Journal - Management/Leadership Articles

• Investing approaches for endowments

  5 Mar 2010 | 7:41 am

  In the wake of the economic meltdown, investment committees at endowments and foundations are reconsidering how they make decisions. read more

• Keeping technology current

  2 Mar 2010 | 10:49 am

  Planning ahead for technology upgrades and replacements can save time, money and frustration, says this article from TechSoup.read more

• Growing board engagement: Part III - Decision-making

  19 Feb 2010 | 9:54 am

  This final article in a three-part series on board engagement focuses on how to structure the decision-making process at board meetings.read more

• Growing board engagement: Part II - Meetings

  5 Feb 2010 | 7:31 am

  The second article in this three-part series on board engagement focuses on the format and content of board meetings.read more

• Ideas that work: Commitment to change

  5 Feb 2010 | 7:12 am

  Change is inevitable. The key to creating positive change is involving, communicating with, and training staff. read more

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  Education Week: Leadership And Management

• Mass School Closures Approved in Kansas City, Mo.

  10 Mar 2010 | 9:03 pm

• Election Loosens Conservatives' Hold on Texas Board

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:03 pm

  The Texas state education board's Christian conservative bloc was weakened Wednesday after one of its most prominent members lost his seat.

• Transparency and the House of Mirrors

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:03 pm

  District leaders should steer clear of the ubiquitous word "transparency" until they've figured out what it means, Patrick F. Quinn writes.

• AFT Taps Editor to Lead Fund

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:03 pm

  Ann Bradley, a longtime reporter and editor for Education Week, has been hired by the American Federation of Teachers to serve as interim director of the unions $3.3 million Innovation Fund.

• In New Book, Ravitch Recants Long-Held Beliefs

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:03 pm

  Once an avid supporter of improving schools through accountability and choice, the scholar now says those ideas have led education astray.

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  The Practice of Leadership

• How Malcolm Gladwell masters his “look no hands” style of speaking

  George Ambler

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:19 am

    Photo by penmachine   Gideon Rachman provides some insight into “The secrets of Malcolm Gladwell”, that is some of the secrets to his great speaking ability. In his post Gideon makes the following observations from his experience of speaking alongside Malcolm Gladwell. “First, he is a master of the “look no hands” style of speaking. He just stands up there, with a button mike and talks – and it all sounds very spontaneous, with little asides and jokes, and messages tailored to his Mexican audience. Second, he tells stories – there are theories attached to the…

• Goal setting at Google

  George Ambler

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:18 am

       Photo by Anderaz Don Dodge, a Developer Advocate at Google helping developers build new applications on Google platforms and technologies, wrote an interesting post “How Google sets goals and measures success” discussing how Google goes about goal setting. Don describes the central philosophy to Google’s approach to goal setting is as follows: The Google goal setting process happens in a 90 day cycle… “Every quarter every group at Google sets goals, called OKRs, for the next 90 days. Most big companies set annual goals like improving or growing something by x%,…

• Are you a Leader or just a Boss?

  George Ambler

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:15 am

  I often find that many people onfuse leadership with positional power. We tend to believe that a person in a position of authority or someone with a title, has their position or title due to their leadership qualities. However, in many cases there is no correlation between someone’s position and their leadership ability. Just having a title does not make you a leader, leaderships is about influence. Title only buys you time to exercise true leadership, and in this time your leadership either increases or diminishes and eventually fails. There is a huge difference between being a…

• A 2009 Review of The Practice of Leadership

  George Ambler

  3 Jan 2010 | 11:47 am

  Photo by Sabrina Campagna   A happy New Year to you all! The top posts for 2009 and of all time featured on this blog are listed below…. Top Content Just in case you missed some of the great posts from 2008 here are were the most read posts of the year… Setting SMART Objectives Leaders vs. Managers….. Are they really different? Research finds leadership skills inadequate to meet current and future demand Book Review: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team The ten C’s of employee engagement 10 Steps to Setting SMART objectives Steve Jobs and his leadership The Importance of a Clear…

• John Kotter defines Leadership

  George Ambler

  3 Jan 2010 | 11:46 am

  Photo by apesara John Kotter author of “What Leaders Really Do” and more recently “A Sense of Urgency” provides the following definition of leadership from his book “Leading Change”. “Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles” Leadership is about bringing about change and effective change requires vision, inspiration and effective communication. A vision that is so clear and compelling that people align to make it happen. Today more than ever business and society requires…

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  Talking Story with Rosa Say

• Learning Managing with Aloha: 9 Key Concepts

  Rosa Say

  13 Mar 2010 | 2:10 am

  If we used our insider’s Ho‘ohana Community language of intention for this posting, I would list this post title as: Our MWA ‘Ike loa SCL Learning m.o: 9 Key Concepts for 9 TS Categories Ours. Definitely. MWA = Managing with Aloha ‘Ike loa SCL = the Sequential and Consequential Learning of ‘Ike loa, the Hawaiian value of learning (covered on page 136 in the book, and covered in this Talking Story tag: ‘Ike loa SCL. I’ll save you the click and reprint it below.) Our Learning m.o. = m.o. is Modus operandi, operating method. In this case, our method of continuing with our MWA…

• Spring Cleaning at Work: Junk is not the Stuff of Legacy

  Rosa Say for Say “Alaka‘i”

  11 Mar 2010 | 2:15 am

  How much junk is costing you money, and worse, cluttering up those spaces where good work, important and creative work, should be getting done instead? True legacy isn’t in your physical stuff. Take another look around you Within the work I do I have the opportunity to visit a lot of different workplaces. I’m getting braver about pulling out my camera and asking permission to take photos, and not to publish them, but because my photos help me remember details about my visits with you: It’s quicker digital note-taking. Weeks after a visit, I can look at the photos again and they give me…

• When Learning Gets Overwhelming

  Rosa Say

  9 Mar 2010 | 2:10 am

  I’ll be the first one to admit that I get a bit over-zealous about the virtues of ‘Ike loa (the Hawaiian value of learning), believing that learning is all peaches and cream. This isn’t the first time I’ve been wrong, and it won’t be the last. Our conversation started with wanting Focus A manager said to me in his coaching call (shared with his gracious permission): “It’s so hard for me to focus on learning the right things about my job. I know my boss wants me to learn more about this financial stuff, but I keep getting distracted by wanting to teach it, and not by wanting to…

• 2010 Mālama for Say Leadership Coaching

  Rosa Say

  5 Mar 2010 | 6:00 pm

  The Mālama of my post title, refers to stewardship. I will often talk story with you about having a Strong Week Plan as the calendar-aligned construct of your work week. We’ve also reminded ourselves recently, of how having a “trusted system” can help you attain stress-free performance. Over the past week, the project I had inserted into my own Strong Week Plan in between my business commitments, was doing a comprehensive rewrite of my primary business website, Say Leadership Coaching. SLC is now six years old, and I had fallen behind in keeping my website in sync with the growth and…

• Be the Best Communicator

  Rosa Say for Say “Alaka‘i”

  4 Mar 2010 | 2:10 am

  My favorite coaching assignment for Alaka‘i Managers (second to the Daily Five Minutes, and much easier to learn) is this one, reserved for the last 15 minutes of their workday. Answer this question: Who is waiting to hear from me? Make that call, preferably in person or on the phone. Give them whatever update you have. Cultivate this simple two-step as a daily workplace habit, and I guarantee you you’ll be known as the best communicator people know. We managers don’t share information half as much as we should, and seemingly small habits like this one make a BIG difference. The Great…

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  Seth's Blog

• We can do it

  Seth Godin

  13 Mar 2010 | 4:03 am

  Too often, it seems, this attitude is missing from teams, organizations or the community.It's missing because people are quick to opt out of the 'we' part. "What do you mean, we?" they ask. It's so easy to not be part of we, so easy to make it someone else's problem, so easy to not to take responsibility as a member of whatever tribe you're part of.Sometimes it's missing because people disagree about what 'it' is. If you don't know what you're after, it's unlikely you're going to find it.And it's missing because people confuse cynicism with realism, and are afraid to say "can". They'd rather…

• Naming tool of the week

  Seth Godin

  13 Mar 2010 | 2:31 am

  Oleg points us to http://wordoid.com/It's a conjugator, brainstorming and domain finder, all in one. Nicely done.I've done a few posts on naming to help you get started. Here's an old one too.And while I'm sharing links, here's a thoughtful post about money. Not about money, actually, but about the way people think about money.

• Wondering around

  Seth Godin

  12 Mar 2010 | 2:16 am

  I stumbled on a great typo last night. "Staff in the lobby were wondering around..."Wandering around is an aimless waste of time.Wondering around, though, that sounds useful.Wondering why this product is the way it is, wondering how you can make the lobby more welcoming, wondering if your best customers are happily sharing your ideas with others... So many things worth wondering about, so few people actually taking the time to do it.Wondering around is the act of inquiring with generous spirit.

• Helping spread the word

  Seth Godin

  11 Mar 2010 | 11:56 am

  Since Linchpin was published six weeks ago, I've gotten some terrific email. Most of it is about individuals who used the ideas in the book to instigate a process of self-reinvention or validation. Some of the best mail, though, has come from managers and leaders who are using the book to inspire others. One company bought 800 copies for its management, while another reader told me how two copies helped change the way her organization coped with change.When I find a book that moves me, I spread it to everyone who's willing to listen. I hope you feel the same way.It's ever more clear to me…

• Creating the list

  Seth Godin

  11 Mar 2010 | 2:21 am

  ...is not the same as obeying the list.Do you make the list you check off, follow and work on every day? When does it get made? Who approves it? Do you identify tasks or perform them?If you had a better list, would you do better work? If you made the list instead of just obeying it, would you be a more valuable member of the team?Yes, asking questions is often more valued than answering them. (If they're the right questions.)

• 

  CEO Blog - Time Leadership

• Business Transition Crisis

  Jim Estill

  5 Mar 2010 | 8:47 am

  It's good to be back after an intense conference and learning period in Spain followed by a few days of rest and relaxation.Certainly helps with one of my success habits, waking up early (by having a six hour time difference).I read Wayne Vanwyck's book Business Transition Crisis - Plan Your Succession Now and Beat the Biggest Business Selloff In History.Wayne is an acquaintance and friend so I might be somewhat biased.This book targets the business owners and some of the points in the book I think are more applicable to small and family-owned businesses. Still, he made many excellent…

• Take Their Breath Away Service

  Jim Estill

  4 Mar 2010 | 1:17 am

  I will be happy to be back from Spain today. It seems like a long time to be away. My ToDo list has grown and needs some action. Perhaps I should read my blog post on how to handle too many things to to.One of the impressive speakers at the YPO conference was David Suzuki. He seems to be a nice person with a level head. He understands that small steps can make a big environmental impact (like eating one vegetarian meal per week). He also understands that economics drive behavior so the best way to create behavior change is to change the economics (make things cost more or less) I recently…

• Virgin - Sir RIchard Branson - Live

  Jim Estill

  28 Feb 2010 | 12:41 am

  I am at a YPO event in Barcelona, Spain. Lots of interesting seminars. Lots of stats. EG 40% of the world bandwidth is used by Youtube. I have not yet done anything on Youtube although I have done most other social medias like this blog, Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and even a Tumblr. Sounds time intensive but I automated it. The updates for Twitter are the same ones I use for all the others. I even save those updates under Motivational Business Quotations and the same thing under Jim Estill's Quotes and Article Picks.The keynote speaker yesterday was Richard Branson. More impressive stats -…

• Success Habits and Why we do Time Management

  Jim Estill

  24 Feb 2010 | 9:01 am

  I am always perplexed when I hear someone say they are not interested in Time Management. The reasons they cite usually has to do with the fact that they do not want to work that hard and are more interest in having fun, relaxing, or having leisure.If this is truly the case, then they have missed the whole point in Time Management. Many of the efficiency tips (and management has more to do with efficiency than anything) allow people to be more productive and get more done.It seems to me if someone were interested in spending more time on leisure, relaxing or anything else, they would want to…

• Business Book Review - Contagious Leadership

  Jim Estill

  19 Feb 2010 | 3:29 am

  I recently read John Hersey's great book called Creating Contagious Leadership - 9 Habits that Inspire a Leadership Culture.I love the concept of contagious leadership and I figure even if someone doesn't deliberately go about trying to be contagious, the leader definitely will be. I have seen in organizations where the leaders is slow and lack a customer service ethic and this tends to permeate throughout the organization. I've also seen cases where the leader is quick, responsive, has a high work ethic and that tends to also translate through the organization.The gist of Hersey's message is…

• 

  The Tom Peters Weblog

• Link Roundup #14

  Cathy Mosca

  12 Mar 2010 | 12:50 pm

  There are a few books by Cool Friends: Jason Fried has written Rework with David Heinemeier Hansson, his co-founder at 37signals. The back of the book states, in part, that "planning is guessing," and "inspiration is perishable." Dan Heath and his brother Chip wrote Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard. They explain how the chances of sustaining change are increased if both sides of the brain are satisfied ... the emotional side as well as the logical side. Richard A D'Aveni is a friend who hasn't yet become a Cool Friend. In Beating the Commodity Trap, D'Aveni points out that…

• Audio Update #2

  Shelley Dolley

  11 Mar 2010 | 1:57 pm

  The Little BIG Things is now available as an audio download through Amazon.com (although the link points you to Audible.com since Amazon now owns Audible). And as Erik mentioned, you can find it at iTunes. One fan alerted us that if you try to search by Tom Peters at iTunes (and some booksellers), you may have trouble finding The Little BIG Things as the author listed is Thomas J. Peters or Thomas Peters (who knew that search wasn't smart enough to do that yet?). We recommend searching by the book title.

• Strategy: Be Extraordinary

  Cathy Mosca

  11 Mar 2010 | 1:28 pm

  The video series continues with Tom describing a meeting with Barry Gibbons, former chief of Burger King. Asked to speak to the collected BK managers, Tom sparks Barry's realization that anything is better than being ordinary. You can watch the video (time: 3 minutes, 5 seconds). Or get a PDF of the video transcript: Strategy: Be Extraordinary.

• Listen Up! (Audio update)

  Erik Hansen

  10 Mar 2010 | 8:14 am

  The Little BIG Things is available as an audio download. At iTunes ($26.95), from Audible.com ($30.61/$7.49 [promo]), and other places we haven't tracked down yet. Oh, and we're going to put audio files up at tompeters.com. One section a week or so. (There are roughly 40 sections in the book.) The four 'Ways' in the first section are up now.

• Happy Publication Day!

  Erik Hansen

  9 Mar 2010 | 5:56 am

  We have a book! The Little BIG Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence. It's for sale in stores! It's for sale online! We're excited! We're happy! We're relieved. Many many thanks to Cathy Mosca, Shelley Dolley, Joy Stauber, Richard Weaver, Mike Slind, Sarah Rainone, all the folks at HarperStudio, Abbey Bishop, Shannon Waite, Charlie Macomber, Su (at House of Pretty), the community at tompeters.com, and countless others (check out the Acknowledgments on p. 511). And, of course, thanks to Tom for writing the book. Frequent commenter MarkJF is hankering for an autographed book, and we're sure…

• 

  Management Craft

• Best of Inspiration from Exec Women in Govt Conference

  Lisa Haneberg

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:53 am

  I had the pleasure and privilege of speaking at the Executive Women in Government conference yesterday. There were about eight speakers - all powerful and inspiring leaders - and their messages seem to come together in a wonderful call to action. The post I did on Relevancy, Vibrancy, and Legacy shared the main points of my contribution. Here are a few of the more memorable bits of wisdom from the other speakers: We live in a new era of complexity and we need to face what we have to do. Our movements must change, too (referring to previous movements that catalyzed change). The importance of…

• Relevancy -> Vibrancy -> Legacy

  Lisa Haneberg

  3 Mar 2010 | 3:50 am

  I am putting the finishing touches on a presentation for next week that is about how we can leave our legacy in today's crazy work world. It strikes me that there are three levels of contribution.Relevancy - you keep learning and you stay up to date on how to best communicate and connect with others. You seek mentors and coaches in a variety of places and from people at all levels of the organization. Because you stay current, you can better manage across generations and cultures and you use these skills to help teams spend time well and get results. Relevancy requires openness.Vibrancy - you…

• How our Actions Ripple and Spread - An Opportunity to Catalyze

  Lisa Haneberg

  1 Mar 2010 | 10:01 am

  I love this post from pal Lisa over at the Bloom blog called Ripple Effect. It is a stunning story that every manager should read. When we show care and appreciation, when we acknowledge others and make them feel special, our efforts - which often take no more than a minute and cost nothing - can have a huge and lasting impact on others.

• Do you talk beyond the point of contribution?

  Lisa Haneberg

  26 Feb 2010 | 3:36 pm

  I was facilitating a training class this week and asked participants one thing they loved and hated about meetings. Meetings are SOOOO expensive and it is important that every meeting should help move things forward with top velocity. One participant said she hates it when people talk beyond the point of contribution. What a great way to phrase a common problem!!! I told her it would make a great blog post title and here it is. Twitter is just 140 characters. The best blog posts are often short and saturated quickly get to the point. Should the same logic apply to meeting conversations? Well,…

• High Impact Middle #Management - Again!

  Lisa Haneberg

  23 Feb 2010 | 5:43 pm

  I got an email from my publisher that the new edition of my book about high impact middle management is available (they just did an email blast you can see it here). The new version has a slightly tweaked title: The High Impact Middle Manager. I am thrilled to have this book (a slightly revised version of my first book, High Impact Middle Management) back in publication and available. If you are a middle manager, know and love a middle manager, or want to someday be a great middle manager, check it out. Amazon has it as available for preorder, but it should start shipping soon. A bit of…

• 

  Three Star Leadership Blog

• What Women Want (at Work)

  Wally Bock

  11 Mar 2010 | 3:01 pm

  Things have changed a lot for the better for women in the workplace since the 1950s, when my mother worked at an ad agency. They've changed since I started in business 40 years ago. They've gotten better, but they're not good enough.

• 3/10/10: Midweek Look at the Independent Business Blogs

  Wally Bock

  10 Mar 2010 | 1:20 pm

  Every week I select five excellent posts from this week's independent business blogs. This week, I'm pointing you to posts on the name game, evaluations, tall poppy syndrome, understanding compensation on the front line, and video games go to work.

• Book Review: Simply Effective

  Wally Bock

  9 Mar 2010 | 4:35 pm

  This is the perfect book for you if you want to simplify things where you work. It will give you a well-crafted framework that will help you identify the causes of complexity and deal with them.

• Want better profitability, engagement, and turnover?

  Wally Bock

  8 Mar 2010 | 12:37 pm

  First line supervisors are the key to productivity, engagement and reduced turnover. Maybe you should pay attention to them.

• 3/7/10: Leadership Reading to Start Your Week

  Wally Bock

  7 Mar 2010 | 8:53 am

  Here are five choice articles from the business schools, the business press and major consulting firms to start off your work week. I'm pointing you to articles about leadership, co-leadership, innovation, and Ford and GM in the wake of the Toyota recall.

• 

  Life Beyond Code

• Just this ONE time…

  thinksulting@gmail.com (Rajesh Setty)

  13 Mar 2010 | 12:10 am

  If you are having an off day, there is no need to broadcast it by sharing something mediocre. The temptation to share is super-high because the barrier to entry in social media is super low. You think, you write and you hit publish and you are off to the races.  When you are in a pinch, you may feel like sharing something mediocre and justify to yourself that “just this one time it’s OK” to do that. Honestly, if you have “already made it” you might still be able to get away with it. But if you are a rising star, that “just one time” might hurt you…

• Extraordinary

  thinksulting@gmail.com (Rajesh Setty)

  12 Mar 2010 | 12:10 am

  They say extraordinary is simple – all it takes is that “extra” to be added. However, in real life, it takes a few years to add that “extra.” It makes sense because if it were any easier, everybody would do it and it would no longer have that “extra.” Here are few TED talks that has that depicts what the “extra” will look like: 1. Extraordinary Dance Kenichi Ebina moves his body in a breathtaking fashion. 2. Extraordinary Visuals Hans Rosling takes data visuals to a whole new level. 3. Extraordinary Rejuvenation What is your idea of…

• The Legs

  thinksulting@gmail.com (Rajesh Setty)

  11 Mar 2010 | 12:10 am

  Take a table with one leg. It is not very stable. You can push it a bit and topple it over. Now put another leg and the table becomes a bit more stable. Add two more legs and make all the four legs stronger and now you have a reasonably stable table. It’s hard to shake it and topple it. Now think about your dream and the reason not to pursue it. If there is one reason, you can shake it off easily. Add more reasons (no money, no experience, no connections etc.) and then you have a stronger reason to NOT pursue your vision. Without our knowledge day in and day out, we keep adding more…

• Just thirty minutes…

  thinksulting@gmail.com (Rajesh Setty)

  10 Mar 2010 | 12:10 am

  During my last trip to India I spoke at two events. In one of the events, someone complained that a bestselling author was not wiling to give thirty minutes of her time to discuss a particular issue. His point was that it was just thirty minutes – nothing much. We had a healthy debate about why it was “just thirty minutes” for him but a series of “just thirty minutes” for the bestselling author. He is not the only person who would have requested “just thirty minutes” from this author and if she accepted all such requests she wouldn’t have time…

• CEREBRATE – A Real Mindshare Experience

  thinksulting@gmail.com (Rajesh Setty)

  9 Mar 2010 | 12:10 am

  How long do you think it will take for 22 people to introduce themselves? How about just over 2 days? This was (almost) what happened at the CEREBRATE2010 event late last month (detailed write-up on Cerebrate blog here) CEREBRATE is the brain child of Kiruba Shankar and it follows an Unconference format. I was so glad to participate in the 3rd edition. This edition was sponsored by MARG. The Rules of Cerebrate The rules of the conference are simple (read: the birth of Cerebrate by Kiruba Shankar) Every participant (achiever) will be from an unique field. No two people will be from the same…

• 

  Business Innovation Speaker and Consultant Stephen Shapiro

• Open Innovation Design

  Stephen Shapiro

  12 Mar 2010 | 6:37 am

  Nearly 2 years ago, I used open innovation to develop the logo used on this site. I am now using open innovation again to help redesign my Personality Poker cards. As you know, later this year, the Personality Poker book will be published by Penguin’s Portfolio imprint.  The publisher designed the book cover (we aren’t prepared to [...]

• Podcast on The Brain Advantage

  Stephen Shapiro

  10 Mar 2010 | 1:17 pm

  Brad Kolar is one of the brightest guys I know.  He and I worked together in Accenture back in the mid-90’s.  He has been a contributor to all of my books.  And now he is the co-author of a fascinating book called “The Brain Advantage. ” I had the privilege of receiving a review [...]

• Is it Dali Time…Or Hammer Time?

  Stephen Shapiro

  9 Mar 2010 | 5:46 am

  Yesterday I met with Jeff Boudro, the “Director of Really Cool Stuff at Staples.”  And from spending time with him, I can attest to this being the truth! Case in point is the picture left… Jeff bought a clock that has 9 dials, each one representing a different timezone.  For example, the top row of clocks [...]

• Does Stress Limit Creativity?

  Stephen Shapiro

  1 Mar 2010 | 11:12 am

  Friday I was stuck in New York City.  I wasn’t sure I would ever get out. The Tri-State area was getting hammered by a snow storm.  I was scheduled to leave at 1PM, hours after the snow began.  The airports were closed. And to make matters worse, earlier in the day, two people were struck by [...]

• What We Don’t Know We Know

  Stephen Shapiro

  22 Feb 2010 | 5:54 am

  Last night I went to a seminar.  On the whiteboard, the seminar leader drew an oft-used framework: There are things you “know.”  For example, I know I can speak English. There are things you “know you don’t know.”  I know I can’t speak Chinese. And there are things you “don’t know you don’t know.”  Obviously I don’t have [...]

• 

  Orrin Woodward Leadership Team

• American Freedom & Austria's Experience with Totalitarianism

  Orrin Woodward

  10 Mar 2010 | 6:32 am

  Freedom isn't free and people who treat it lightly are likely to lose it.  Throughout the history of mankind, people have yearned to be free from the yoke of tyranny and oppression.  Freedom is a blip on the screen of a long history of corruption and tyrannical power grabs.  History is a fascinating subject for so many reasons, but the part that strikes me most profoundly is the inability for mankind to learn from it.  The names change, the countries change, but the principles of oppression are attempted again and again, dressed in a new garb.  The following article…

• Self-Deception & Leadership Results

  Orrin Woodward

  4 Mar 2010 | 6:44 am

  Results in life are inversely proportional to the level of self-deception. I know that statement can sound harsh, but hardly anything amazes me more than the self-deception levels obtained by would-be leaders. In a desire to protect their fragile egos, potential leaders would rather destroy their businesses than confront the facts. If business is going poorly, the first step is to confront the facts. Most people when they read this are quick to say, “Yes, I confronted the facts and it is everyone’s fault but my own.” The only problem with this answer is that if everyone else is to…

• Dreams Do Come True - IAB Top 10 Leader & Paul Pilzer

  Orrin Woodward

  24 Feb 2010 | 3:07 pm

  I am finishing reading Paul Pilzer’s book Unlimited Wealth for the second time after nearly 17 years and cannot help pondering the changes in my life from the first time I read Pilzer’s book.  I read it the first time back in 1993 on a Saturday afternoon, completing it in bed that night.  I couldn’t put it down as the ideas and concepts challenged me to think differently about wealth, productivity, and my future.  I dreamed of one day meeting Paul Pilzer and sharing with him personally what his book meant to me.  Today, as I wrap up his book, I look back over…

• Personal Financial Revolution Webinar

  Orrin Woodward

  13 Feb 2010 | 8:04 am

  Stephen Covey states to begin with the end in mind.  What is the end in mind for your finances?  Is it net worth or is it quality of life?  Chris Brady and I are going to do a live webinar on Friday, February 26th at 7 pm to share our philosophy to Launch a Financial Revolution in your life.  Too many good people are in bondage to debt, creating stress in their key relationships, forcing them into further poor choices as the debt spirals out of control.  There are solutions to the financial rat race, but they require a willing student, and a daily discipline to…

• Seven Principles of Effective & Defective Confrontation

  Orrin Woodward

  5 Feb 2010 | 9:16 am

  Dr. Joseph Mattera recently wrote this article on conflict resolution and I will repost with my comments since it has some solid thoughts on conflict resolution. Leadership is about influence and community, making promises, following through, encouraging one another and resolving conflict in a Godly manner when it arises.  With increasing frequency, I am seeing top leaders applying ungodly methods to resolve conflicts that only exacerbate the problems and destroy unity in the community.  I have said for years that as a leader, Conflict Resolution…

• 

  Crossderry Blog

• Innovative innovation myths

  Paul Ritchie

  12 Mar 2010 | 2:22 pm

  Here’s an old column I’ve meant to comment on for a while.  Dan Woods’s Jargon Spy is almost always a good read, and his take on The Myth of Crowdsourcing punctures some of the more cherished notions of social media and its power to create.   He goes right for the granddaddy of them all: Wikipedia seems like a good example of a crowd of people who have created a great resource. But at a conference last year I asked Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales about how articles were created. He said that the vast majority are the product of a motivated individual. After articles are…

• Week 10 Performance Report — Operation Dunk 2010

  Paul Ritchie

  12 Mar 2010 | 6:17 am

  As you may have guessed by the absence of performance reports, Operation Dunk 2010 was stalled for a bit.  I allowed the demands of work and family to get in the way, but we’re back on the beam.  Luckily, the damage wasn’t too great, as I have remained active.  Weight — Up2.5 lbs from week 4 (251.5 from 249) Wii Age — I’m at 37, which is down from my last two reading of 45 and 55. My balance and endurance has been clearly improving.  I believe that stems from my concentration on the obstacle course, as that contains a jumping motion and gives a pretty decent 2-5…

• Why can’t we plan for leadership?

  Paul Ritchie

  9 Mar 2010 | 2:36 pm

  Glen Alleman asks “Why is it so hard?” and focuses on one of the most difficult line items for IT projects to fund: project/program management, including contract planning and controls.  I’ve had varying success in positioning these resources, so I’m still stumped.  Arguments that worked for one initiative failed for what should have been a similar initiative.  So here are two questions to you all: What arguments, research, findings, etc. have been EFFECTIVE in ensuring that your projects or programs have the leadership they need?  Does these…

• Puzzles vs. Mysteries

  Paul Ritchie

  3 Mar 2010 | 6:25 pm

  My in-laws just gave me the latest Malcolm Gladwell book – What the Dog Saw — and I’ve been grazing in it the last few days.  The book is a collection of his New Yorker pieces;  he also includes a few key updates and notes that bring the articles up-to-date. I just finished his piece on the Enron scandal — the original New Yorker article is here — and he makes a distinction between puzzles and mysteries that I hadn’t seen before.  As regular readers know, complexity is one of my favorite topics (and key posts on the topic are collected here).  IMO,…

• Stop. Look. Listen.

  Paul Ritchie

  2 Mar 2010 | 6:00 pm

  I don’t get over to John Agno’s Coaching Tip blog often enough, though I did make it over the other day and found this timely post: In Stressful Encounters, Rewire Yourself to Listen.  He points out that: In a stressful encounter, you may have less than two minutes to gain control and salvage the situation.  The paradox is that we need to be deliberate, calm, and open at a time when our instincts are screaming “react!”.  John’s tips — and those of Mark Goulston — are very practical.  My only addition: cultivate the habit of mindfulness so you can…

• 

  troy worman: uncategorized

• Beware Yeasayer

  Troy Worman

  12 Mar 2010 | 1:02 pm

  I know nothing about music and somewhat less about indie music, but I do listen to Sirius XM U fairly regularly and I do know what I like when I hear it and I do like Yeasayer, which means little more than that. This said, I say to you now, beware! Beware the sound of Yeasayer for it is but a matter of time before you hear it streaming down from the firmament.

• Dirty Secret of Science

  Troy Worman

  11 Mar 2010 | 5:03 pm

  “Experiments rarely tell us what we expect. That’s the dirty secret of science.” — Kevin Dunbar, Director of the Laboratory for Complex Thinking and Reasoning, University of Toronto Scarborough

• Wordpress on My Blackberry

  Troy Worman

  10 Mar 2010 | 9:45 pm

  I just loaded Wordpress on my Blackberry and am eager to gauge the ease of use. It seems like finding time to write is becoming more and more difficult. I hope this helps.

• Obamu

  Troy Worman

  4 Mar 2010 | 9:03 pm

  v. To triumph over obstacles by acting with unfounded optimism.  Taking Barack Obama’s “Yes we can!” mantra as inspiration, this Japanese neologism has become a popular term of encouragement in tweets and blogs, often for friends suffering.

• Spaser

  Troy Worman

  3 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  n. The first nano-scale laser, so called because light is produced using surface plasmons instead of photons.  Small enough to fit on a computer chip, spasers could pave the way for optical computers with processing speeds of up to 100 terahertz. Source:  Wired

• 

  MBA Depot - Latest Content

• Audio/Video Entries: Simple Rules and Management Teams

  12 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am

  In the final in his three part podcast series with Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, Donald Sull, Associate Professor of Management Practice in Strategic and International Management, speaks with the Stanford University Professor about what makes good management teams. Eisenhardt begins this podcast by stating that in her opinion the most useful metaphor about teams for managers is a basketball team because the teams are fast moving, fluid and if they’re good they score. Eisenhardt builds on this by explaining that good teams, like basketball teams, are relatively small, highly differentiated with a…

• Links: The CHAT Dataset

  12 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am

  This note accompanies the Cross‐country Historical Adoption of Technology (CHAT) dataset. CHAT is an unbalanced panel dataset with information on the adoption of over 100 technologies in more than 150 countries since 1800. The data is available for download at http://www.nber.org/data/chat. We discuss the main aim of CHAT, its scope and limitations, as well as several ways in which we have used the data so far and ways to potentially use the data for other research. Author: Diego Comin, Bart Hobijn Source: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) | HBS Working Paper Subject: Technology,…

• Prospective MBA Resources: Happiness Above Income

  12 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am

  “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful”, said the famous doctor Albert Schweitzer. Many people, though confuse financial success with happiness, business students amongst them. But the assumption that an MBA will make them richer and therefore happier is flawed. Author: Barbara Bierach Source: MBA Channel Subject: Ranking, About

• Quotes: Iris Murdoch

  12 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am

  If we consider what the work of attention is like, how continuously it goes on, and how imperceptibly it builds up structures of value round about us, we shall not be surprised that at crucial moments of choice most of the business of choosing is already past. Source: Amazon.com Subject: Marketing, Attention, Decision

• 

  The Chief Happiness Officer

• Friday Spoing!

  Alexander

  12 Mar 2010 | 9:09 am

  OK, that’s it! I’m getting two exercise balls so I can try this: Who’s with me? Have a happy weekend.

• Whoah – we’re on TED.com :o)

  Alexander

  9 Mar 2010 | 3:41 am

  Holy crap – one of the videos from our conference last year is featured on the front page of ted.com. And featured very prominently! Which means that it has now been viewed over 50,000 times! And it’s no wonder – the presentation in question was one of the highlights of our 2009 conference on happiness at work: Dr. Srikumar S. Rao’s wonderfully inspiring and funny presentation. It very satisfying for me to know that something we helped create has now inspired so many people in the TED community and around the world. Also, it’s a professional ambition of mine to…

• Kill your chair

  Alexander

  8 Mar 2010 | 7:00 am

  Most of us spend most of the work day sitting down. We sit at our desks, we sit in meetings, we sit down at lunch and we sit down for seminars, phone calls, orientations and just about anything else that goes on during a regular work week. Which is why this excellent NY Times article by Zack Canepari is so important. It opens with these provocative words: Your chair is your enemy. It doesn’t matter if you go running every morning, or you’re a regular at the gym. If you spend most of the rest of the day sitting — in your car, your office chair, on your sofa at home — you are putting…

• Dog is watching you

  Alexander

  8 Mar 2010 | 6:12 am

  This dog lives across the street from our office: He is regularly found at his post, surveying his domain which is (i’d guess) the whole street. I especially like how his elbow is up on the banister. It’s suave yet domineering!

• Friday Spoing!

  Alexander

  5 Mar 2010 | 2:23 am

  Here are two very different ways to start your working day: Which one did you use this morning? Have a very happy weekend!

• 

  TerryStarbucker.com

• Why Social Media Is The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread – And Why It Isn’t

  Starbucker

  10 Mar 2010 | 11:12 am

  Think for a second about what sliced bread did for humanity. Seriously. Why else would all new products or innovations be compared to it since it was first sold in 1928?   It was just another consumer convenience,  allowing us to make our sandwiches faster. But because it made it that much easier,  it launched the sandwich into a whole new level of popularity.  And much time was saved, particularly in the morning.  So we were able to sleep longer.  Thus, sliced bread brought us the ultimate in convenience, AND a more rested society.  Not bad. Now let’s consider Social Media.  It…

• Don’t Be A Victim of Success (Keep Climbing)

  Starbucker

  7 Mar 2010 | 1:00 pm

  You set a goal, and with a lot of hard work, you hit it.  You’ve achieved success.   Now what? That’s the critical question in sustaining a long and fruitful career, or keeping a business at the heights of profitability. Answering that question really boils down to this: Do you choose to go forward, or backward? You may have noticed that “status quo” isn’t an option here.  That’s because there’s no such thing in this context.  Standing still is akin to going backwards. And that puts you in the position of being a victim of your own success. Coming to that realization is…

• The Secret To A Lifetime Of Productivity – And Five Ways To Find It

  Starbucker

  28 Feb 2010 | 1:00 pm

  It’s not the “doing”. It’s not how fast,  or how well. Nope, it’s none of these. The secret to a lifetime of productivity is simply this:  Making the best selection of WHAT to do at any given moment. (Although it certainly doesn’t hurt to do things fast and well – as long as they’re the RIGHT things) In any day there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of actions you can take.   Which ones you choose are critical to living a productive life, or being the most productive person at the office. It’s the art of constant prioritization…

• 6 Building Blocks To A Fortress of Credibility In The Workplace

  Starbucker

  21 Feb 2010 | 3:10 pm

  The last thing a CEO (or any other high level executive) needs in pushing goals, objectives  and action plans all the way through the ranks of a company is to literally “feel”  the skepticism as the messages are delivered – that collective vibe from the other team members that they really aren’t believing much of what the leader says. It’s nearly impossible for someone to really move the dial when mistrust of leadership is so high, because it is such a powerful destructive force in the workplace. To successfully overcome this force, high-level executives need to build what I call…

• How I Graduated from the Billy Joel School of Life And Leadership

  Starbucker

  18 Feb 2010 | 4:26 am

  (This is a true story. Mostly.) I started out in Wisconsin wanting to be a Piano Man. Don’t Ask Me Why, but I just thought that it would be a pretty glamorous life. Before long I was Movin’ Out to Texas and those dreams faded in favor of being a Big Shot in the business world.  I graduated from college with an accounting degree and a desire for a long-term window into the River of Dreams. But for The Longest Time, I couldn’t figure it out.  There was a girlfriend, an Uptown Girl of sorts. I tried to Tell Her About It. She’d say in reply, “You’re Only Human, you’ll just have to…

• 

  The Bing Blog

• Naughty Lehman!

  Bing

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:01 am

  It’s very helpful to have a 2,200-page report, more than a year later, on what we knew already. To wit: Dick Fuld! You’re a BAD BOY! Former Lehman executives? Your behavior ”ranged from serious but non-culpable errors of business judgment to actionable balance sheet manipulation.”  Naughty, naughty business executives! I seriously hope that you feel very guilty spending all that severance you received when you were heaved overboard! Ernst & Young! Shame on you! You knew about the Repo 105 gambit that accountants for Lehman were using to hide blodgetts on their…

• Illiterate spamming scamster of the day

  Bing

  11 Mar 2010 | 6:22 am

  I get a lot of crud in my inbox, and I’m sure you do too. But every now and then you see a new generation of sludge beginning to creep in, evidence that somebody in the world, probably Nigeria, is on the job re-thinking the technology of scamming. This morning, as I was considering the question of whether Bank of America should have apologized for stealing a mortgagee’s parrot, I happened upon the following missive in my corporate e-mail: I am Garzon Terry, managing director Euroglobal Int. Financier S.L. Madrid Spain. A financier lending organization and a co operate finance…

• I want to be acquired by Mark Zuckerberg

  Bing

  9 Mar 2010 | 7:27 am

  I just spent a couple of days in San Francisco, the land of the nine-digit idea. Every town has its prevailing topic of conversation. In Los Angeles, it’s Julia and Tom and Ari and who’s in turnaround and who just dumped their agency to go with another agency another guy just dumped. In New York, it’s hedges and wedges and bonuses and who just got that six-acre estate in Connecticut, or lost it, who’s acquiring what and which and who. In Miami, it’s corned beef or cocaine, depending on your demographic. And in San Francisco, it’s all about the guy who just…

• Get out of my Facebook, Larry

  Bing

  4 Mar 2010 | 11:03 am

  As some of you may know, I am very careful about how I Twitter. I occupy my space, but don’t do MySpace. And I am not particularly LinkedIn, although I did make the mistake of signing up for it once. Since then, I am importuned daily by people who want me to link to them. I have no desire to do so. I am a virtual hermit, even though my brick and mortar persona is quite amiable. And one day quite some time ago, I established a page for myself on Facebook. It was a moment of weakness, I admit. My perception, for the most part, is that Facebook is for three kinds of people, for whom it…

• The (recent) History of the World (one tag at a time)

  Bing

  3 Mar 2010 | 7:49 am

  In about a month, we’ll be celebrating the third anniversary of this blog.  We’ll save the cake, funny hats and weepy speeching for then, but today I would like to take the opportunity to do something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: consider our tags. Below you will see a total catalog of every single tag that has been generated in good times and bad, scandal, recession, recovery, slow days, crazy days, the people, places and things that have popped up for a little while and then receded, or not, and even a few thoughts about Mike, a headless chicken who came to…

• 

  Weekly Leader

• Editor in Chief Executive's List of "Bad" Words [del.icio.us]

  weeklyleader

  11 Mar 2010 | 9:41 pm

  Sure, you’d think the chief executive officer of a company struggling to emerge from bankruptcy and desperate to salvage an $8 billion buyout-gone-bad would have better things to do than pester his underlings with crazy proclamations. But in the case of Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels, you’d be wrong.

• Weekly Leader Episode 42 – Hay Group/BusinessWeek Leadership Study

  podcast@weeklyleader.net

  11 Mar 2010 | 8:24 pm

  This week Peter speaks with John Larrere, National Practice Leader for Leadership and Talent, The Hay Group about their collaborative leadership research project with Bloomberg BusinessWeek, listener comment on Undercover Boss, Dan Heath’s Fast Company video on mission statements and podsafe music by Tom Waits. Thanks to our sponsor! GotoMeeting Hold your meetings online for just $49/mo. [...] Related posts:Weekly Leader Podcast Episode 34 – Mark Smith, CEO of ipadio.com Weekly Leader Podcast Episode 39 – CBS’ Undercover Boss, How “Not” To Leadership…

• Six Steps of CEO Decision Making ( @MikeMyatt for Blogging Innovation) [del.icio.us]

  weeklyleader

  11 Mar 2010 | 7:54 am

  Interesting post about decision-making to which I added a comment.

• Dan Heath and Why Most Mission Statements Suck (via Fast Company)

  podcast@weeklyleader.net

  10 Mar 2010 | 8:24 pm

  When I was executive director of a nonprofit, I had a board member who used to say that “a camel was a horse designed by a committee.” Here’s Dan Heath’s take on mission statements: Related posts:The Most Influential Women in Web 2.0 (Fast Company) 12 Leadership Lessons From the Bridge of the Starship Enterprise (Fast Company) Become a [...] Related posts:The Most Influential Women in Web 2.0 (Fast Company) 12 Leadership Lessons From the Bridge of the Starship Enterprise (Fast Company) Become a highly effective nonprofit board chair in 7 steps (Boston Herald)

• Work Life Lead: The 5 C’s of Lessons In Leadership

  podcast@weeklyleader.net

  9 Mar 2010 | 10:02 pm

  A few years back, a friend of mine, John, told me that he had a vision for Asheville, where we live and work, to become a center for leadership development. He shared this with me as he began to introduce me to a group that had just formed called Lessons In Leadership. The purpose of Lessons [...] Related posts:Work Life Lead: The Experience of It Work Life Lead: Cross-Generational Respect Work Life Lead: Is Showing Up Enough?

• 

  BrainCram

• Managing Strengths

  Martin Rhodes

  11 Mar 2010 | 8:04 am

  The previous posts ‘Now Discover Your Strengths’ and ‘34 Strengths’ outline how individuals can perform better if they apply their strengths to any endeavour rather than try to improve upon their weaknesses. Consider an orchestra.  The first violinist doesn’t want to be the conductor. The first violinist has a skill, a strength in playing the violin.  They have become first violinist by focusing on that strength and achieving their highest potential with the violin.  They have no interest and possibly no talent for conducting and so would not aspire to the role. But how often do…

• 34 Strengths

  Martin Rhodes

  6 Mar 2010 | 11:13 am

  In his book,’ Now Discover Your Strengths‘, Buckingham outlines the 34 themes that the Gallup analysis has identified. These are: Achiever – Driven to achieve goals Activator – Impatient for action Adaptability – Flexibility to take advantage of the moment Analytical – Look for patterns and value data Arranger – Coordinating others and resources Belief – Bound by certain core values Command – Driven to take charge Communication – A natural explainer, presenter and public speaker Competition – Focused on competing to win Connectedness – Focused on finding the…

• Now Discover Your Strengths

  Martin Rhodes

  27 Feb 2010 | 11:39 am

  I am a great believer in the identifying and applying of key individual strengths to achieve individual and organisational goals. If you ask a person to do something that they have no talent for then the result is a poor quality result, consistently poor quality performance and a de-motivated person. I believe that matching a person’s talents to specific organisational tasks will not only produce a higher quality output in a more efficient manner but also generate a positive feeling in the team members and a more supportive culture. The 3 challenges then are to: Identify the strengths of…

• 7 Reasons Businesses Struggle to be Innovative

  Martin Rhodes

  21 Feb 2010 | 3:16 am

  It a truism in business that if you are not developing and improving, then you are falling behind your competition. Innovation is critical to the sustained growth and competitive edge of any business. So why do businesses struggle to be innovative? 1. Lack of time – As Michael Gerber says, ‘we are too busy working in the business rather than working on the business.’ When people get busy, they focus on delivering the product or service they are contacted to deliver. No time is available to look to the future of the business. 2. Lack of resources – Innovation takes time and money and…

• Ladder of Inference – Peter Senge

  Martin Rhodes

  31 Dec 2009 | 1:18 pm

  Although we like to think of ourselves as evolved thinkers, we have actually evolved to make decisions that shortcut most active thinking. Consider our ancestors as they walked across the savannah, looking for their next meal, they too were being hunted. The bushman that waited to consider if the moving shadow was actually a lion rather than a gazelle often became the lion’s next meal! It paid us to assume things and the bushman that believed all moving shadows ‘could’ be lions often survived b running away to hunt (and breed) another day. They also often missed out on a meal too! So…

• 

  ManagingCommunities.com

• When Should I Lift a Temporary Ban Early?

  Patrick

  11 Mar 2010 | 9:30 am

  photo credit: me and the sysop When I called out to you for topics to write about, Alex asked me to touch on “the liberation of banned users before the appointed time.” If they have an appointed time, it has to be a temporary ban. I’m not a huge fan of those, but I already [...]

• Why I’ve Never Liked Temporary Bans

  Patrick

  7 Mar 2010 | 10:30 am

  photo credit: Dawn Endico I’m just not a temporary ban kind of guy. I was reminded of this while pondering the question asked by Alex (which I will be answering soon!). I’ve never utilized them, never wanted to and likely never will, unless I start running a community for someone else or something like that. I [...]

• What Would You Like Me to Write About?

  Patrick

  4 Mar 2010 | 3:40 pm

  photo credit: bionicteaching I was just pondering what I wanted to write about today and I thought it’d be a good idea to ask you: what would you like me to write about? What would you like my thoughts on? What can I help with? I want to know. Please let me know in the comments. [...]

• Censor Block and the Most Efficient Use of Your Forums’ Word Censor Feature

  Patrick

  28 Feb 2010 | 8:15 am

  photo credit: Eddi 07- Free Stock Most forum software in existence features a word censor. This is a valuable feature that allows you to block certain words, terms, URLs/links and other text content from being posted on your community. The most common ability that you are given is the choice to turn a word into [...]

• We All Have a Community

  Patrick

  25 Feb 2010 | 3:41 pm

  photo credit: Unhindered by Talent If you offer a product or a service, you have a community. It may be small or large, local or international and you may not even acknowledge it, but understand this: you have one. Your community is comprised of those who use, enjoy and support whatever it is that you do. [...]

• 

  timcoote.wordpress.com

• How To Have The Universe At Your Feet…

  timcoote

  8 Mar 2010 | 12:06 am

  Selling is good. Selling works. Businesses turn because motivated people are all working like the intelligent and exquisite beings they are towards selling the stuff they make. Enjoy the ride, be kind to people, love your products but for God’s sake sell. If you can do this you will find yourself in the ever so poignant Jessica Hagy’s category “B”. You will instantly transcend the ranks of the dreamers and you will join the ranks of the doers. Or as Seth said – “Lots of people there for the ride, not so many actually doing.” But once you do, you will understand what your product…

• Business is…

  timcoote

  21 Feb 2010 | 11:21 pm

  Business practice is not set in stone. Business is not risk-free. Business is not a science. Business is not without tears. Business is not the domain of old, white men in expensive suits. Business magazines are for the most part useless and secondhand babble. Business has no cruising speed. Business has no comfort zone. Business has no memory. Business never sleeps. Business models are only as good as the last business to have used them. Business is too ballsy for economists to really understand (otherwise they would be out making money instead of blathering about how others should be doing…

• A Kind of Pink, Scrawly Knot with Eyes.

  timcoote

  7 Feb 2010 | 12:08 pm

  Most people see their lives as one long storyline. “You start out life”, “she’s in mid-life”, “his life ended”. Most people see their careers the same way and it gives a nice linear perspective to how things should be. The problem is, of course, in reality things are much messier than this. If you want to continue with the line analogy it’s the equivalent of Mr. Messy. A kind of pink, scrawly knot with eyes. So the idea of success and failure is measured and reacted on based on this idea where we should be moving forward along a straight line. If you fall off or the line…

• Change Just Is.

  timcoote

  2 Feb 2010 | 8:44 am

  Change is. It is neither good nor bad. It just is. People are scared of change because of what it might mean. “The changes might mean I am going to lose my job/position/status/cubicle/car/restaurant tickets/bonus/my three extra square feet of office space, etc. etc.” Change is not an external entity for you to hang blame on and change doesn’t mean anything. Change just is. In business things are always in flying in all directions and we are always ducking and weaving one way or the other. People who believe they have found some safe haven are the ones the most distraught…

• Stop gazing at your spades…

  timcoote

  27 Jan 2010 | 11:12 am

  How much time can you afford to put into staying ahead of the curve? How much of this time is fundamentally different from what you were doing before and how much of it is fluffy? How many hours a day can you delve into social networks on your computer before it tips over to being a 21st century version of having a drink with a business partner after work to staying in the bar all day? Don’t get me wrong. There are important lessons to be learned from smart companies who succeed in spreading their stories to create users who are pleased enough with the services and products to talk about…

• 

  Lead on Purpose

• Credit comes later

  Michael Ray Hopkin

  8 Mar 2010 | 10:26 pm

  In many careers, applause and acknowledgment are awarded soon after success happens. CEOs are praised for their vision. Top salespeople are rewarded with high commissions. Innovative engineers are recognized for their inventions. The rewards for applied skill and hard work come quickly after the work is complete. Then there’s product management… — The Product Management Perspective: One of the least palatable realities of product management is that applause and acknowledgment of great work does not come immediately; sometimes it comes slowly and many times not at all. This…

• Trust and credibility

  Michael Ray Hopkin

  1 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm

  How do you effectively develop trust in your organization? Trust is built over time as you follow through with the promises you make. Your credibility — the quality or power of inspiring belief — grows in much the same way. The principles of trust and credibility are tightly linked and build on each other. In his book The Speed of Trust, Stephen M.R. Covey defines the “4 Cores of Credibility” as foundational elements that make you believable, both to yourself and to others. The first two cores deal with character, the second two with competence: Core 1: Integrity:…

• Seeds of success

  Michael Ray Hopkin

  22 Feb 2010 | 9:47 am

  Everyone wants to succeed, but where does success start? We all have a deep desire to move forward and see our dream become reality, but how do we make it happen? The venerable “Dean of Personal Development,” Earl Nightingale, put it in these terms: “Success can be defined as the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” In other words, you become what you think about. Nightingale compares the human mind to fertile land. The land doesn’t care what types of seeds the farmer plants, it will return what it’s given. The mind, in much the same way, will…

• Clear leadership

  Michael Ray Hopkin

  6 Feb 2010 | 10:36 pm

  This evening I had the opportunity to listen to a speaker who had just returned from a humanitarian service trip to Haiti. He told amazing stories about the trip, including heart-wrenching accounts of the devastation caused by the recent earthquake. He spoke about the director who organized the trip and what a great job he did in leading the people who went with him. When describing the impact this individual had on the trip, the speaker made the following profound observation: People will follow clear leadership What does ‘clear leadership’ mean to you? What benefits have you…

• Hire your replacement

  Michael Ray Hopkin

  3 Feb 2010 | 8:54 am

  Leaders at successful companies focus significant time and resources to hire the right people. The money and effort they spend pays big dividends as the company progresses and matures. The companies that excel at hiring the right people seem to take this one step further: at all levels the leaders hire people whom they can groom as their replacements. This may seem at odds with conventional thinking; generally, most people at most companies do not think about what the company will be like when they leave. However, those who really ‘get it’ make hiring better people than themselves…

• 

  The Recovering Leader

• Monday LeaderTip: Informed versus Involved

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  7 Mar 2010 | 6:49 pm

  Understanding the details has never been more critical for effective leadership. Yet it’s important to walk the line between being informed and getting involved. In my coaching practice, I’ve seen many examples of executives confusing command of the details with commanding the troops as to what do to about them. That marginalizes their skills, even as it drains your time and energy. Be clear about when and why you are shifting from simply being informed, to becoming involved. Your people will respond by doing more creative, autonomous, and effective work.Self-coaching: What are your…

• Health Reform: Leadership in Sacrifice Still Needed

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  7 Mar 2010 | 12:29 pm

  Someone commented today on a post I wrote last August regarding leadership in sacrifice and U.S. Healthcare Reform, Leadership in Sacrifice: U.S. Health Care Reform's Looming Lesson, which I just re-read and realized, much to my chagrin, that it's still true.  Check it out (here's the beginning of it): (From August, 2009) The now-stalled U.S. Health Care reform effort shows that our elected officials lack the will and skill to exercise leadership in sacrifice.To enact reform, politicians—people-pleasers and self-preservationists by trade, would, ironically, have to sacrifice themselves…

• Monday LeaderTip: Leadership in Fallibility

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  28 Feb 2010 | 11:32 pm

  We all make mistakes every day, and leaders are no exception. If you have high standards, you may wrestle with the temptation to deny or dwell on your errors. Feel free to visit, but don’t pitch a tent there—remind yourself that so many of history’s errors have led to tremendous achievements. Most mistakes bear gifts—a lesson, a key insight, a motivating challenge, a tactical or strategic pivot point, a necessary ending, or new beginning. It’s up to you to move smartly beyond a misstep by claiming your gift(s) to be found there. In doing so, you exercise leadership in fallibility…

• Monday LeaderTip: High-Performing Leadership Teams

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  21 Feb 2010 | 8:34 pm

  It’s not uncommon for an organization’s senior executives to call themselves the "Leadership Team." Yet frequently divisional self-interests drive their actions more so than teamwork—a lower-performing model for people at all levels of the enterprise. In contrast, members of high performing leadership teams watch out for each other, share resources and knowledge, trust each other, are brutally honest, embrace healthy conflict, and are committed to / accountable for results, individually and collectively. If this seems too good to be true, you probably have some work to do with your…

• Letting Go of Lonely Leadership

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  15 Feb 2010 | 10:33 am

  “It’s lonely at the top” is not the way of leadership.  If that’s the case for you, the quality of your leadership, your life at work, and your P&L, would likely be enhanced with some work on changing how you relate to others.  I’ve seen this play out in my executive coaching work with clients.Their successes add up to one theme: come on in … the water’s fine. Let down your guard with your colleagues and your people, and therefore let them get to know you. When you take that step, they’ll do their best work for you, and, by the way, you’ll probably appreciate the…

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  Professional Web Presence Solutions for Business - Social Web Fusion (SM) by Virtually Ready - "Extend Your Reach"

• Do You Support Your Competitors on the Social Web?

  admin

  4 Mar 2010 | 9:24 am

  If you are a business owner or representative who participates in the social web on a regular basis, you may have come across an interesting scenerio where you have received an invitation from a competitor to “Become a Fan” on Facebook or maybe they’ve just “followed” you on Twitter. How do you, as a business owner, handle this? Are you one to support your competitors in this situation by reciprocity?  Or are you one to ignore the invitations, perhaps even going as far as blocking them completely from your radar? Although it felt a bit awkward at first,…

• Lisa Duhamel – Virtually Ready On Cover of March, 2010 Issue of Website Magazine – Crowdsourcing Success

  admin

  5 Feb 2010 | 3:19 pm

  At the beginning of the year, Website Magazine conducted a crowdsourcing contest to appear on the cover and within the pages of their March, 2010 issue.  Virtually Ready’s Owner, Lisa Duhamel, submitted her photo entry into the contest and was ultimately chosen to be included!  The magazine is available in print and online and is enjoyed by over 140,000 other Ecommerce & Web Marketing Entrepreneurs, Website Owners and Internet marketers, including Virtually Ready – Professional Web Presence Solutions for Business. We are thrilled to be included – BIG THANKS to Website…

• Back In Business – Original Virtually Ready Fan Page Reconnected on Facebook

  admin

  22 Jan 2010 | 4:20 pm

  Recently, we reported an unfortunate experience where we were inadvertently disconnected on Facebook and lost our Fan Page. We are very happy to say that we received an email from Facebook informing us that upon concluding an investigation into our account, our original account had been restored and they apologized for any inconvenience this may have caused.  We are still unsure of the actual cause of this issue, but we believe it may have had something to do with a recent pre-2010 advertising control panel change . While much time has been spent in building a new profile and fan page to…

• Virtually Ready Clientele Extends Their Reach On The Web in 2009

  admin

  30 Dec 2009 | 3:54 pm

  2009 has been a very rewarding year for Virtually Ready and the clientele we have supported. We have worked very hard to extend the reach of each client partners on the web. In doing so, we have made a lot of progress together, and we would like to share them with you! As we move forward into 2010, we would also like to extend our hand to you by offering you the opportunity to link to your website and/or social profiles here. Please comment with links to your website, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Squidoo, YouTube, etc. Also, please visit our partners, show them your support, and we will do the…

• Disconnected – Has Your Facebook Account Been Unplugged?

  admin

  11 Dec 2009 | 1:49 pm

  Are you on Facebook®?  Do you also use the ever-increasingly popular social network for business? If so, we’d like to share a personal experience with you, which could happen to anyone at anytime, leaving your business vulnerable to a major loss of valuable web presence, personal and professional connections. With the sudden rise in popularity of social media in the mainstream media and the increased usage by businesses as of late, everyone is being encouraged to utilize the social web to promote their business. The platforms are amazingly dynamic and offer a wonderful opportunity to…

• 

  The Practice of Leadership

• How Malcolm Gladwell masters his “look no hands” style of speaking

  George Ambler

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:19 am

    Photo by penmachine   Gideon Rachman provides some insight into “The secrets of Malcolm Gladwell”, that is some of the secrets to his great speaking ability. In his post Gideon makes the following observations from his experience of speaking alongside Malcolm Gladwell. “First, he is a master of the “look no hands” style of speaking. He just stands up there, with a button mike and talks – and it all sounds very spontaneous, with little asides and jokes, and messages tailored to his Mexican audience. Second, he tells stories – there are theories attached to the…

• Goal setting at Google

  George Ambler

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:18 am

       Photo by Anderaz Don Dodge, a Developer Advocate at Google helping developers build new applications on Google platforms and technologies, wrote an interesting post “How Google sets goals and measures success” discussing how Google goes about goal setting. Don describes the central philosophy to Google’s approach to goal setting is as follows: The Google goal setting process happens in a 90 day cycle… “Every quarter every group at Google sets goals, called OKRs, for the next 90 days. Most big companies set annual goals like improving or growing something by x%,…

• Are you a Leader or just a Boss?

  George Ambler

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:15 am

  I often find that many people onfuse leadership with positional power. We tend to believe that a person in a position of authority or someone with a title, has their position or title due to their leadership qualities. However, in many cases there is no correlation between someone’s position and their leadership ability. Just having a title does not make you a leader, leaderships is about influence. Title only buys you time to exercise true leadership, and in this time your leadership either increases or diminishes and eventually fails. There is a huge difference between being a…

• A 2009 Review of The Practice of Leadership

  George Ambler

  3 Jan 2010 | 11:47 am

  Photo by Sabrina Campagna   A happy New Year to you all! The top posts for 2009 and of all time featured on this blog are listed below…. Top Content Just in case you missed some of the great posts from 2008 here are were the most read posts of the year… Setting SMART Objectives Leaders vs. Managers….. Are they really different? Research finds leadership skills inadequate to meet current and future demand Book Review: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team The ten C’s of employee engagement 10 Steps to Setting SMART objectives Steve Jobs and his leadership The Importance of a Clear…

• John Kotter defines Leadership

  George Ambler

  3 Jan 2010 | 11:46 am

  Photo by apesara John Kotter author of “What Leaders Really Do” and more recently “A Sense of Urgency” provides the following definition of leadership from his book “Leading Change”. “Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles” Leadership is about bringing about change and effective change requires vision, inspiration and effective communication. A vision that is so clear and compelling that people align to make it happen. Today more than ever business and society requires…

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  Maximize Possibility

• Possibility Maximizer: The Cranky Middle Manager Show

  "The Rainmaker"

  12 Mar 2010 | 6:00 am

  Happy Friday! Every week I like to feature a resource that I feel will help to Maximize Possibility in your organization and professional life. This week I have one the most successful and longest running management podcasts out there to share with you. Enjoy! The Resource: Wayne Turmel's Cranky Middle Manager Show What the Show is About: On his blog, Wayne describes the show as follows: If you've ever felt like you're trapped between the idiots who make the decisions and the morons who won't do as their told... The Cranky Middle Manager Show podcast is a source of sympathy,...

• A Better Way to be an "Undercover Boss" in Your Organization

  "The Rainmaker"

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:00 am

  About a month ago following the Superbowl I caught the debut episode of the new CBS reality television show "Undercover Boss". For those of you who are unfamiliar with the show, CBS describes it as follows: Each week a different executive will leave the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their company. While working alongside their employees, they will see the effects their decisions have on others, where the problems lie within their organization and get an up-close look at both the good and the bad while discovering the unsung…

• Check Out the Special Academy Awards Edition of the Leadership Development Carnival

  "The Rainmaker"

  8 Mar 2010 | 5:21 pm

  The latest leadership development carnival is up and live at Dan McCarthy's Great Leadership blog. Head over and check it out for a special Academy Awards themed carnival jam packed with over 40 Oscar-worthy posts from some of the best leadership bloggers out there!

• The Rainmaker 'Fab Five' Blog Picks of the Week

  "The Rainmaker"

  7 Mar 2010 | 7:57 pm

  There were a lot of great posts to hit the blogosphere this past week. Here are my top five human resources, talent management, and leadership blog posts from the week of March 1st - March 7th, 2010. Enjoy! Trish MacFarlane, HR Ringleader: Building the Perfect HR Team - Trish wonders what the perfect HR team would look like and how to go about building it. Included in her post - whether the perfect HR professional needs to have an education and background in HR or if smart individuals from other organizational departments can simply be "plugged into HR" and expected...

• Possibility Maximizer: Hewitt Associates Articles and Reports

  "The Rainmaker"

  5 Mar 2010 | 6:29 am

  Every week I like to share a resource that I feel will add value to your professional life and help to Maximize Possibility in your organization. This week I have a powerful resource from one of today's top HR knowledge leaders. Check it out! The Resource: Hewitt Associates Articles and Reports What It Covers: Hewitt invests heavily in HR research and knowledge acquisition and this is clearly evident in the volume and breadth of resources that are available through their articles and reports web portal. From talent management and executive compensation to leadership development and workplace…

• 

  Pink Slip

• Polly want a lawsuit? Polly want a lawsuit?

  12 Mar 2010 | 12:49 am

  Well, our love affair with gigantic banks is never going to get old, is it? The latest smooch to an American home-owner was delivered by Bank of America to one Angela Iannelli of Gibsonia Pennsylvania. And this was no chaste peck on the cheek. No, this was hot-lips all the way. To show their appreciation of Ms. Iannelli as a mortgagee, they dispatched a local contractor to her house to show her some love. (Source: Wall Street Journal.) Because she had missed one payment - which she caught up on shortly - Iannelli's name made it on to a BofA repo list. While Iannelli - a working woman who owns…

• If you were Steven Roth, would you say this out loud?

  11 Mar 2010 | 12:25 am

  Anyone who's been in downtown Boston in the  last couple of years will be familiar with the giant hole in the ground - surrounded by partial let's-preserve-the-past remnants of grand old facade - that has replaced one of our grand old department stores, Filene's. The hole is surrounded by chain link fence, the grand old facade is shrouded in tarpaulin, and if there's a more depressing, recession-reminder sight in these parts, I don't know what is. As my gym overlooks it, this particular mote gets in my eye three times a week. Grrrrrrr. Now, I get that Vornado Realty, the site's…

• Cowboy turned tech wrangler? Maybe, maybe not.

  10 Mar 2010 | 12:58 am

  Since March is apparently Cowboy Month at Pink Slip -  c.f., last week's post on Cowboy Ethics - I was just dee-lighted to see a header in the WSJ Career Section entitled "Cowboy Turned Tech Wrangler."  (Access to the full article may require a subscription, pardner.) Yippee-ki-yay! I just knew I had to get me some learnin' about a cowpoke who switched gears and got into technology. The article started out promising: It's hard to imagine that castrating bulls could be relevant to building a successful Silicon Valley technology storage company. But from there.... Well, I…

• The opposite end of the spectrum

  8 Mar 2010 | 11:29 pm

  Even as I advance into old(er) age, my nose remains resolutely pressed against the creative life window, somewhere among hoping, assuming, and planning for another career of some  writerly sort. So I was interested to read the obituary of "Patricia Travers Violinist Who Vanished", in Sunday's NY Times. Travers, who died in February at the age of 82, was a child violinist who made her solo debut at the New York Philharmonic when she was just 11. From there, she went on to appear with symphonies throughout the US and Europe; record Charles Ives on Columbia; and perform on the…

• And you thought your job as a chicken plucker was terrible - try chicken sexing

  7 Mar 2010 | 10:09 pm

  In the midst their quarterly technology section, The Economist included a small article that most readers no doubt sped by to get to the more über-techno stuff - 6 Million Dollar Man prosthetics, self-healing wireless antennas made out of liquid metal. With my hunt and peck method of scratching around for blog feed, I dipped my beak right in to the story on breakthrough technology for chicken sexing. (This first appeared in The Economist's online mag in February. Not sure, but you may need a subscription to access this.) Now, peculiar as it may seem, I am not a complete stranger to bird…

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  Ed Batista: Executive Coaching & Change Management

• Safety, Trust, Intimacy

  Ed Batista

  9 Mar 2010 | 12:51 am

  In my capacity as a Leadership Coach at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, I work regularly with groups of MBA students whose purpose is to help the members learn, become more self-aware (and more aware of others), and change their behavior in order to achieve their goals more effectively. But I'd argue that every group in every organization serves one or more of these purposes in addition to the group's explicitly stated function.  Intentionally or not, each group in which we participate serves as a de facto learning laboratory, within which we come to understand how our interactions…

• Richard Wright, RIP

  Ed Batista

  5 Mar 2010 | 11:09 pm

  My father-in-law, Rich Wright, was diagnosed with cancer last November, shortly before my last post here, and he passed away one month ago, on February 5th.Over the past three months, I've had neither the time nor the inclination to write (and I'm very grateful to the people who noticed my absence and reached out to ask if everything was OK.  It wasn't, obviously, so I hope you'll forgive me when I've failed to respond.)It's been a very difficult experience, on many different levels--surprisingly difficult, I have to say.  While it's been a privilege to do what I can to support Amy, it…

• David Rock on Neuroscience, Coaching and Leadership

  Ed Batista

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:38 am

  My interest in neuroscience and its implications for executive coaching, leadership development and other processes that involve behavioral change led me to a talk by David Rock at Oracle last week, sponsored by the South Bay Organizational Development Network (SBODN). I first came across Rock in mid-2006, when he and Jeffrey Schwartz co-authored "The Neuroscience of Leadership" (free registration required), which, as I wrote in response, "builds on recent findings in brain research to explain why much of the conventional wisdom in the organizational development field is wrong and to suggest…

• James Baldwin on the Ugly Side of Life

  Ed Batista

  13 Nov 2009 | 1:01 pm

  The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.- James Baldwin My colleague Trina Roach tweeted this quote the other day, and it caught my attention.  (And I'm not alone--a search for the line turns up 30,000 hits.  No one seems to know exactly where Baldwin wrote or said it, but it certainly sounds like him, so I'm going to trust the attribution.)While Baldwin was surely inspired by the specific challenges he faced pursuing his own calling as a writer, I'd extend his sentiment beyond professions to include any institution, from nations…

• The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness

  Ed Batista

  11 Nov 2009 | 12:02 am

  My interest in neuroscience and its implications for executive coaching, personal development and professional effectiveness led me to have lunch recently with Alvaro Fernandez, co-founder and CEO of SharpBrains, a market research firm that focuses on the application of neuroscience in healthcare, education and related fields.  I was sufficiently inspired by my conversation with Alvaro that I went on to read The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness, which he co-authored with Dr. Elkhonen Goldberg, his SharpBrains co-founder.  (Full disclosure: I know Alvaro personally from business school,…

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  Sanders Says

• Stay in touch

  Tim Sanders

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:03 am

  Last week an old friend rang me on my cell phone to catch up.  It was the third time he'd called. "Dude, what's up with you?," he wondered. "We are really out of touch, I've called you several times!"  "Man, I've been swamped," I told him.  "Writing a new book, blogging, tweeting, you know - all that stuff. A few weeks ago I retweeted you, though.  Does that count?" I jokingly suggested.  "We are good friends, have been since before the Internet.  You tweet like 10 times a day and update Facebook every few hours.  You can find 10 minutes to call me. If you…

• The value of a single point

  Tim Sanders

  9 Mar 2010 | 2:16 pm

  Every great speech that changes the world makes one point and makes it very well.  When you add a second, third or fourth major point to a talk, you make it hard to follow and cut down the results.  When I say "one point" what I mean is that your talk can be summed up in a sentence which reflects the premise of your talk.   Both of my talks this week sold this point: Your network is your net worth, so make relationship development a top priority.  If I add, and be emotionally talented or green to it, the whole thing begins to lose its clarity.  As Nick Morgan taught…

• Why I seldom reply to Tweets publicly

  Tim Sanders

  8 Mar 2010 | 1:19 pm

  A friend emailed me today, berating me because I don't use public reply on Twitter to respond to statements, questions, etc. with @sanderssays in it.   He cited Tweeple I deeply admire such as Chris Brogan and Tom Peters, pointing out that they reply to people dozens or sometimes hundreds of times a day.  Chris Brogan refers to this style of tweeting as the public telephone approach - where his answers to questions help others (that might have the same ones). It's also a way to introduce his 100k+ network to people. Here's why I don't do it: For me, less is more. Many of the people…

• No excuses, no regrets

  Tim Sanders

  5 Mar 2010 | 3:43 pm

  Another tennis lesson, another life lesson.  Today's aha was simple: If you want to grow, don't make excuses for your failures.  While this sounds elementary, we do not live by this credo.  We condition ourselves to offer up excuses when we can't do something, achieve a goal, or in my case - hit the ball back over the net.  My coach Nick was running me all over the court today, and fifteen minutes into my lesson my tongue was hanging out.  When he hit a shot to me that required a cross court sprint, I couldn't get there in time.  My inclination was to explain to…

• See me live in Seattle - Tuesday March 9 @ 7pm

  Tim Sanders

  4 Mar 2010 | 2:01 pm

             If you live in greater Seattle, I'll be giving a talk at a public conference titled "New Economy Winners Summit" - Thanks to John Chen for putting this together.  I love to visit Seattle, and I'm excited to get a chance to connect via a live event next Tuesday night. Tickets are still available.   My subject: Power To The People - I'll share my point of view that people are the most important element in business, and deserves our total focus and dedication.  It's easy to objectify people, treating them like statistics or stuff.

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  Coaching Tip: The Leadership Blog

• CEO Survival in a Tough Economy

  John Agno

  8 Mar 2010 | 1:46 pm

  The latest recession is particularly treacherous because it's so broad, hitting Wall Street, Detroit, the housing industry and other pillars of the economy. Among the lessons seared into the hides of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) is this one: Resist the inclination to hunker down and wait out the troubles.  Remaining proactive and decisive improves your company's competitive position as the economy begins to recover.  John Thompson, vice-chairman of the headhunting firm Heidrick & Struggles, says it's particularly important in a downturn for CEOs "to bring an extraordinary sense of…

• Why do 40% of New Leaders Fail?

  John Agno

  3 Mar 2010 | 5:41 am

  Most executives think it is important to "go it alone" due to their belief in the myth of individualism; they hold tightly to the idea that everyone succeeds or fails on the basis of individual efforts and abilities. This assumption is so powerful that when an alternative view is suggested (that success depends on our relationships with others as much as it does on us) the usual reaction is denial. Denial of the role of relationships in the executive's success preserves the self-enhancing illusion that we are masters of our own fates and, therefore, deserving of all the credit…

• Just Another F-Word: fired!

  John Agno

  2 Mar 2010 | 6:32 am

  When it happens and you're in your fourties or fifties, it can slam you into despair. "I thought, what do you mean you don't want me?"  That is the response of a woman who was abruptly stopped in her tracks--dumped from their executive office just as her career was cresting.  It wasn't fair, she said.  Never mind that life for her and other women represent mere data points among the 10 percent of Americans officially unemployed as of December 2009.  For those successful women, getting fired utterly upended their lives. "I was still growing," recalls Anne Friend, 55, a vice president and…

• Make the Other Person Feel "Felt"

  John Agno

  1 Mar 2010 | 7:36 am

  Put yourself in the other person’s shoes so you can change the dynamics of a relationship.  In that instant, you “get” each other, and this breakthrough leads to cooperation, collaboration and effective communication. When you mirror what another person feels, she’s hardwired to mirror you in return.  When you say, “I understand what you’re feeling” — and you mean it — she will feel grateful and, in return, express her appreciation with a desire to understand you. It’s an irresistible biological urge that pulls another person toward you. Phrases for Difficult…

• In Stressful Encounters, Rewire Yourself to Listen

  John Agno

  27 Feb 2010 | 5:25 am

  In a stressful encounter, you may have less than two minutes to gain control and salvage the situation.   Mark Goulston M.D.: Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone Goulston recommends a five-step mental process, whether you’re dealing with a fender-bender, enraged teenager or work situation: 1.    “Oh, F#@&!” (Reaction Phase): “This is a disaster. I’m screwed. It’s all over.” 2.    “Oh, God!” (Release Phase): “This is a huge mess. I’m stuck with it. Why me?” 3.    “Oh,…

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  SustainableWork

• Dr. Kathleen Merrigan visit to Wisconsin

  12 Mar 2010 | 6:55 pm

  It was an honor to be included in a round table discussion today with Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture. I learned that the array of projects and real stakeholders the USDA must represent is daunting.That's why having someone of Dr. Merrigan's experience in sustainable ag and regional food systems at the number two spot in this highly influential federal agency is pretty remarkable. In a review of her nomination at gourmet.com: "She comes from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, in Boston, where she is the director…

• Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food. Local-foods economic development

  6 Mar 2010 | 2:05 pm

  Deputy Secretary of the USDA Dr. Kathleen Merrigan will be visiting Madison next week. She is a great proponent of a highly entrepreneurial effort at USDA called 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food'.The 'Know Your Farmer' web site (link below) describes it this way: "This is a USDA-wide effort to create new economic opportunities by better connecting consumers with local producers. It is also the start of a national conversation about the importance of understanding where your food comes from and how it gets to your plate."Wisconsin is rapidly emerging as a leader in innovative agricultural and…

• Practice.

  1 Mar 2010 | 7:03 pm

  I like thinking about new and emerging enterprises as practices. Think of orthopedic practices, or law practices, or tax, accounting, or consulting practices, among many other professional examples. As a startup or emerging business you will benefit in this new economy by holding yourself to this level of professionalism no matter the kind of enterprise you're involved in.These people (practitioners) practice their craft long and hard but they DO continually practice. They get better. They innovate. They continue to grow. They continue to find new ways to add value to their customers. Or they…

• Getting to do what you love - a risk worth taking.

  21 Feb 2010 | 4:12 pm

  Entrepreneurship is a game plagued with a lot of myths.Those assumptions can often lead new entrepreneurs and untested small business people over a cliff and into failure.Malcom Gladwell had a good article in the Jan. 18, 2010 New Yorker called "The Sure Thing. How entrepreneurs really succeed."This is a good article that upends many assumptions about entrepreneurship . It's largely an analysis of the commercial behavior of high-roller entrepreneurs but there is much good for startups and new entrepreneurs to glean.A standout among those assumptions is that successful entrepreneurs are…

• Growing businesses and creating opportunities in local foods

  19 Feb 2010 | 7:03 pm

  I believe economic development means helping create opportunities.Inventor and Entrepreneur Clubs are a really fun way to discuss and learn about opportunities for starting and growing enterprises of all kinds.We have ours in Iowa County typically on the fourth Monday evening of each month. People get together to discuss, ask questions, and share strategies about entrepreneurship and doing enterprise. It's really fun to see new and old friends interact and help one another with business and startup ideas. Each month different speakers focus on specific topics. In next week's meeting we'll…

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  Les McKeown's Predictable Success Blog

• Why Good Employees Derail

  Les McKeown

  9 Mar 2010 | 8:30 am

  Here are the top five reasons good employees 'go south', how to spot them, and what to do about it. Essentially all of these boil down to poor manager-employee relationships, as the line manager is the person ultimately responsible for managing top employeesHere are the top five reasons good employees 'go south', how to spot them, and what to do about it. Note that all of these boil down to poor manager-employee relationships, as the line manager is the person ultimately responsible for managing top employees: 1. Inconsistent / frequently changing priorities.Why It's a Problem: Nothing…

• Why March is the Most Dangerous Month (and a checklist to fix it)

  Les McKeown

  5 Mar 2010 | 5:30 am

  As an Irishman (a real one - I was born and lived there for 40 years), I know that March is supposed to be a lucky time - you know, Paddy's day, 4-leaf clovers, all that stuff.The reality is that March is the most dangerous month for most organizations, divisions, departments and teams: What you do in the next 30 days will most likely determine your success for all of the rest of the year. Look at this chart to see why: You have three types of activity going on right now:- The stuff that's taken off and is succeeding (green line) - The stuff that's 'just ok' (orange line) - The stuff that's…

• Business Incubators Don't Need To Fail

  Les McKeown

  3 Mar 2010 | 5:59 am

  Sramana Mitra has another interesting discussion on entrepreneurship going on in her often excellent blog - but it starts from an unsupportable precept. Sramana asks: "Why do business incubators fail"I co-founded and ran a successful incubation company for many years. We started in west Belfast (Northern Ireland), and by all external measurements we were set up to fail - extremely high local unemployment, an unskilled workforce and next to no sources of capital, all in the context of what was in effect a war zone. Five years later the program was an outstanding success, had won the European…

• Emulation Isn't Innovation (Exhibit 947)

  Les McKeown

  26 Feb 2010 | 5:47 am

  On a recent trip to California I (yet again) forgot to pack my iphone charger, so I was happy to find an Applestore in Mission Viejo...or so I thought. Turns out this is a Microsoft store. The Apple-cloning was so embarrassingly cheesy that even most of the t-shirted genius-alikes looked uncomfortable. When you're in the The Big Rut a real burst of innovation can sometimes reverse the downward slide, but mindless emulation won't. Thankfully there was an actual Applestore 50 yards away. No-one looked embarrassed. Predictable Success is a registered trademark of EVNA Inc.

• Yes, you can get a copy of Predictable Success today

  Les McKeown

  22 Feb 2010 | 6:02 pm

  After David Allen tweeted his 1,399,136 followers today (seriously - see the screenshot below) about Predictable Success, I received a raft of emails from new readers asking when my book "Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization Back On the Growth Track - and Keeping It There" will be available. The answer is - right now. Buy the ebook version of Predictable Success...and get the hardcover book free The hard-cover print version of "Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization On the Growth Track - and Keeping It There" will be published on June 7, 2010 - but for a limited time you can…

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  Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

• Real People. Fake Signs.

  Mary

  5 Mar 2010 | 8:42 am

  I just got back from a ginormous trade show, HIMSS 10 (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society). Overall, the event was well done and extremely well organized, with a number of education tracks that were truly educational (as opposed to ill-disguised vendor sales pitches so common in trade events.) I was also very impressed by the presentation by Aneesh Chopra, the first federal-level CTO.   He exudes a combination of enthusiasm and competency, keeping buzz words to a minimum. I actually got excited about things that the government is doing on the Web. (Yes, the federal…

• “But, the photos are blurred!”

  Mary

  25 Feb 2010 | 9:16 am

  Years ago, I was producing a complete new set of brochures for a company and we were trying to break out of the shiny people stock photo ghetto….so I hired a top photographer who specialized in black & white “candids.”  (Back then B&W was pretty rad all by itself.) We went on location at various sites – and he probably took several thousand shots total of real employees – sitting, standing, moving, talking… When we got the final documents, the response was mostly very favorable (and the creative agency won several awards).  However, one of the…

• I Can’t Say This With A Straight Face

  Mary

  23 Feb 2010 | 7:57 am

  “Multi-platform communities based on branded content” “Leveraging its leading brands across its global footprint.” So, can you tell what this means? What company is doing this (big tip-off – the image)? Do you care? If you’re an employee of a company doing this – doesn’t it make you want to LEAP out of bed in the morning and get to LEVERAGING? (“Snooze button, where’s the snooze button?”) …And that’s why I’ll never make the big money that the “brilliant management consultants” get when they descend…

• “Let me try to find another one for you.”

  Mary

  18 Feb 2010 | 8:15 am

  You don’t need sophisticated systems to “manage customers” or detailed plans for customer loyalty creation. You DO need people with some common sense and common courtesy. This week, I had a wonderful service experience with Coldwater Creek – all because of one person, Terri. I had bought a top in several colors – and, wouldn’t you know it – my very favorite one (gray) started raveling at the neck after one (very careful) hand washing. I dreaded going back with it, anticipating a battle of wills with CC. But, no battle! Terri immediately credited my…

• TGIF Web Round-Up

  Mary

  12 Feb 2010 | 10:29 am

  Some people complain (and I’m one of them on occasion) about all the junk and noise on the Web…but we also have unprecedented access to not just information but learning. We’re only ignorant – about virtually any topic – if we choose to be. (One of my pet peeves with pundits and politicians.) Willful, arrogant ignorance is not a good thing – no matter how much you get paid for loudly and pointlessly pontificating (There’s gotta be a sentence thingy in there somewhere, by gosh!)…or promoting a book you didn’t actually write. So, here are…

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  The Trump Blog

• Questions to Ask Before Listing Your Home with a Real Estate Agent

  10 Mar 2010 | 4:04 pm

  by Tina Merritt It's common knowledge that today, 87% of buyers are searching for homes on the internet. They are still using real estate agents to buy the homes; however, buyers are going to the internet before and during their home search in greater numbers each day. Now, let's say 87% of all buyers were searching in your local newspaper for a home.  Would you hire an agent who ran 1 ad a month in the newspaper or would you prefer to go with the real estate agent who ran an ad everyday?  Dumb question, huh?  But it's not...many sellers are still not asking the right questions…

• Deducting Travel Expenses for Investment Properties

  8 Mar 2010 | 1:40 pm

  by Tina Merritt A tax deduction often overlooked by investors is the cost of travelling to their own properties as well as the cost of travel when looking for new properties. Travel expenses connected with the management of your real estate investments are deductible if they are ordinary and necessary. A few rules regarding the deduction of travel expenses: 1.  At least 50% of the time you spent away on travel must have been spent doing business related to your real estate investment business.  The primary reason for travel must be business as well. 2.  Taking a week long…

• When a Tenant Violates the HOA Rules...

  2 Mar 2010 | 8:32 am

  by Tina Merritt A few years ago, a client of mine was relocating overseas. When I asked about what his plans were for his rental property, he said, "Oh, I'm not worried about it. The tenants are on a multi-year lease and the HOA will keep them in check". Well, that is not the case. In most states, the HOA has no governing authority at all over tenants; only over members. Yes, it is the landlord's responsibility to enforce the rules and regulations of the HOA. If there is a fine or penalty for the tenant breaking a rule, the fine is levied against the landlord. It is up to the landlord to…

• Does Your Property Have Defective Drywall?

  1 Mar 2010 | 12:27 pm

  by Tina Merritt Last week, the Department of HUD and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission released a statement offering guidance on identifying problem drywall in homes.  Drywall from China has been found to cause corrosion and air quality issues in homes where it was installed. The guidance consists of 2 steps for identifying if there is a problem: 1.  A visual inspection showing blackening of the copper electrical wiring and/or air conditioning evaporator coils. 2.  The drywall was installed between 2001 and 2008. If both of the above conditions are positive, then…

• Global Warming

  23 Feb 2010 | 7:27 am

  by Richard Johnson Donald Trump recently stated with a laugh at a speech to his membership at Trump National Golf Club in Westchester "with the coldest winter ever recorded, with snow setting record levels from Virginia all the way up and down the coast, the Nobel Committee should take the Nobel Prize back from Al Gore." As Mr. Trump explained, "Gore wants us to clean up our factories and plants in order to protect us from global warming when China and other countries couldn't care less. It would make us totally non-competitive in the manufacturing world and China, Japan, and India are…

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  Management IQ - BusinessWeek

• Management Lessons from a Triumphant Olympics

  Nanette Byrnes

  26 Feb 2010 | 8:01 am

  Members of the U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team won gold and silver yesterday in the sport's final Olympic event. It was the culmination of an amazing winter games for the team, which won medals in all three of the sports' competitions. It was also one of the more amazing turnaround stories of the Olympics. How Nordic Combined went from dead last in the world in 1988 to regular trips to the podium is a lesson in slow, deliberate growth managers at struggling US companies like General Motors, Delta, or even the New York Times Co., might take a page from. Tom Steitz, who we first wrote up on the…

• Vulnerability Paves the Way for Healing (by guest blogger John Baldoni)

  Patricia O'Connell

  19 Feb 2010 | 1:58 pm

  I hope no executive in a position of authority accepts Tiger Woods’ prepared statement as a blueprint for how to make a public apology. The words were right, but the sincerity seemed lacking for one simple reason. It was designed more for self-protection rather than self-improvement.

• Tiger Woods: Finally, He Shows His Stripes

  Patricia O'Connell

  19 Feb 2010 | 1:31 pm

  Good for Tiger Woods for including his sponsors (including former ones), his foundation, and his employees in his much-anticipated apology. An abject, ashamed-looking Tiger Woods finally spoke out publicly about--and admitted to--his infidelities and the seismic fallout. He admitted to getting therapy, said that he has merely begun the process of becoming a better person and a better man, and yes, he said the magic words, "I'm sorry." (Actually he said, "I'm deeply sorry.") While I absolutely think Tiger mismanaged this situation early on by not addressing it sooner, he gets points for…

• States Face Huge Retiree Medical Shortfall

  Nanette Byrnes

  18 Feb 2010 | 6:45 am

  Yesterday the Pew Center on the States painted a dismal picture of the pension and retiree healthcare programs operated for State workers. This is bad news for everyone, because as the center's managing director Susan K. Urahn noted yesterday, these promises will have to be met. That may very well require cuts in other services or higher taxes for all. As shocking as Pew's $1 trillion tally of the shortfall is, it may actually be sharply understated. The main reason for that is the quickly rising, and nearly completely unfunded, retiree health care bill. States have a mixed record of funding…

• Business Coach Returns to Olympic Roots

  Nanette Byrnes

  17 Feb 2010 | 3:40 pm

  (This item updated Feburary 26, 2010 to include subsequent medal wins.) When Tom Steitz took over as Head Coach for the US Olympic Nordic Combined Skiing Team in 1988, it had just finished dead last that year's Games. He had little money or athletic talent to work with. It was, as he says "a challenge". One his team has now met. On February 14, one of the skiers he recruited and helped develop, Johnny Spillane won the silver in the first of three events, the first American ever to win a medal in the event. On February 25, Spillane repeated his silver finish in the large hill Nordic Combined,…

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  Great Leadership

• 5 Little Things That Make a BIG Difference as a Leader - Part 2: Listen Up!

  11 Mar 2010 | 6:37 pm

  This is the second part of a five part series about the little things a leader can do that could make a BIG difference in how they are perceived as leaders.I have bad news and good news for all of you leaders and aspiring leaders. You decide which you’d rather read first. Start with the good or jump to the bad and come back.The Good News:The ability to listen has been identified in study after study as one of the most important leadership skills – if not THE most important – than any other.When you listen, you’re seen as a leader that: Is trustworthy Is patient Cares…

• March 7 Leadership Development Carnival - Academy Awards Edition

  7 Mar 2010 | 6:46 pm

  It's Sunday night, and it's time for the Leadership Development Carnival - Academy Awards Edition!Every one of these posts are Oscar-worthy.Opening Musical Extravaganza:Art Petty sings and dances with a glamorous showgirl on each arm with Leadership Caffeine-Learning to Lead in the Project-Focused World posted at Management Excellence.Best Supporting Actress:The nominations are:Janna Rust in Self Leadership: Lead yourself to success posted at Purposeful Leadership.Erin Schreyer in Do I Have Food Stuck In My Teeth? posted at Authentic Leadership.Anna Farmery in…

• 5 Little Things That Make a BIG Difference as a Leader Part 1: Show up on Time

  4 Mar 2010 | 5:09 pm

  This is the first of another 5 part series about some of the little things you can start or stop doing that can make a big difference on how you are perceived as a leader. BTW, some of you may be looking for my next installment of “Leadership Lessons from Undercover Boss”. You can stop waiting – I’ve stopped watching after the third episode. I said I would give it one more chance after the disappointing Hooters episode – and I did. I suffered through watching 7’Eleven’s CEO Joseph M. DePinto be amazed at how much coffee one of his store sold, how much food they threw away, and…

• Leadership Development for “The Little Guys”

  28 Feb 2010 | 5:17 am

  I received the following comments on my recent “Best Companies for Leadership” post:“The list of things that make these great companies for leadership development is impressive. How do you apply these lessons to small business. A staff of five or eight or even 25? The opportunity for promotion and growth may be limited. Lateral moves don't really exist. I'd love help to implement great leadership development with small staff companies.”“Yeah, there are lessons to be learned, but the small business experience is extremely different than that of the large corporations. I guess the…

• Brain Exercise: The Top 10 TED Talks

  21 Feb 2010 | 5:26 am

  Do you ever just take the time to learn about something that may have nothing to do with your immediate job or personal life?I never used to. I’ve never been a learner for the sake of learning. I naturally want to gravitate towards what’s “practical” and highly relevant. If you’re like that too, you may be missing out. Some of the most innovative ideas come from seemingly unrelated fields. A lot of leaders want to be “more strategic”. Being strategic involves recognizing patterns, making sense out of seemingly unrelated information, and being able to step back and see the…

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  CIO - Blogs and Discussion -

• Latest details make iPad a more promising e-reader

  milanb

  12 Mar 2010 | 4:03 pm

  Shortly after Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad, I wondered whether the device—awesome as it seems—would truly compete as an e-book reader. read more

• Satyam Refuses to Become the Forgotten IT Services Provider

  Beth Bacheldor

  12 Mar 2010 | 1:54 pm

  You might think it’d be easy to forget using a company who’s brazen leader had overstated assets by a $1 bill read more

• Using Parameter Pollution and Clickjacking to Aid Anti-CSRF Bypass

  12 Mar 2010 | 9:24 am

  It’s been a while since I’ve talked about Clickjacking, with only a few exceptions here and there. Mostly because I haven’t seen it much in the wild - at least not yet. read more

• Working With Vendors: Make Them Earn Your Endorsement

  Jim Malone

  12 Mar 2010 | 6:41 am

  It’s important to fully leverage each vendor for competitive advantage, says Jonathan Kass, CIO at VPI Pet Insurance. read more

• Three Dangerous Social Media Misconceptions

  Kristin Burnham

  12 Mar 2010 | 6:27 am

  I spent the week in Baltimore at Gartner's Portals, Content & Collaboration Summit, a conference for IT professionals exploring the use, integration and implementation of soci read more

• 

  Mission Minded Management

• Undercover Boss - Well-Meaning Window Dressing

  Michelle Malay Carter

  1 Mar 2010 | 6:34 am

  I must admit I’m touched by the hearts of the CEOs who agree to go undercover to experience their organization on the ground floor.  They seem to geniunely care about the people, not just the publicity afforded to their organization by the show. Systems Drive Behavior However, in the end, their righting single incidents or donating toward a personal financial burden of an employee simply perpetuates the idea that good intentions with a handful of feel-good outcomes makes everything right.  Systems drive behavior!  If you don’t tend to the dysfunctional systems, the…

• Measuring Employee Performance Tells as Much about the System as It Does the Employee

  Michelle Malay Carter

  19 Feb 2010 | 12:12 pm

  In addition to old-fashioned happenstance, there are three main areas of influence over one’s performance within an organization: Three Areas of Influence over Employee Performance 1. The first is the person’s capability profile which is composed of a) knowledge, skills and experience, b) values, temperament and inhibitors, as well as c) current cognitive capacity. 2. The second is the employee’s manager’s capability profile, composed of the aforementioned items. 3. The third is the system!  i.e. Organizational processes, policies, structure or lack thereof. Measuring…

• How To Interview Your Prospective Boss for Leadership Potential

  Michelle Malay Carter

  6 Feb 2010 | 11:45 am

  Let’s face it - your boss can make or break your work experience.  S/he provides you context (aka the big picture), gives you your assignments, provides your resources, integrates your work with your peers, assesses your performance and helps build your skills in your current role.  Because of this, when you are interviewing for a job you must take as much care to learn about your prospective manager as you do the prospective job. Here are some quotes from First, Break All the Rules: “We had discovered that the manager – not pay, benefits, perks or a charismatic corporate…

• The Golden Rule is Pyrite

  Michelle Malay Carter

  28 Jan 2010 | 3:30 pm

  One of the greatest life lessons anyone can learn is that WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.   When we treat others as we would like to be treated, it may or may not be well received.  If it is not well received, we consider the others to be ingrates, and so the downward spiral begins. From the Carter Home Laboratory One time a confident, gregarious little girl who had visited with her mother once before, visited my home a second time.  My daughter who leans toward the bashful side, hid from the girl.  Confused, the little girl asked me, Why is she mad at me?  This little girl, who was not the…

• Add Time Spans to Your Resume to Reflect Your Requisite Level of Capability

  Michelle Malay Carter

  16 Jan 2010 | 7:22 am

  I answered a question on a LinkedIn Management Consulting group from a person inquiring about how to ensure you are being considered for roles at the right level.  Assuming you have been employed at full capacity in your previous work, adding a time element to your resume’s bullet points is one of the best ways to demonstrate your level of capability, and there is plenty of research to back up my assertion.  Below is the question and my response: “I get calls on my resume but they aren’t for the right level job. What am I doing wrong?” What Adds to the Weight of a…

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  Management/ Leadership

• Coca-Cola CIO: IT must balance budget and innovation

  Molly Bernhart Walker

  4 Mar 2010 | 7:03 am

  Over the last two years, the environment has been less than favorable for CIOs trying to bring new technology to their companies. Economic uncertainty has caused many IT shops to play it safe, as CFOs keep a tight grip on their purse strings. CIOs have been opting to focus their energy on maintenance and security, rather than introducing major projects. Esat Sezer, SVP and CIO with Coca-Cola Enterprises, said CIOs must strike a balance between cost reduction and the need for innovation. He handles the IT needs of over 70,000 employees--50 percent of whom are mobile workers. In…

• You want to be a leader? Lead

  Judi Hasson

  18 Oct 2009 | 11:51 am

  John Glowacki Jr., the chief technology officer for Computer Sciences Corp., says there is no substitute for face-to-face communication and direct contact with customers, employees and business associates if you want to be a good leader. He tells CIOupdate.com that using remote collaboration tools like audio, video and web conferencing, and the telephone are fine, but you need first-hand contact and experience to know what is really happening with your company and your markets. "I can see 20 PowerPoint presentations on a given operation, and still learn more in a day or two on the ground…

• IT execs alarmed about the cloud

  Judi Hasson

  30 Aug 2009 | 4:14 pm

  Tech executives are more than a little worried about cloud computing, fearing security, data management and compliance problems, according to a new CIO.com of 240 IT professionals involved in technology-purchasing decisions. The survey finds that more than 50 percent of respondents have concerns, as opposed to 45 percent a year ago. The concern reflected in the survey is, in part, because some fear a loss of control over the data. In 2008, 26 percent were worried. This year, 37 percent said this was an issue that gave them pause.The latest survey found other startling results:…

• Companies lag in managing threats to development environments

  Judi Hasson

  19 Aug 2009 | 6:56 am

  Most IT practitioners don't think their company has adequate policies to manage threats to data in development environments, according to a new survey by the Ponemon Institute. Seventy-five percent of the organizations surveyed use one to 50 terabytes of data in development environments. These companies report running full lists through development systems rather than random samples, according to Ponemon. "Over decades in security research, I have seen the real effort put into the production environment, not development and testing,"  Larry Ponemon,…

• Seven ways to deal with IT workers in the recession

  Judi Hasson

  17 Jun 2009 | 8:08 am

  You know your staff is overworked, underpaid and depressed about recent layoffs in your shop. You cannot just sit by and ignore the dark clouds. Instead, there are plenty of ways to maintain an upbeat workplace and give your employees a reason to come to work everyday. CIO.com analyzes ways you can make the workload better, ensuring productivity and keeping your workers happy and productive. Here are a few of the suggestions: Tell the truth. Don't sugarcoat what's going on. Tell workers how the company plans to ride out the recession. Listen to your staff. Give them a chance to voice their…

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  CIO.com - CIO Role

• Why the New Normal Could Kill IT

  11 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  IT has survived seismic shifts before, but the global economic slowdown and resulting business demands have rocked the CIO's kingdom on a new scale. You've spent years trying to be too big to fail the business: Are you now too big to succeed?

• Security Execs Express Surprise Over CISO's Firing Following RSA Talk

  11 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Several security executives today expressed surprise over the firing of Pennsylvanias chief information security officer, apparently for publicly speaking about a security incident involving the Commonwealth's online driving exam scheduling system without getting the required approvals first.

• CIOs Explain How to Thrive Under Pressure

  8 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Running IT organizations with thousands of employees and budgets of tens of millions of dollars takes wit and wisdom, especially today, and some CIOs at Computerworld's Premier 100 IT Leaders conference this week shared both, perhaps none better than LaVerne Council, the CIO at Johnson & Johnson.

• IT Centralization is Back in Fashion

  7 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  When the economy plummeted at the end of 2008, the Western U.S. branch of The Salvation Army was ahead of the cost-cutting game. CIO Clarence White had centralized the IT organization a year or two earlier, and he had consolidated the database and storage servers from the business units into a single data center in Long Beach, Calif.

• Career Turning Points: Zero in on Business Impact

  2 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  One CIO's path to being a business outcome-focused member of the c-suite

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  CIO.com - Leadership/Management

• Why the New Normal Could Kill IT

  11 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  IT has survived seismic shifts before, but the global economic slowdown and resulting business demands have rocked the CIO's kingdom on a new scale. You've spent years trying to be too big to fail the business: Are you now too big to succeed?

• When IT Projects Founder, Emotions Run High

  10 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Dana B. Harris still remembers the loss he felt when his project was canned, and it's been 20 years now.

• CA to Buy Nimsoft

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  CA said Wednesday it has signed a deal to buy IT performance monitoring vendor Nimsoft for US$350 million.

• CA to Buy Nimsoft

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  CA said Wednesday it has signed a deal to buy IT performance monitoring vendor Nimsoft for US$350 million.

• Chambers: How I'll Make Cisco Into IT's Biggest Player

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Cisco's CEO lays out his road map for expanding the networking giant's presence across the tech industry.

• 

  IMD Business School - News

• Nominations open for the IMD-Lombard Odier Global Family Business Award

  10 Mar 2010 | 5:19 am

  The IMD Family Business Center has opened the nomination process for the 2010 edition of the IMD-Lombard Odier Global Family Business Award. Individuals from around the world can submit their nominations for particular family businesses which they admire. The company nominated should have the potential to be used as an example for other business-owning families.  

• IMD research offers insights on whether consensus or disagreement lead to better results

  9 Mar 2010 | 5:19 am

  IMD Research Fellow Willem Smit, IMD Professor Stuart Read and IMD Program Manager Rhoda Davidson have conducted research on whether consensus or disagreement lead to better results and under what specific circumstances.

• IMD introduces the Mastering Innovation Globally program

  8 Mar 2010 | 5:19 am

  , IMD has launched a new program designed to provide an understanding of what it takes to create a global, innovative corporate culture and develop the leadership requirements to manage innovation successfully. Entitled Mastering Innovation Globally (MIG), the program reviews best practices of the world's leading innovators as they source and deliver new products, processes and business models across the globe.

• Evian Group meeting examines the costs of non-Doha

  5 Mar 2010 | 5:19 am

  The Evian Group at IMD, in association with the ICC Research Foundation and the Garnet Network, convened a high-level emergency workshop to assess the costs of stalemate at the WTO and the non-completion of the Doha Round of trade negotiations.

• IMD MBA 2003 alumni join forces to create a dynamic business

  4 Mar 2010 | 5:19 am

  Marnix Ettema and Christian Priess, from the Netherlands and Denmark respectively, met in their first study group when they came to IMD in 2003 as MBA participants. Today, the success of their budding jewelry company, SENCE Copenhagen, is a testament to the solid business and leadership skills they learned at IMD.

• 

  IMD Business School - Tomorrow's Challenges Articles

• THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY REVOLUTION

  Dominique Turpin

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:38 am

  In 2003, Ford Motor Company chairman William Clay Ford Jr. commented that the automobile industry was about to experience the most profound and revolutionary changes it had seen since the Model T first hit the streets. The past few years have proved him right.

• BUCKLE UP AUTO INDUSTRY!

  Carlos Cordon

  3 Mar 2010 | 8:38 am

  What was once described as the “mother of all industries” is now heading into unknown territory. The auto industry is indeed at a crossroads and car manufacturers must fasten their seat belts for what could be a very bumpy ride. The industry has reached this turning point only within the last couple of weeks. Had we written this article describing the future of the auto industry just a few months ago, the outlook would have seemed very predictable: Toyota would be number one, US car manufacturers would continue struggling and the European auto industry would be holding on for…

• GROWING AND KNOWING

  Bill Fischer

  3 Mar 2010 | 8:38 am

  For at least two decades, Toyota has been the benchmark in manufacturing. For automobiles, of course, but also for all other types of manufacturing, “the Toyota way” has been a path to success. Toyota’s attention to details, unrelenting expectations regarding perfect quality, the selling of “self-assurance” to buyers that their cars will be trouble-free, and building an organizational culture that delivered on these promises over and over again are all areas in which Toyota did better than anyone else on the planet.

• A NEW LEADERSHIP ERA

  Hischam El-Agamy

  25 Feb 2010 | 8:38 am

  Fingers pointing in all directions, the financial crisis has been much about identifying who is most to blame, resulting in a lot of the negative vibes directed towards decision-makers. Leadership that was not so long ago rather unquestioned now finds itself exposed to the severe scrutiny of a so-called ‘post-crisis world’. In midst of all the emotional reactions, one cannot deny that the reproaches are sometimes justified.

• BOLSTER YOUR BRAND AND ITS VALUE

  Martin A. Koschat

  25 Feb 2010 | 8:38 am

  Observers of Asian markets have concluded that the recession in Asia is all but over. But for consumer marketers with a focus on Europe and North America, the view is not quite as rosy.  The profits of S&P 500 firms have fallen to levels not seen since after World War Two, and the unemployment rate in the US recently hit a 15-year high.

• 

  The thoughtLEADERS Blog

• It's Okay to be a Social Networking Clown

  8 Mar 2010 | 4:14 am

  Nothing annoys me more than being told how to do something. It's okay to have an opinion but to put oneself in a position of authority as an expert and tell others the right and wrong way to do something is a slippery slope. Unless you're instructing someone on brain surgery, defusing a bomb, or landing a plane, you really have nothing more than opinion. If you're at all like me you're This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://thoughtleadersllc.blogspot.com for more.

• Trust a Total Stranger With Your Life – Literally

  1 Mar 2010 | 4:02 am

  This post is a set of random musings from about 30,000 feet. I’m on my way to Budapest to do some amazing work with a fantastic client (Holy crap! My company is now an *international* leadership development firm!). Since there’s nothing better to do than sleep, eat, or watch movies, I figured I’d simply write this when I’m in a state of mind that enables some deep thoughts. I’m going to This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://thoughtleadersllc.blogspot.com for more.

• Leadership… Metallica Style!

  22 Feb 2010 | 4:15 am

  If you’ve been a reader of this blog for any amount of time, you already know I’m a metal head. While listening to that driving double bass drum and the fury of the rhythm guitar can be invigorating, there’s also the matter of the wisdom of the lyrics. Contrary to popular belief, metal bands don’t always sing about demons and blood. Many times there are lessons in the lyrics that can be This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://thoughtleadersllc.blogspot.com for more.

• Looking Out for #1 So You Don't End Up in #2

  17 Feb 2010 | 10:33 am

  Ahhh, the '50's. June Cleaver. Chevys. The paternalistic corporation that would employ you for the rest of your life and carry you via pension to the afterlife. Wake up. It's 2010. Paternalism is dead (just like Marxism, Communism, but unfortunately not Cronyism). There are implications for living in this brave new world. And if you don't start taking care of #1, you could end up in a This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://thoughtleadersllc.blogspot.com for more.

• Entrepreneurs Need to Bootstrap to WIN

  9 Feb 2010 | 5:21 pm

  Today's guest post is by Brian Link who is a partner of mine in weBuild, thoughtLEADERS, and TiXiT among the many other things he does (yes, both of us have many entrepreneurial interests). This perspective on bootstrapping a new venture is so spot-on it almost hurts. This article is prompted by today's launch of TiXiT where Brian is the CTO and I'm CEO. Enough context. Here's Brian: I've This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://thoughtleadersllc.blogspot.com for more.

• 

  The Garlington Report (TGR)

• Changing perceptions on pay

  12 Mar 2010 | 7:33 am

  I recently had the exclusive on-line pleasure of pay czar Kenneth Feinberg's company. Ok, that's not entirely true. It wasn't exclusive, and he wasn't in direct company. Feinberg was speaking to an audience hosted by Princeton University's Faith and Work Initiative, which is capably led by David W. Miller, PhD. See his summary at http://faithandworkblog.com/2010/03/11/beware-the-moral-ideologue/#

• Passion of the Work

  16 Feb 2010 | 8:27 am

  Blogger and entrepreneur expert Ben Cansocha posted a great feature earlier this month on the fallacies of working with passion. He cited a seemingly contradictory excerpt from Steve Jobs' now famous commencement speech first given at Stanford University and now passed along on the Internet like a prosperity gospel. Here is Ben's post followed by an updated POV:http://ben.casnocha.com/2010/01/

• Bold truth -- from an unlikely source

  28 Dec 2009 | 6:48 am

  Rarely has a bold truth come ringing out of a Sunday talk show during the holidays. And rarely have so few words implicated so many with such little fanfare.As the usual year-end imagery gathers on TV and the Internet, it's highly unlikely the comments of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick will make the final cut. That's too bad. Because what Patrick had to say about the past 10 years has deep

• Introducing the new Fleet BofA

  17 Dec 2009 | 6:59 am

  Well, at least it's done. Bank of America Corp.'s board whiffed by selecting an insider/outsider, but thankfully, the publicly bungled succession process is finally over. Look soon for spin on the new Bank of America, which will resemble the old with a new "fleeting" influence. 'Fleeting' is a bad play on words referring to the strong influence of three former Fleet executives who currently sit

• BofA: Where's the new CEO?

  8 Dec 2009 | 7:15 am

  The Bank of America Corp. (BofA) CEO search drags on. First the board said through a spokesperson that they were going to have a candidate in October. Then Thanksgiving came and went. Now the deadline is first quarter 2010. According to the Wall Street Journal, the bank's board is meeting today but they likely will not be naming a new CEO. So what exactly are they doing: Hanging the stockings

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  Business Wisdom: Words to Manage By

• What You Know Versus What You Think You Know

  Bill Matthies

  12 Mar 2010 | 10:49 am

  "Erroneous assumptions can be disastrous."Peter DruckerCertainly acting on them can be.I'm a planning consultant and simply cannot overestimate the number of clients who assume rather than know, way, way too much.You may build your house of cards but will it withstand the inevitable threats faced by all business?

• Management: Doing Through Others

  Bill Matthies

  11 Mar 2010 | 2:00 pm

  "The person who knows "how" will always have a job. The person who knows "why" will always be his boss."Diane RavitchEducator, Policy Analyst, Former Assistant Secretary of EducationA pretty good definition of the difference between those who do and those who manage those who do.Unfortunately many good doers selected to become managers, fail because they do not understand the different skill sets required for each.Do you?

• Management: Two Places At Once

  Bill Matthies

  10 Mar 2010 | 3:37 pm

  "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."John LennonJohn wasn't thinking about business when he said this, but slightly altered, there is a connection.Business is what happens when you're busy making other plans.You don't have the luxury to just worry about today without planning for tomorrow. And you'd better not look to tomorrow without paying attention to today.Balanced perspective.

• Start-ups: The Success Gate Swings Both Ways

  Bill Matthies

  9 Mar 2010 | 2:48 pm

  "True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence."Franklin RooseveltGood to remember if you're planning your escape from corporate America (or France, UK, Germany, Japan, etc.)I well recall starting my own business, focused on all the "freedom" I would have, which even though I didn't know it at the time, would include freedom from having even half the money I thought I would.I made it, but the issue was very much in doubt in the beginning.Just starting out? Plan for both failure as well as success.

• Managerial Arrogance: Justified?

  Bill Matthies

  8 Mar 2010 | 10:51 am

  "Early in life I, I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose honest arrogance and have seen no occasions to change."Frank Lloyd Wright20th century American architectWhen Mr. Wright (see the irony in his name given his statement?) said that, he had long since proved he could do as well if not better than he said he could do.But what about the rest of us?Is the case for your managerial ability based on what you've done, or what you say you will do?

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  Leadership Institute of Indianapolis

• Do You Want to be Right Or Do You Want To Help?

  Terry Sarbinoff

  8 Mar 2010 | 9:10 am

  The healthcare debate has reminded me a lot of sales processes gone wrong. We hear it all of the time. Sales conversations always start with the right intent in mind (at least in my happy place they do)—figure out the problem, put a recommendation together, connect the dots so that my prospect believes in the value I will bring to the situation. Somewhere in that stream of events it seems that things go awry. Our focus and intent goes away from helping our prospect. Suddenly, we’re more concerned about being right—concerned about beating the competition—concerned about getting our…

• How Fear Affects Your Leadership Ability

  Terry Sarbinoff

  8 Mar 2010 | 5:44 am

  I was invited to Omaha, NE this weekend to take part in the national Pork and Swine conference. The topic I spoke on was “thought leadership.” Many swine vets are in a squeeze between regulattion, agriculture activists and the major swine producers (isn’t everybody in a squeeze of some kind?). One of the things they have to be better at is “creating influence” within their niche. In other words, “getting a voice.” Yet, one thing that stops us all from taking that risk of being a thought leader is our “fear of of opinion.” The Time For…

• A Look Inside The…

  Terry Sarbinoff

  4 Mar 2010 | 9:33 am

  Advanced Selling Podcast, one of the most widely heard sales podcasts on the web. Episodes released every Thursday.

• What’s the Conversation in Your Customer Strategy Room?

  Bill Caskey

  4 Mar 2010 | 8:41 am

  On any given day, there are tens of thousands of sales organizations who sit around in their strategy rooms talking about how to target the next account, how to make a conquest list, how to “get the deal off of the street.” But I often wonder what those conversations sound like in the customer’s strategy room.  It’s probably not, How do we get a deal? How do we get the Smith Group to do business with us? How do we get the value that the Smith Group has in our organization?  Their strategy rooms are probably filled with discussions about how to reduce cost, how to be better…

• Bryan Animates

  Terry Sarbinoff

  4 Mar 2010 | 7:51 am

  Bryan addresses a question from the audience on ‘persistence’ — when is too much enough–and when do you become a pest?

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  Mitch's Blog

• When You Should And Shouldn’t Give Advice

  Mitch

  13 Mar 2010 | 6:52 am

  Advice is a strange thing. All of us will look at someone else, see that they might be messing up in some fashion, and immediately want to tell them what we believe they should be doing. Sometimes, they might not be doing anything wrong, just not doing it the way you’d do it, and you feel compelled to give them advice anyway. I’m not one of those people. Well, I am the type that wants to say something, but I’m also the type that keeps those things to myself most of the time because I haven’t been asked. Unless I’m asked, it will take an act of someone’s god…

• A Week Without News – The Aftermath

  Mitch

  11 Mar 2010 | 6:53 pm

  For those people keeping score, on Monday I posted something saying I was going a week without news, but I had started it last Friday. That means that in a couple of hours my self imposed ban will be over. It’s been an interesting week, I must say. I haven’t watched the news nor visited an online news site to scan any news headlines. I did do what I said I would, that being to follow some links to stories that caught my eye while on Twitter, and of course a couple that hit my email from news alerts. I wasn’t totally out of the loop, but I know I missed a bunch of things.

• Can Something Be Too Good?

  Mitch

  9 Mar 2010 | 1:35 pm

  Though I’m not reading regular news this week, I did read a sports story about the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. They just won their 71st game in a row, breaking their own record from about 8 years ago, and it doesn’t look like anyone is stopping them any time soon. They’ve won every game by double digits, and the closest any opponent as gotten to them in this streak is 12 points. They’ve beaten up on everyone, including other teams in the top 10. What invariably happens whenever a team or individual looks like they’re vastly superior…

• A Week Without News

  Mitch

  8 Mar 2010 | 12:41 pm

  A few days ago I wrote a post here titled Bring Peace Back Into Your Life. The two comments I got both suggested that I not watch the news anymore. Well, being kind of a news junkie, there’s no way I was going to agree to that. However, what I am going to do is not actively seek out news for a week. Notice the wording there. What that means is that I’m not going to turn on any news programs unless there’s something really big, which I hope against hope won’t happen. I also won’t actively seek out any news online, which is a biggie for me. Now, here’s what…

• Be Ready For The Wrong Answer

  Mitch

  6 Mar 2010 | 9:22 am

  There’s a funny commercial on TV these days. It’s a Miller Lite commercial, where a guy and his girlfriend are sitting in a bar. He’s got an arm around her and his other hand is wrapped around his beer. She asks him if she and his dog were about to go over a cliff, who would he save; he says her. She asks the same about his mother and he gives the same answer. She then asks about his beer; he pauses, then asks how high the cliff is. Certainly not the answer she was expecting, but the commercial points out two things that happen in life that people don’t prepare…

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  Bait, Tackle, Ice, Advice & Beer Blog

• Add Some Citrus Fish to Your Home

  12 Mar 2010 | 6:00 am

  March is National Crafting Month!Therefore, I will be sharing some fishy crafts that I've found that are both easy and fun.To start it all off, we'll be making this adorable Lemon and Lime Fish!These are the supplies you will need:2 lemons1 lime2 allspice berriesa red radishtoothpicksa sharp paring knifeOnce you have all of your supplies ready, it's really quite easy to make these fish:1. On your work surface, position the lemon on it's side to form the fish body. If it rolls,trim away a small slice to create a flat bottom.2. Cut a round slice from the second lemon. Towards the back of your…

• Validation ... Oh How Sweet (& Inspiring) It Is

  11 Mar 2010 | 2:50 pm

  If you're reading this, you probably already know that Catch Your Limit is a hodgepodge of people and ideas, a hybrid of business models, an almagamation of talents. Our entire brand is built on working hard and playing hard with the ultimate goal of helping you to "catch your limit" (in other words ... realize your full potential, aspire to be great, dream the impossible dream) . We deliver guidance to leaders, we have processes and systems to help us better understand your needs and develop solutions, we work as a team with our clients all while striving to be fun, inspirational, strategic…

• Know When to Hold ‘Em; Know When to Fold ‘Em

  5 Mar 2010 | 3:52 pm

  I wish I would have written this, but I must give credit to our VP of HR. It is spot on. Enjoy.Know When to Hold ‘Em; Know When to Fold ‘EmAs a leader, if you find yourself complaining about your associates, you should consider whether you are doing something wrong — or not doing something right. You might not have figured out how to find or keep good people, or you may have kept the wrong people, or you may have unrealistic expectations. I have made every mistake.I believe that if you want to run a great operation, you should be happy with 100 percent of your people. It is better for…

• Why Today's Leaders Need to Be Kayaks vs. Locomotives

  4 Mar 2010 | 9:44 am

  Note: To those James River readers, please excuse me for a moment while I set this up for those readers that don't have the "best urban whitewater" running through their city.The International Scale of River Difficulty is a standardized scale used to rate the safety of a stretch of river or a single rapid. The grade reflects the technical difficulty and skill level required. Rafters and kayakers love the thrill of conquering these river rapids and for some, the higher level the better – the more exhilarating.Well, what if we approached the challenges we face daily with that same attitude?

• A Thief on the Loose!

  26 Feb 2010 | 10:00 am

  During yesterday's cold, dreary afternoon something absolutely terrible happened. Check the headlines! A catastrophe has occurred in the Catch Your Limit office!Have I got your attention?Let me start with some background information. Scott, our tech mastermind, makes incredible food, period. If he sets his mind to cooking something, he doesn't settle for okay or even good. He shoots for exquisite. I have not eaten something he's made and not enjoyed it thoroughly...especially his banana bread.Scott decided it was time for another batch of his delicious banana bread, and brought some in for…

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  The Merrill Dubrow Blog

• Guess What. The Year Is 19.45% Over!

  Merrill Dubrow

  12 Mar 2010 | 7:01 am

  I am assuming that title got your attention and you probably thought to yourself that can’t be right! Merrill is crazy! No way is almost 20% of the year over! Trust me, it is and whatever you did or didn’t accomplish in the first 71 days of 2010 is in the history books. For me the year is flying by. January was much better than I thought it would be and February was about what I thought it should be. The net is we are ahead of last year but still cautiously optimistic moving forward. From talking to clients research spending has freed up a little bit and more people are…

• If You Could Only Watch Three TV Shows Every Week, What Would They Be?

  Merrill Dubrow

  10 Mar 2010 | 8:11 am

  I had lunch yesterday with AB and RW and during the discussion we talked about what TV shows you watch every week. The conversation led us to "If you could only watch three shows every week–not channels but shows–what would they be?" I gave it a little time to pause and am almost embarrassed to say what my three shows are: The Office – I like the goofiness of the cast and especially the character that Steve Carell plays in Michael Scott. I love the dry sense of humor and the flow of the show.   Survivor – I really enjoy the challenges, the competition…

• Attention Sports Fans: Today’s Topic Is Superstitious Athletes

  Merrill Dubrow

  8 Mar 2010 | 7:15 am

  Wade Boggs Growing up I always knew that Wade Boggs ate chicken before every game. He would also come out of the dugout at the same time every game at 7:17 to do wind sprints.  Last night I was watching the Dallas Mavericks take on the Indiana Pacers and newly acquired star Caron Butler was chewing straws during the game. Yes, I said that right — apparently he chews 12 straws during a game and 60 — yes 60 — every day. I thought it was a joke until the announcers actually got some straws and started to chew them as they were announcing the game. Jason Terry — the night…

• Quick and Fun Friday Quiz . . . Would You Rather . . .

  Merrill Dubrow

  5 Mar 2010 | 6:47 am

  Today’s blog is a fun Friday quiz entitled "Would You Rather . . . " Basically you will be given two choices and need to pick one. I realize that you might want to pick neither but since this is just for FUN I am asking you make a choice. I think you will really enjoy this. Click here to take the quiz. I look forward to seeing your answers. PS – this will take only a minute.

• Ok I Will Admit It. I Have A Vanity Plate On My Car . . . What About You?

  Merrill Dubrow

  3 Mar 2010 | 7:46 am

  I used to play tennis with a good friend of mine (JL) in Boston and always admired her license plate. It read WEIT. I knew it was a vanity plate but could never figure out what it meant until I asked her. It stood for WHAT EVER IT TAKES. She was in the customer service business and wanted her plate to be a constant reminder to always go above and beyond for her clients. I have a vanity plate and although it means something special to me it isn’t as deep as WEIT. Mine is SOX07. For those who know me well, you know it stands for Red Sox 2007 which is the last time they won the World…

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  Studentlinc

• Newest OK Go Video is... Very Cool!

  timage

  7 Mar 2010 | 9:32 am

  If I had an unlimited supply of dominoes and a week of free time - I could come up with some pretty cool displays of momentum-toppling goodness. But it wouldn't be nearly as cool as the latest effort from the band, OK Go, in their music video for This Too Shall Pass. I have always been a fan of this band's ability to choreograph a music video into amazingness. This one doesn't disappoint. I've posted it here for you to enjoy if you haven't seen it yet. Pretty sweet huh?

• Reducing Your Message

  timage

  11 Feb 2010 | 2:41 pm

  Math was never one of my best subjects. I took Calculus in college for one day. It was a complete foreign language to me. I quickly dropped the class and headed toward something more...well...basic.But there are still things I remember from math in the early days when I could show you what grade I was in on one hand. Fractions. I wasn't bad at fractions. And as I write this post, I realize that fractions have a lesson to teach us when it comes to communicating our message.Take this fraction for example: 4937208-------------19748832Now that is a tough fraction to work with. If you were…

• 7 Reasons Why Confrontations Is Difficult

  timage

  9 Feb 2010 | 1:27 pm

  Nobody likes to confront someone else. The word "confrontation" sounds so...confrontational.But if you've found yourself in a leadership position, you've probably found yourself in a situation where someone needed to be confronted. Maybe it was over unmet expectations, unfulfilled responsibilities, a misspoken word, or attempting to alleviate a conflict. Whatever the situation, you needed to have a conversation with someone and it wasn't going to be an easy conversation. Because of that, we will often do everything we can to avoid confrontation. We don't like to do…

• Pray For Haiti

  timage

  13 Jan 2010 | 7:54 am

  There is no greater need for leadership than at a point of crisis.Haiti has just experienced a horrific tragedy. A devastating earthquake has killed hundreds of thousands. They need more than leadership, they need our prayers and our help.You can get involved immediately by donating to these organizations that are poised to offer assistance immediately: Red Cross, World Vision, World Relief, and Samaritan's Purse.Photo Source: AP/Radio Tele Ginen

• Maintaining Momentum Through Your Character [Article Link]

  timage

  12 Jan 2010 | 8:54 am

  In the latest issue of Leadership Wired, a monthly leadership newsletter from Dr. John Maxwell and Giant Impact, there is a sobering article about the vital connection between one's character and momentum.Reflecting on the recent turmoil surrounding Tiger Woods, Dr. Maxwell writes with great accuracy about the impact one's character has on the ability to start, stop, or sustain momentum. He concludes the article by saying...Tiger's story is a cautionary tale about character. All of the momentum you build through decades of hard work and dedication can be erased if you do not craft…

• 

  Team Building WNY

• STAR Method for Facilitation & Processing

  Michael Cardus

  6 Mar 2010 | 2:29 pm

  The STAR method is a behavioral interviewing method that organizations use to explore predictors of future performance. The idea is this that most accurate indicator of future performance  is past performance in a similar situation. This STAR method can also be used for processing (de-briefing) a team building and learning simulation.  Here is the Model – from MIT Careers Office STAR Method Situation: give an example of a situation you were involved in that resulted in a positive outcome Task: describe the tasks involved in that situation Action: talk about the various actions…

• Create-Learning New LOGO

  Michael Cardus

  2 Mar 2010 | 12:39 pm

    Laura and Matt at 12Grain Studio have been creating some amazing new branding and identity work for me over the past couple months. You will notice the new blog title image and above is the new logo…what are your thoughts? likes / dislikes? Soon a re-launch of the Create-Learning Website (I will keep you all informed) Also the blog will be moving to a new site and location once all that is complete and I am ready for the reveal I will send notice. Thank you all for allowing me to serve and facilitate you, your teams and organizations, and I look forward to many more great years…

• Corporate Team Building for Collaboration

  Michael Cardus

  26 Feb 2010 | 3:53 pm

  Above is an image from a Corporate Team Building Program Following a content training on inter-department collaborative project planning with a step-by-step action plans for enhanced collaboration on team projects including the following steps: Purpose Vision Inventory Goals Action Steps Resources Communication Execution Followup The teams were challenged to get into mixed department teams and place their collaboration project plans into action. Gutterball Gutterball offers insights into the needs that different team members have for information and detail, how people like to work in either a…

• Decision Making Methods for Team Effectiveness

  Michael Cardus

  17 Feb 2010 | 6:00 am

  Decision Making Methods for Teams While a decision within organizations often relies upon facts and data, teams must agree upon a method for making decisions based upon the data. Ensuring that the decisions made are done with a process and purpose that the team can utilize to make the best possible decision with the given facts and data. There are many different decision making styles, two methods must be chosen to serve as guideposts for decisions made. The primary method must be agreed to by the team and a back up method must also be chosen. The methods can and will vary upon the people and…

• Team Building Consultant | Trainer | Facilitator; 3 Overlapping Roles for Success

  Michael Cardus

  16 Feb 2010 | 8:28 am

  Team Building consultants generally use three overlapping, but distinct roles. Each role  mentioned below keeps the learning and Team training meaningful, self-reflective, team-reflective, and fun!The overlapping of roles are best summarized in the explanation below:• Consultant. In this role, he establishes and maintains contact with the client, jointly assesses the client's situation, elicits information, designs programs, serves as confidant and adviser to the primary client contact.• Trainer. In this role, he sets the tone of the training, then communicates, educates and…

• 

  Management Excellence

• Growing Up Globally Aware in America-A Key to Your Children’s Future Success

  As if parenting isn’t challenging enough for most of us, there’s another task to add to a list that doesn’t seem to lack for things to do. This one may require foregoing a few soccer games, conducting some more of those “talks” and putting the effort forth to create new educational opportunities and family experiences. I’m talking about ensuring that our future generations of leaders grow up globally aware and highly familiar with the rich and complicated level of diversity, customs, practices and subtle and significant variations across cultures, countries and religions.

• Make Meaning as a Leader

  The best leaders that I know are driven by an internal belief and desire to create something good and significant through their leadership efforts. They are egotistical enough to understand that they want to pursue greatness in some terms, and they are humble enough to know that none of this is about them, but rather it is for and with and by others that this something can be achieved.

• March Leadership Development Carnival at Great Leadership

  I'm still chuckling over Dan McCarthy's creativity with his Special Academy Awards Edition of the Leadership Development Carnival! In addition to great content from so many Red Carpet bloggers, Dan has me doing the opening musical and dance number. He clearly forgot to consult with my wife who would have informed him that I have two feet...both left, and my best songs are truly the ones that no one can hear outside of the range of my shower!

• Friday Leadership Highs and Lows

  Leadership highlights and observations from the past week, including, "Where have all the humble leaders gone?" and one highly paid athlete's belief that "Chicago" is responsible for his abysmal performance last season.

• Beware Contracting “I’m Right, You’re Wrong” Disease?

  It’s time to add another malady to the long list of things that bedevil the many lousy leaders walking unencumbered through our workplaces. It’s called, “I’m Right and You’re Wrong” (IRYW) disease, and while it’s not fatal, it’s clearly annoying to people and debilitating to performance.

• 

  Be Excellent

• Strategic Thinking vs. Strategic Planning

  Skip Reardon

  11 Mar 2010 | 9:45 am

  Are strategic thinking and strategic planning - the same thing?While they certainly related and complementary, thinking strategically and planning strategically are two different concepts.Let's first consider strategic thinking, which involves viewing your organization from a holistic perspective. Research has determined that strategic thinking can be explained through seven dimensions:A vision of the futureStrategic formulation and implementationManagerial role in making strategiesControlManagerial role in implementationStrategy makingProcess and outcomeStrategic thinking is extremely…

• Execution – The Fine Art of Getting It Done (Part II)

  Skip Reardon

  8 Mar 2010 | 8:56 am

  (The following post is authored by Eric Kurjan, President of Six Disciplines Ohio. Six Disciplines brings “big company” process improvement to organizations looking to jump beyond the status quo. For more information visit www.SixDisciplines.com/NWOH , or call 419-348-1897)###Execution – The Fine Art of Getting It Done (Part II)In last month’s newsletter, I shared the key processes for building the strategy (see the original post here) .  In this article I will share some of the finer points of bringing the strategy to life.To start, the keys to a good strategy are found in the…

• Six Disciplines Business Coach Offers Advice To PGA Golf Professionals

  Skip Reardon

  2 Mar 2010 | 9:55 am

  Eric Kurjan is president and owner of Six Disciplines Ohio/Indiana, with licensed Six Disciplines business coaches operating in both states. He's also the president of a private golf club (Findlay Country Club).In this article, recently published in PGA Magazine, Kurjan offers his advice and explanation of the Six Disciplines methodology to PGA professionals.

• The Top CEO Concern Three Years Running: Excellence In Execution

  Skip Reardon

  25 Feb 2010 | 7:25 am

  According to the latest results from the CEO Challenge 2010 Survey produced by The Conference Board, the critical issues of excellence in execution and consistent execution of strategy by top management once again remained at the top of the list.In addition, this latest survey (which was fielded October-December 2009) revealed such growth-oriented challenges as sustained and steady top-line growth, customer loyalty/retention, and profit growth received higher ratings as "greatest concerns."Also moving up were corporate reputation for quality products/services, and stimulating…

• CEOs are Priming for a Return to Growth

  Skip Reardon

  25 Feb 2010 | 7:15 am

  According to results from the CEO Challenge 2010 Survey produced by The Conference Board, CEOs appear to be emerging from recession mode and priming for a return to growth.Other key results from the survey:The critical issues of excellence in execution and consistent execution of strategy by top management have consistently remained at the top of the list. Participants in the latest survey, (which was fielded from October to December 2009), place such challenges as sustained and steady top-line growth, customer loyalty/retention, and profit growth among their top 10 challenges. Also…

• 

  Center For Leader Development

• Effective AND Good

  Scott J. Allen

  10 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am

  I came across this quote by Joanne Ciulla in her book Ethics: The Heart of Leadership and I just love it. It nicely captures a challenging distinction as we judge leaders. We can all think of individuals who were one or the other – what may be less common is people who embody both – can you think of any? In order for the statement ‘she is a good leader’ to be true, it must be true that she is effective and that she is ethical. The question of what constitutes a good leader lies at the heart of the public debate on leadership. We want our leaders to be good in both ways. It’s…

• Leadership is…

  Scott J. Allen

  9 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am

  Some of you may have had a strong response one way or another to my question about Obama yesterday.  I like how Bruce Avolio put it in his book, Full Leadership Development: “The true and most accurate  interpretation of leadership always rests in the ‘eye of the beholder’” Leadership is socially constructed. It is in the eye of the beholder. What is “leader” in one person’s eye is “murderer” in anothers. I guess it depends on what side you are on.

• Authentic Leader?

  Scott J. Allen

  8 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am

  History will tell, but it would seem (regardless of your politics) President Obama is on the cusp of this: “The five dimensions of authentic leadership: pursuing purpose with passion, practicing solid values, leading with heart, establishing connected relationships, demonstrating self-discipline. Authentic leaders are genuine people who are true to themselves and to what they believe. Rather than letting the expectations of others guide them, they are prepared to be their own person and go their own way. As they develop as authentic leaders they are more concerned about serving others…

• An Important Leadership Lesson

  Scott J. Allen

  7 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am

  Tiger Woods. Mark Sanford. Jeff Skilling. Larry Craig. Mark Foley. Eliot Spitzer. Bill Clinton. John Edwards. Jerry Fallwell. Bernie Madoff. “Know and control your appetites. These include the hunger for power, money, success and sex.” (Barbara Kellerman, Bad Leadership).

• The Happiness Formula

  Scott J. Allen

  6 Mar 2010 | 2:32 pm

  Research on optimism is an interesting thread that crosses over into the research on leadership/emotional intelligence. I stumbled across some cool resources and statistics. “Research has shown that optimists interpret both successes and failures differently than pessimists. Optimists for instance, do not take failures personally (it’s not their fault). They view failure as a temporary setback and only in this situation. On the other hand, pessimists make the opposite attributions – they take failures personally, as long lasting, and generalize to everything they do” (Avolio &…

• 

  SteveFarber.com

• Master Your Workday Now

  Steve

  9 Mar 2010 | 10:07 am

  For me, that’s a big proposition and a bold statement, so I would never even pretend to be the one to tell you how to even think about starting to get a handle on what it takes to get an inkling of how to even conceptualize the possibility of getting even a loose handle on your workday–let alone MASTERing it. Fortunately, there is someone that can help and he’s been kind enough to put his wisdom in a new book called, appropriately, Master Your Workday Now. The author, Michael Linenberger, is a clear-headed, open-hearted guy (we’ve met a couple of times over the years…

• Exploring The Depths

  Steve

  4 Mar 2010 | 6:03 pm

  This story from John Hopkins of Orphanage Outreach came to us today via the Greater Than Yourself website. It gave me goosebumps. May it do the same for you. Here’s John: My story starts with a confession. Right after The Radical Leap hit the bookstores I read the cover and adopted the LEAP formula as a training model for students and staff participating in a leadership course I developed for middle-schoolers. Without even reading the book I recognized the power of Cultivating Love, Generating Energy, Inspiring Audacity, and Providing Proof. A good friend describes what I did as…

• Washington, DC: Let’s Talk Live

  Steve

  18 Feb 2010 | 11:40 am

  When I was in DC recently, I stopped by ABC NewsChannel 8 and had an interesting chat with the co-hosts of Let’s Talk Live, Natasha Barrett and Doug Mckelway. We talked about the challenges and opportunities of Greater Than Yourself in the workplace. “Heretical,” as Doug suggested? You decide: Technorati Tags: greater than yourself, leadership, mentoring, television

• A (Short) Greater Than Yourself Primer

  Steve

  3 Feb 2010 | 8:44 am

  Technorati Tags: greater than yourself, keynote, leadership, mentoring, speech

• Mentoring Month Has Come and Gone…

  Steve

  2 Feb 2010 | 9:06 am

  …and I bet you didn’t even know. It was hardly a blip on the radar screen of “National Somebody’s Interested in This Somewhere” months, days, and weeks. And, so, Mentoring Month has blipped by, virtually unnoticed. Which is unfortunate. Especially for kids who could use someone like you. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s too late. It never is. And that’s the good news. An inspiring documentary called Show Me the Way (you’ll find the trailer below), explores the impact mentors have on young people’s lives, and it showcases the…

• 

  Survival Leadership

• The Harvard Business Review—March 2010: Training and Development : Post # 3

  13 Mar 2010 | 2:08 am

  “Leadership Lessons from India” (by Cappelli, H. Singh, J. Singh and Michael Useem)India’s leaders of its best and fastest growing companies put a high priority on training and development, a long view of leadership development, and place such development above short-term stakeholder interests. These leaders “create a sense of social mission that is central to company culture….and they recommend this approach [investing in training and focus on the social mission of the company] to Western leaders." When asked to prioritize their key responsibilities, Indian leaders ranked the top…

• The Harvard Business Review—March 2010: Post #2

  9 Mar 2010 | 5:16 am

  The BIG Idea: We need an industry dedicated to funding inventions that could transform the world. (“Funding Eureka” by Nathan Myhrovold)Just like venture capitalists provide a market for start ups, an invention capital system would accelerate technical progress. Currently, inventing is a cash-starved venture that is overly dependent on the government and unrelated to profit making. Solution: create a marketplace where patents are traded and licensed through fund managed by professional capitalists operating in a way that benefits inventors, universities, investors and ultimately the…

• HBR March: Getting out of the Recession

  7 Mar 2010 | 6:58 am

  #1: Spotlight on powering out of the recessionThis month (March)the HBR spotlights on how businesses can “power” out of the recession. Several articles focus on this:• “Finding Your Strategy in the New Landscape” (Pankaj Ghemawat): To negotiate the difficult road ahead, companies will have to switch (even reverse) their approach to global business.• “Roaring Out of the Recession” (Gulati, Nohria, Wohlgezogen): Based on trend analysis over three downturns, the authors identify which companies actually can come out ahead.• “Are You Ready To Rebound” (Donald Sull): Seven…

• The Three Laws of Performance: The Self-Led Organization

  5 Mar 2010 | 11:38 am

  LAST POST concerning The Three Laws of Performance (Zaffron and Logan), which I highly recommend all leaders read. The Self-Led Organization: If you look at the history of the "organization," it has a legal origin dating back to the 1800's. The organization/company was originally formed as a legal entity to get things done (build highways, etc.) and sesequently, to act as an enduring entity, with purpose and a future. Today, organizations are complex places consisting of people, diverse groups, and a number of key stakeholders—all having “conversations” often inconsistent and dissonant.

• The Three Laws of Performance: Future-based Language

  1 Mar 2010 | 10:27 am

  Law #3: Future-based language transforms how situations occur to people.a. Allowing the current language to rattle around in your head (because the inner voice often gets stuck in an infinite loop) means that your future with that particular person is written in stone—a destined or “default future.” If the language is negative, your future is most likely a negative one—you may squabble, not trust each other, or worse yet, become distant and removed from each other.b. Allowing new “generative” language to fill the air changes things dramatically. The question you need to ask the…

• 

  Learn This

• Bring On the Passion!

  Mike King

  8 Mar 2010 | 4:30 am

  Passion is an awesome subject as just the very word typically excites people!  The word represents such a powerful expression that it seems to raise the spirits just by its very mention.  Not only that, but there is so much going on to pursue, express, seek and develop passions in people’s lives it’s an excellent subject for personally development.  So what is passion?  Passion is a feeling or expression of great excitement and enthusiasm towards a subject.  It raises spirits and surges energy in however and whoever it is expressed to.  It’s incredibly hard to express…

• Resources February 2010

  Mike King

  1 Mar 2010 | 4:30 am

  Another month gone by and of course I’ve collected another set of excellent resources and favorite articles for your review.  I think you will enjoy all these excellent articles and links to even more resources.  Feel free to add comments for any that you think just MUST be in these resource lists as well. 8 Fantastic Ebooks Right Here at LearnThis.ca Perhaps you are fairly new here and never seen one of my series or you stick to your RSS feed and don’t browse my site much.  Well, it’s about time you did and you should head on straight over to my FREE RESOURCES page to…

• Book Review: 42 Rules of Employee Engagement

  Mike King

  26 Feb 2010 | 4:28 am

  Author: Susan Stamm Overall, I found this to be a very good book and there are many things I really enjoyed about it.  It’s fairly short and easy to read as the 42 rules are separated into 42 chapters and the whole concept of employee engagement is one which is very deer to me and an invaluable tool when it comes to leadership.  The book presents 42 easy to digest rules covering a good variety of topics. There are items that need you to focus on yourself and skills in order to perform well in your team then there are many more showing how you need to put your attention towards your…

• Making Money on Purpose

  Mike King

  17 Feb 2010 | 5:14 am

  Purpose is a wonderful topic to explore, and I believe that it’s a wonderful topic for every person to explore throughout their life.  Purpose is something that ought to drive everyone’s lives, and unfortunately not everyone takes the time to discover it for themselves.  Purposes also a much debated topic, and the notion of living for something that is greater than ourselves is not always easy to believe or understand.  Critics like to argue against purpose in that if you are really fulfilling your life’s purpose, and doing it not for yourself, then you shouldn’t be making…

• Exploring Life Purpose

  Mike King

  11 Feb 2010 | 4:34 am

  Life purpose is not something you can automatically know until you truly understand yourself and your talents.  Many people go through life and never discover their purpose and others go through many years of their life thinking they are living on purpose only to find out in their later years they were chasing something that had to lasting meaning to them.  Can your purpose really be something that has no lasting meaning?  I certainly don’t think so. The Importance of Life Purpose So, why is life purpose important anyway?  To me, life purpose is incredibly important as it is the driving…

• 

  The Apathy Myth

• When you meet with someone, bring something to the table

  10 Mar 2010 | 10:54 am

  One of my most valuable leadership lessons came from Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.). It was a humbling and humiliating lesson, but one I still carry with me.In the Nineties, I made my living speaking about HIV/AIDS prevention with my good friend, Joel Goldman. By the mid-part of the decade, we were getting lots of attention. We were speaking at about 100 campuses a year, and we had gotten a fair amount of national and local press coverage. We were doing good work that many admired, and we were getting lots of validation for it. People all over the country were opening doors for us. We were…

• Don't be a bystander, but don't be a pain in the ass, either

  6 Mar 2010 | 1:52 pm

  Everyone's telling you not to be a bystander. I've been talking about it for years in my confrontation program, and one of our newer speakers, Mike Dilbeck, is becoming an anti-bystander crusader. It's a good and timely message. In a world of detached, communicate-only-by-text-message citizens, we need to be reminded that seeing a problem, stepping up, and saying something is a worthwhile thing to do.It's important not to be a bystander. Hear me loud and clear.But – like most things – refusing to be a bystander and confronting others should be done in moderation and with the use of your…

• You are always wearing your letters

  3 Mar 2010 | 4:53 am

  You're interested in joining our fraternity? We'd love to have you. You're the type of person we look for: committed, enthusiastic, a leader. We think you'll do great things here, and we hope that we'll open some doors for you. You will make lifelong friendships, and hopefully, you'll be the type of person whose positive impact will be felt here for many years.This is the start of something really cool.We know you have your reasons for joining, and we also know that the reasons you'll stay will be entirely different. Trust us on that one. People tend to join for the image, the props, and the…

• Bouncing back from a blunder

  18 Feb 2010 | 8:40 pm

  We all make mistakes.If you're a high profile student leader, there is a solid chance that something will happen that will knock you squarely on your ass.Your ego will be in tatters. Everyone will be angry at you, or at least delighting in your misstep. You'll be sure that everyone is out to get you. In our culture, there's a certain twisted sweetness to watching the mighty fall.Look no further than the demonization of Kanye West, or the critical trashing of Jay Leno.You can practically hear the giggles from Detroit as Toyota gets ripped apart in the press.The higher you sit, the higher you…

• Never confront a group

  17 Feb 2010 | 8:17 am

  Let's say there are a group of people in your organization who are the root of a problem. Maybe it's a group of critical former officers, or a couple of friends who band together to cause drama at social functions. Maybe it's all the juniors who feel disconnected from the rest of the group, or perhaps it's the last class of initiated new members, or the women who live on that end of the residence hall.The best course of action might seem to pull the group members into a room for a strong discussion about their behavior. Although it might appear to be an efficient solution, you could end up…

• 

  Ed Gerety's Dream Big Blog

• Where are you growing?

  Ed Gerety

  11 Mar 2010 | 5:45 am

  Where are you growing? from Ed Gerety on Vimeo. A giant storm hit our town last week and knocked down one of the largest trees in our yard. When we cut it down it was amazing to see the distinct pattern of concentric tree rings. A tree ring represents a layer of wood that is produced during one tree’s growing season. By counting the tree rings you can estimate the age of the tree. By my count the tree was 80 years old. In looking at the tree rings I could not help but think about all the things that the tree had been through. From giant snow storms, windy days, hot summer days, and other…

• Who is Sitting Next to You?

  Ed Gerety

  23 Feb 2010 | 9:44 am

  On a recent flight from Boston to Phoenix I sat next to this amazing person. I did not know it at first, as is often the case on an airplane the person next to you is a stranger. We exchanged hellos when she first sat down and that was it until about 30 minutes into the flight I asked her if Phoenix was her final destination. She said no, and that she was flying to LA to go to the Grammy Awards as her partner had been nominated for one. “How cool is that!” I said to her and then I asked if she was excited, and for what category he was nominated. The pleasant conversation continued from…

• Perseverance

  Ed Gerety

  27 Jan 2010 | 5:00 am

  per-se-ver-ance [pur-suh-veer-uh ns] –noun 1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. Often times after one my presentations students will come up to me and want to ask me a question. What’s interesting is that the majority of the time it’s never a question that they want to ask. Instead, they just want to share their story and have someone truly listen. No judgment, no advice, just someone to hear their story with an open mind and heart. Afterwards they always ask me to share their story with…

• Play big…lead by example

  Ed Gerety

  13 Jan 2010 | 11:41 am

  Happy 2010! As we go into the New Year I wanted to share with you one of the messages that I deliver in my keynote speeches and in my leadership trainings to schools and organizations across North America. It is a great reminder about leading by example. In every area of our lives, as leaders, we have the power to choose. From how we treat one another – to how we resolve a conflict – to what we allow to put into our bodies. From our goals to our dreams – to what we stand for and what we believe in. Yes, even in the relationships we get involved in. But the greatest choice you…

• The Art of Kindness

  Ed Gerety

  11 Dec 2009 | 8:59 am

  Where in your life are you missing an opportunity to practice the art of kindness? I know that it sounds like a general question but really think about the people that you interact with on a daily and weekly basis. Do you really know who they are or are they just that familiar face you always say hello to, comment about the weather with, and with whom you make a transaction. Several years ago I discovered that in my case the latter was true. There were people in my community that I interacted with on a regular basis who I did not really know. There was the woman who worked at our local dry…

• 

  Lindsey Pollak Blog

• 5 Predictions about the Future of Work

  Lindsey Pollak

  9 Mar 2010 | 4:35 am

  I always loved the Jetsons. What’s not to love about flying cars, robot maids and cool futuristic outfits like Judy’s? I admit when I watched the Jetsons I wasn’t paying much attention to where the characters worked or what happened when they got there. But today, I am totally fascinated by predictions about the future of work and careers. Will we all work from home and go to virtual meetings with our colleagues in Second Life? Will I be able to give speeches virtually, with a holographic image of me (a la CNN’s Wolf Blitzer during the 2008 presidential election) standing behind…

• On MyPath.com: What is a Personal Brand and Why Do You Need One?

  Lindsey Pollak

  24 Feb 2010 | 1:42 pm

  Come listen in on my conversation with Pete Kistler, the founder of Brand-Yourself.com, who was named one of Entrepreneur magazine’s Top 5 College Entrepreneur of 2009. He joins me to talk about personal branding as it relates to college students and young professionals. In this podcast, we define personal branding, talk about Pete’s own personal branding process and explain why students and young professionals need to think about your personal brand — especially the image you’re projecting online. For more on this topic, here are two great new resources that can help you…

• 4 Ways to Be a More Confident Job Seeker

  Lindsey Pollak

  15 Feb 2010 | 4:35 am

  I’ll never forget what my driving instructor said to my mom while we were waiting in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles the morning of my driver’s license test. “She has the ability to pass. It’s going to come down to whether she thinks she can pass.” I failed. My driving instructor was exactly right. I had practiced enough and had the skills and knowledge to get my license. What I was missing was the confidence to actually do it. I see this same situation all the time with college students and recent grads in the job market. They have the talent, skills and ability to get a…

• On MyPath.com: An Interview with Two College Career Services Professionals

  Lindsey Pollak

  4 Feb 2010 | 2:00 am

  What are the major hiring trends on campus this year? What are the best strategies for finding an entry-level job? What are the biggest mistakes students make in the job search process? To answer these questions and more, I spoke with with Trudy Steinfeld, Executive Director of the Wasserman Center for Career Development at New York University, and Manny Contomanolis, Associate Vice President and Director of Co-op and Career Services at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear top tips from two of the best career services professionals in the country!

• On MyPath.com: Job Opportunities with Women-Owned Businesses

  Lindsey Pollak

  28 Jan 2010 | 5:09 am

  I recently came across a study by the Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute predicting that about one-third of new jobs created over the next eight years will be at small businesses owned by women. As a woman small business owner myself, I was really intrigued by this news. It also reminded me that many students and young professionals miss out on great opportunities because they overlook the potential to get a job at a (man- or woman-owned) small business. In this week’s podcast, I share my thoughts on the opportunities available in small businesses, how to find these…

• 

  The Student Affairs Blog

• THREE #SACHAT Recaps!

  nope

  12 Mar 2010 | 6:00 am

  All of us the Student Affairs Collaborative are thrilled at the response of the #NASPA10 demo of #SACHAT this past Monday that focused on How You Use Twitter in Student Affairs and today’s weekly #SACHAT that focused on Best Student Development Strategies. We’re thrilled to welcome all our new participants from ACUI and NASPA and hope that we gain even more friends at ACPA in Boston in 10 short days!  Each week, we continue to grow our numbers and this week’s chats produced over 1,800 comments from almost 200 Student Affairs professionals,  graduate students and…

• TuesTally: Which statements best describe your use of Twitter?

  nope

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:00 am

  If you cannot view this poll click here. And here are the results from the last poll.

• Me vs. “InBox.” Let’s Go.

  nope

  9 Mar 2010 | 6:20 am

  One recent thread on the Twitter #sachat has related to the quest for something called “In Box Zero.”  Out of sheer desperation for some motivation to get my e-mail life under control, I posted a challenge to readers and participants of the #sachat to see if we could motivate each other to get our e-mail situations under control. Postings and responses were mixed.  I could talk for a while and analyze whether or not it is possible to be productive when there are 2,000 e-mails in your In Box, but I’ll let your own conscience ring in on that one as you are asking yourself if…

• Career Decision Making: Where Do I Go From Here? – #SACHAT Recap

  nope

  4 Mar 2010 | 6:29 pm

  Thanks to everyone who participated in today’s #SAchat focusing on Career Decision Making: Where Do I Go From Here? Each week, we continue to grow our numbers and today’s chats produced over 1,000 comments from over 100 student affairs professionals,  graduate students and undergraduates interested or working in the Student Affairs field! In case you missed it, below is a quick recap. If you haven’t yet participated in an #sachat, learn more here. Full Transcripts DAYTIME: View as webpage Download as PDF EVENING: View as webpage Download as PDF Today’s Top Contributors @JGinese23…

• TuesTally: How many e-mails are currently in your In Box?

  nope

  2 Mar 2010 | 7:00 am

  If you cannot view this poll click here. And here are the results from the last poll.

• 

  It's Getting Hot in Here

• Johns Hopkins University Launches Climate and Energy Project

  Teryn Norris

  12 Mar 2010 | 12:08 am

  Originally posted at LeadEnergy.org This week, the youth energy and climate movement achieved a victory when Johns Hopkins University — one of the largest research universities in the world — announced a major new climate and energy plan, resulting in large part from student activism and leadership. Announced by JHU President Ron Daniels, the plan includes (1) a $73 million energy investment to cut university carbon pollution over 50% below projected levels by 2025, (2) a new Environment, Sustainability, and Health Institute to promote new research and education in climate,…

• Round 2: Blankenship versus RFK Jr. on Mountaintop Removal

  carolynauw

  11 Mar 2010 | 4:38 pm

  Ding ding ding!! It’s round 2 in the public debate between Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President of Waterkeeper Alliance and outspoken mountaintop removal critic.  The Hill, a daily Maria Gunnoe, organizer with Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, shows coal dust she wiped off Frankie Mooney's home in Twilight, WV congressional newspaper in Washington DC, published a set of opposing op-eds yesterday just as the 5th Annual End Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington wrapped up.  See Blankenship’s here and RFK Jr.’s here. This follows…

• Florida Students Start the Long Road to Their Student Green Energy Fund Campaign

  Tommaso Boggia

  11 Mar 2010 | 11:34 am

  {Written by Dan Cannon, Florida Organizer at the Southern Energy Network} Green Fees are becoming more and more common on campuses all across the country. A simple idea of young people putting their money where their mouth is by creating small campus fees that cumulate to eventually set aside millions of dollars to be spent only on “green” projects. Green Fees are a great way to encourage campuses to go green quickly and consistently, most campuses and students groups are managing to set up green fees on their campus in one semester or less. Unfortunately for Florida students, setting up…

• This Summer Filled with Solutions in Corvallis

  abbieplouff

  10 Mar 2010 | 2:03 pm

  x-posted from Solutionaries As communications director for Summer of Solutions, I’m featuring every program to paint a picture of the diversity of solutions young people are building across the country. The Summer of Solutions is a summer program designed to empower youth to create self sustaining community based solutions to environment and social injustice, climate change and economic insolvency. We work to build an inclusive, local community that connects across the country that will propel us into holistic, renewable energy economy. This post features the powerful work happening in…

• Avatar: the Problematic Environmental Blockbuster

  Tommaso Boggia

  10 Mar 2010 | 11:31 am

  {Written by Jenna Garland, South Carolina Organizer at the Southern Energy Network. Cross-posted from Southern Energy Network’s Blog} Jake Sully and Neytiri from 'Avatar' While visiting my parents recently, my mother treated me to a 3-D showing of Avatar at a theater close to where I grew up. I went in with a fair amount of trepidation. I’ve been following the media coverage of the film, as well as conversations between friends and colleagues who had seen it in the weeks follow its premiere. I was feeling very nervous about the racial dynamics of the film, and though I’d…

• 

  Bird's Eye View

• Brandversation British Airways Style

  Wf360

  12 Mar 2010 | 3:00 pm

  I'm impressed with the British Airways folks.  In the interest of transparency, I should tell you that British Airways is involved with my firm's Inner Circle program.  Makes sense, since their tagline is "Experience what we know.  Business is done better face to face."  This is more than a tagline.  They are serious about the importance of face to face meetings, not only because it's important for them to get people onto planes.  It appears to us that this love of "F2F" is in the British Airways dna.  We know they're right; there are times when…

• Baby Talk: Can You Market Grownup Products to Toddlers?

  Wf360

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:55 am

  Meet Ellie, a fabulous baby I know.  She's not yet one and already walks and says a few words.  She knows that people hold devices to their ear and appear to talk to them.  What's more, they look at them and touch them and interact with them.  In fact, she does it too; by touching her Dad's iPhone, she can follow along with Old MAcDonald and interact with the song.  In a few years, Ellie will be interacting with content aimed to sell her something.  Or, rather, sell her parents something.   When she gets excited about a product or service, she'll let her parents…

• Do Mannerists Have Anything Original To Say?

  Wf360

  10 Mar 2010 | 11:08 am

  I'm lucky to live within steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  It is a privilege for which I am grateful and have to remind myself, on occasion, about just how lucky it is to live within a few minutes of a place that houses many of the most beautiful works of man through the centuries.  I somehow manage to pay a visit--even if it's just a brief one- nearly every week.  Each time I try to see some area, some works, I haven't looked at before.  That's easy.  The Met's vast holdings--many of which are rarely brought out for public…

• Get Your **** Together A La Professor Galloway

  Wf360

  9 Mar 2010 | 1:28 pm

  I've talked here numerous times on the dangers of entitlement, especially when exhibited by new hires fresh on the job, by new neighbors fresh in the neighborhood and now I see there is yet another frontier to discuss:  the new student in class. Have you heard of Scott Galloway?   He's the Founder of redenvelope.com, a major online success story.   Until recently, he sat on the board of the New York Times Company (a story in itself).  A pretty wild guy in his own right--some (looks like lots) say he's at times a jackass-- and now he's a Professor at Stern.  And runs…

• Oscar Talk And The Cove

  Wf360

  8 Mar 2010 | 12:35 pm

  I did not watch the Oscars last night.  Nor did a number of people I know.  (Who are all the people who made up the "millions of people" audience?)  It felt like a bad use of my time, since I knew I'd quickly learn the results anyway, even without watching the Las Vegas style opening dance routine and the gratuitous back and forth among presenters.   Yes, I love seeing the great clothes on the red carpet, but I'll get to see those, too, since the best will be shown again and again for the next several days.So here's the question: does winning an Oscar make a…

• 

  Management Skills Blog

• No Internal Agreement

  Tom Foster

  11 Mar 2010 | 11:18 pm

  This concludes our conversation with Jaynie Smith, author of Creating Competitive Advantage. Tom: As we move from the recession to recovery, and as we attempt to acquire new customers, gain market share, where do customer and client disconnects occur? Jaynie: Again, our research shows that 90% of companies have no internal agreement on what matters to customers. We always ask our clients to guess which three attributes came in 1, 2 and 3 in their customer research. Not only don’t they guess it right, they have no agreement amongst themselves. So how can the market-place receive what it…

• Even In a Down Turn

  Tom Foster

  10 Mar 2010 | 11:48 pm

  This continues my conversation with Jaynie Smith, author of Creating Competitive Advantage. Tom: Can you talk about the necessity of integrating marketing elements with operational reality to drive new ideas into existing and emerging customer segments? Jaynie: Our research shows that 95% of companies are not focused on the things that matter most to their customers and so their resource allocation is not aligned operationally with delivering what matters most to their customers. A tour operator spent lots of time and money chasing industry awards only to learn that it matters last on a list…

• Managing Time, Managing Yourself

  Tom Foster

  10 Mar 2010 | 6:28 am

  Next Monday, we kick off our next Subject Area in Working Leadership Online, Managing Time, Managing Yourself.. Based on David Allen's Getting Things Done, we will explore ten Time Management Disciplines. You select the one or two that work the best for you. Working Leadership Online is growing. For our Friends and Family, we are holding fifty slots available for our Free Introductory Membership (and 22 are already filled). If you would like to secure one of these slots, just follow this link. Working Leadership Online Free Trial Here is what we know about our community. Our participants have…

• It's Not Location, Location

  Tom Foster

  10 Mar 2010 | 3:26 am

  This continues my conversation with Jaynie Smith, author of Creating Competitive Advantage. Tom: As companies expand their product and service offerings to fill holes in the market, created by retreating competitors, or even retreating suppliers, what should companies consider now to update their expanded strategies? Jaynie: A company should focus its resource allocation, future strategies and internal accountabilities on what the customer thinks is most important. A commercial real estate client of ours has 200 buildings in which they lease office space. Research showed tenants seeking…

• Remove Risk

  Tom Foster

  9 Mar 2010 | 12:09 am

  This continues my conversation with Jaynie Smith, author of Creating Competitive Advantage. Tom: In an attempt to scratch out precious points in market share, which will multiply during the recovery, what changes should companies design into their marketing strategies? Jaynie: Companies should delete the “blah, blah, blah” cliched messages of yesterday and substitute with solid metrics that speak to reliable past performance. Unlike a mutual fund, past performance is the best indicator of whether or not you can deliver in the future. We need to build confidence and remove risk, more than…

• 

  Cali and Jody

• Update – ROWE at SXSW!

  Cali & Jody

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:40 am

  Update: The ROWE Afterparty! Please join us and the other panel members at The Iron Cactus following the discussion. Here’s the original post from February 24th, 2010: We’re excited to announce ROWE will be at the South by Southwest Interactive Conference and Festival! Cali and Jody will be joined by Alexandra Levit, Jessica Lawrence, and Jeff Gunther for a panel discussion about ROWE and why it works. The discussion will cover the changing workforce, how a Results-Only Work Environment can improve employee morale and productivity, and how trust and technology lead to a successful…

• Professor X Wants ROWE

  Cali & Jody

  9 Mar 2010 | 4:18 am

  We recently highlighted Richard Stewart’s YouTube video that explored how a Results-Only Work Environment might translate to the world of education. Now we have a related tidbit, this time from a story from the Chronicle of Higher Education about how the next generation of professors view their jobs. The study is small but telling. Harvard researchers interviewed 12 professors born between 1964 and 1980 (so called “Generation X”) and talked to them about work-life balance issues. (You can find the full study on the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education…

• Save a Worker’s Life: Get Them in a ROWE

  Cali & Jody

  3 Mar 2010 | 9:04 pm

  You don’t need a scientist to tell you that being bored is . . . well . . . boring. But thanks to a recent study conducted by specialists from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London we now know that being bored can be . . . DEADLY. Back in the mid eighties, British scientists interviewed 7,524 civil servants aged 35-55 to find out how bored they were (not just with their jobs, but with life in general). Then, last April, they checked back in with their survey group to find out who was still alive and kicking. The people who had reported being…

• UNDERCOVER BOSS and the CEO as Santa

  Cali & Jody

  28 Feb 2010 | 9:05 pm

  We have been watching CBS’s new reality show, UNDERCOVER BOSS, with great interest. The series purports to put “out of touch” CEOs back in touch with the day-to-day dealings of their companies. The undercover bosses (such as Hooters CEO Coby Brooks and Waste Management president and COO Larry O’Donnell) pretend to be part of a documentary about entry-level jobs in order to get out of the board room and down into the trenches. As one of the title cards says during the opening credits: THEY WILL DISCOVER THE TRUTH. On Sunday February 21st, the show featured 7-Eleven…

• Another ROWEstorm!

  michael

  25 Feb 2010 | 8:56 am

  Cali and Jody share their thoughts about snowstorms and common sense….

• 

  The Enlightened Manager

• Email: A Terrible Way to Manage Conflict

  Cheri Baker

  8 Mar 2010 | 8:20 am

  Hey Enlightened Managers, I wanted to write today about a little thing that can have big consequences - the tempting idea of managing our conflicts over email instead of picking up the phone. Do you ever find yourself trying to manage a disagreement over email?  Here is a small example of how email disagreements often begin: A:  "I'm not sure this is a good idea." B:  "We decided to do this because...."A:  "I think it's important that we....   I'm not sure we're addressing...." B: "I agree that we do .....

• Workplace Dysfunction as an Elephant in the Room

  Cheri Baker

  25 Feb 2010 | 8:34 am

  Hello everyone, Can I share something I made, just for fun?  One of the things that I've noticed is that while there is plenty of team dysfunction in the business world, it can be a pretty uncomfortable thing to talk about.  I'm hoping my new campaign "Do you see the elephant?" will help people find the courage to speak up and take some action. Here is a postcard from the new campaign.  It was fun to put together, and I hope it is amusing and thought provoking. Thanks for letting me share.  :) 

• Those Darn Norms!: How Coworkers and Bosses influence Motivation

  Cheri Baker

  24 Feb 2010 | 9:04 am

  "Why should I bust my tail when Janet surfs the internet at her desk every day?" "I'm tired of being the only one who fills out invoicing requests.  No one else follows the rules." "When Joe yells at work, no one says anything.  I guess that means I shouldn't say anything either." Today I wanted to write a bit about group norms, and why they matter when it comes to individual motivation and performance. When I work with a team that isn't thriving, I often hear the kinds of statements listed above.   It may not be rational, but…

• Ageism in the Interview: Tips for Avoiding the Stereotypes.

  Cheri Baker

  17 Feb 2010 | 4:29 am

  You don't need to be a rocket scientist to see that there are a lot of unemployed people in the market these days.  In my conversations with some of them, a topic has risen several times, the idea that "my age is a disadvantage." I wanted to write a bit about this, and offer some suggestions for people who are worried that their age is hurting them in the interview. First, let me say that I acknowledge that ageism does exist, although I suspect it's a bit less common than people perceive.  In corporate environments, enthusiasm and malleability matter for some…

• Recognition Matters: The Story of Allyis

  Cheri Baker

  15 Feb 2010 | 10:24 am

  I read an interesting article this morning in Seattle Business Magazine, written by Richard Law, the CEO of Allyis in Kirkland WA. "Seven years ago, Allyis made a strategic gamble: take the majority of our marketing budget and turn it towards employee care and recognition....  The result? Appreciative employees help recruit the best talent they know, and when great work is coupled with positive attitudes, clients keep coming back and referring new clients.  The response has been universal across all generations and experience levels." One thing that I found interesting…

• 

  Women in the LEAD

• The Essential Feminine “Living Room” Opens March 24th

  maureen simon

  9 Mar 2010 | 4:03 pm

  Among the natural attributes of women are collaboration and team building.  (And, we hold many more.)  Our ability to use these gifs has been recognized by such groups as CARE, Heifer International and The Hunger Project.  (See notes below.)  These groups have invested their resources and total faith in women to rebuild their communities as they know that women will use their opportunities to feed their families and strengthen their communities. Relationship building, networking and community building are some of women’s finest gifts.  Therefore, The Essential…

• IN COMMEMORATION International Woman's Day

  Debbe Kennedy

  7 Mar 2010 | 9:50 pm

  Hi everyone... This year, we were not able to host our woman's dialogue for International Women's Day as we have in previous years, but we hope to do one again soon... HOWEVER, memories are moments that we can revisit and rediscover joy, so I wanted to share reflections from last year in commemoration... Over 375 women from around world were drawn to our online day of conversation. They signed up from over 25 countries and represented over 35 states across the United States... It's A New DAY! Online Day of Conversation for Women...Celebrating International Women's Day…

• Maya Angelou on What we should HAVE and KNOW

  Debbe Kennedy

  23 Feb 2010 | 4:11 pm

  Today a dear friend forwarded a favorite poem written by Maya Angelou. She has a way of speaking to each of us up-close and personal, so I am posting it for you to take-in. Ponder anew. WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to... something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour... A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .. a youth she's content to leave behind.... a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age.... a set of screwdrivers,…

• WOMEN: Teaching every child about FOOD

  Debbe Kennedy

  20 Feb 2010 | 7:47 pm

  Obesity and food-related disease is the biggest cause of death in the United States. The UK is right behind us. This problem is spreading around the globe. We hear it. We read about it, but Jamie Oliver talks up close and personal with us about the URGENCY of this problem.  Jamie Oliver is a TED Prize Winner, Chef, and activist. His mission is to transform how we feed ourselves, and our children. His TED Prize WISH... Teach children about food His message is powerful and it may just change the shopping you do this week. It also is an eye-opener for all of us. In one scene, he shows…

• Our Unique and Precious Gifts

  maureen simon

  15 Feb 2010 | 1:35 pm

  Each life holds a precious and unique gift that carries its own meaning and reason for being here.We need to learn about our uniqueness and build upon it.No one else can do this for us. We have a responsibility to express these gifts. Only after we discover them can we experience a fulfilled life and begin to make major contributions to the world. Here are some of the practical steps and questions that have successfully guided myself and my clients to a more fulfilling life... Quieting the mind • Set aside time in silence at least 3 days a week for 20 minutes. Begin to get to know yourself,…

• 

  Women on Business

• Why I Chose to Become an Entrepreneur

  Susan Gunelius

  12 Mar 2010 | 12:00 pm

  Post by Veronica Eyenga, contributing Women On Business writer People choose to become entrepreneurs for many reasons.  For women, those reasons run the gamut and encompass everything from the need for more schedule flexibility to experiencing a glass ceiling. In my case, I was unsatisfied working for someone else.  I had a desire to be my own boss and lead my own company.  I followed my dream, and today I am the President and CEO of a successful marketing and accounting firm outside of Baltimore, MD. I know why I chose entrepreneurship, but I wanted to know why some of you did.  Here’s…

• What is Your Business Committed to?

  Linda Smith

  12 Mar 2010 | 9:47 am

  Are you committed to your business?  That’s an obvious “yes” or you wouldn’t put out the welcome mat each morning.  What is your business committed to?  This is a different question.  Is your business committed to fulfilling your initial start-up vision?  Is your business committed to fulfilling a perceived need?  Is your business committed to something beyond the framework of commerce? Recently while working on my newest mosaic piece, I went to the garage and grabbed a fresh bottle of water from the case we keep out there – being winter right now it stays…

• Challenges Facing Women in Business

  Susan Gunelius

  11 Mar 2010 | 7:59 pm

  Post by Veronica Eyenga, contributing Women On Business writer Inevitably, all business owners will face challenges now and then.  However, women business owners tend to face them a little more often than their male peers. This does not mean that women business owners cannot be successful; statistics show that the success rate for women entrepreneurs is growing rapidly.  It simply means that they’ve learned to overcome major challenges. Some of the biggest challenges women entrepreneurs will face fall into three categories: Gender discrimination and stereotyping: Gender lines are clearly…

• Leverage the Social Web to Define Your Personal Brand

  Susan Gunelius

  11 Mar 2010 | 5:05 pm

  Personal branding is absolutely essential in the world of the social Web.  The first place potential employees look to learn about you (after reading your resume) is the Internet.  Your Twitter stream, Facebook profile, LinkedIn profile, and so on all offer a glimpse into who you are as an employee and where you’re heading in your career.  You need to be sure that your online persona is branded appropriately to help you reach your goals. Branding yourself is just like branding a product line or business.  The same principles that marketers use to create brands like Nike,…

• Resources For New Entrepreneurs

  Mahsa Shamsipour

  10 Mar 2010 | 11:17 pm

  If you have always thought about becoming an entrepreneur, or have recently started your own business, there are many resources you can use to help guide you. I have gathered together some of the sites that I visit and that I think are useful for those interested in taking the entrepreneurial route. Do I have what it takes? Some fun online tests to help you determine if you’ve got what it takes to make it as an entrepreneur. There are many more tests online, but here are some to get you started:…

• 

  NinaSimosko.com

• Getting Active for International Women’s Day

  Nina

  8 Mar 2010 | 1:06 am

  On this day, ninety-nine years ago, the first International Women’s Day was declared. And yet, almost a century on, women and girls continue to struggle on many fronts. There is inequality, discrimination, violence, poverty and exploitation – that particularly affects women and girls across the world – and even here at home. We don’t have to travel far from our homes to see it in action. But if we have learned anything from the last century, it is this – that change is possible. As Ann Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director points out: Education is one key to better lives for girls,…

• Women to Drive High Tech Growth

  Nina

  5 Feb 2010 | 12:47 am

  It seems that the global financial crisis is prompting a wide-ranging re-think on the role of women in leadership. The Shriver Report indicated that, in total, the US working populations are balancing out – with women now comprising 50% of the total for the first time ever. Yet, as Vivek Wadhwa points out, “There are too few women running high-tech companies; that’s too bad, considering evidence shows female-led businesses outperform those run by men.” But rather than waiting for the structural impact of women’s workforce participation to take effect at senior levels,…

• What Leaders Can Learn from Conan and Leno

  Nina

  27 Jan 2010 | 8:42 pm

  Watching the way that NBC has been handling the Conan vs Leno debacle has me thinking … why do experienced leaders continue to make poor decisions when it comes to succession? Many organizations now have systems in place that help identify emerging leaders – the rock stars of our businesses – and opportunities and challenges are funnelled in their direction. With this comes responsibility, accountability – and hopefully mentoring and support. But all this is a two way street. If we expect accountability from our rising stars, we must also expect it of ourselves. When we are thinking…

• Understanding the Two Percenters

  Nina

  13 Jan 2010 | 9:43 pm

  Last year’s Shriver Report (which I discussed here), noted the transformations that have taken place regarding women’s participation in the workforce. This is reinforced in a recent article in The Economist, which suggests that the “rich world’s quiet revolution” is written in the words, voices and actions of economically empowered women. Just a generation ago, women were largely confined to repetitive, menial jobs. They were routinely subjected to casual sexism and were expected to abandon their careers when they married and had children. Today they are running some of the…

• Are We a Woman’s Nation?

  Nina

  2 Nov 2009 | 10:53 pm

  When we look at the facts and figures it seems clear that women are not just transforming the workplace, they are transforming the entire country. The recent Shriver Report indicates that for the first time, half of US workers are female – and in 40% of American families those women are the primary breadwinners. With more and more men forced to stay home, more and more women are bringing home the bacon. Women are more likely than ever to head their own families. They’re doing it all—and many of them have to do it all. When they work, it’s no longer just for “the little…

• 

  The Glass Hammer

• Why the Paycheck Fairness Act is Crucial

  No Byline

  12 Mar 2010 | 3:00 am

  By Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles) The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was signed into law by President Obama on Jan. 29 and according to the organization AAUW, a charitable membership organization dedicated to advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research, it restores the long-standing interpretation of civil rights laws and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission policies that allow employees to challenge any discriminatory paycheck they receive. This of course, is a step in the right direction, but recent numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics…

• Debating Transparency and Valuation – Theglasshammer.com’s Second Women on the Buy-Side Panel Discussion

  No Byline

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:17 am

  By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City) Yesterday, theglasshammer.com hosted its second Women on the Buy-Side networking breakfast and panel discussion. Nicki Gilmour, founder and CEO of theglasshammer.com, began the event by explaining that the purpose of the gathering was to draw together top women in the investment management industry to discuss the topic of risk and its implications on performance for 2010. Gilmour later explained that by getting top women together, we can continue to create a critical mass of female leaders in the industry and “change the perception of what a leader…

• Is Norway working? The case for women on boards

  No Byline

  11 Mar 2010 | 3:00 am

  By Elizabeth Harrin (London) Norway is considered one of the most progressive countries with regards to increasing the number of women on boards – thanks to it being an early adopter of legislation to force companies to recruit women to the boardroom. It sounded like a great idea to improve diversity and shareholder returns, and since then many other countries have adopted or considered similar laws. It’s been seven years since the law took affect. Has it made any difference? Amy Dittmar, associate professor of finance at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business has recently…

• 5 Reasons NOT to Take a Promotion

  No Byline

  10 Mar 2010 | 3:00 am

  By Elizabeth Harrin (London) You are offered a sideways move, either in your organisation or to transfer to another company. Should you take it? While it might be tempting to hold out for a promotion, don’t disregard the possibilities presented by taking a lateral move. We asked five experts for their advice on taking a step sideways. Plan for the long term “A lateral move that is made capriciously may be a career limiting move; however, a lateral move that is part of an intentional plan can propel a career forward over the long term,” says Diane Youden, a partner with…

• The New Female Breadwinners – Celebratory Boon or Involuntary Boom?

  No Byline

  9 Mar 2010 | 3:00 am

  By Gigi DeVault (Munich) If Betty Friedan first showed women through a “room with a view” in the 60s, a Pew Report released this month has ever so gently closed the door to that room as well. The Pew report, The New Economics of Marriage: The Rise of Wives, explains why economic gains in marriage are now greater for men than they are for women. The number of men married to wives whose income and education exceed theirs has increased 18% since 1970. Another gender trend reversal has been boosted by the current economic downturn; the employment of men has been hurt in this recession more…

• 

  RoundPegg

• Chemistry Matters

  brentdaily

  16 Feb 2010 | 3:35 pm

  photo by sflovestory We’ve written a lot about why we think chemistry matters.  RoundPegg, after all, is all about finding people who will fit on your team without creating a cloud of chaos around them.  The better people fit into the team, the more energy they can spend driving the team forward instead of playing politics. Kevin Millar, former Boston Red Sox, was recently signed by the Chicago Cubs.  While he plays a position at which the Cubs need a backup, the odds of him making the big league team are incredibly slim.  He’s fourth on the depth chart where only two will…

• Job Satisfaction: An Alternative Approach

  brentdaily

  16 Dec 2009 | 12:51 pm

  photo by orphanjones Scott Adams of Dilbert fame brings us some insight into how he would improve employee satisfaction. I’ve been meaning to post this for some time so you may have already encountered it.  Regardless, it’s worthy of a chuckle as you coast into the holidays and think about how you’ll get everyone to walk back through the door come January 4th. He concludes his post with the following advice: “…the best way to make your employees feel a false sense of job satisfaction is to somehow convince them that there are much better jobs elsewhere. For…

• Hiring is Hard. Here’s Proof.

  brentdaily

  1 Nov 2009 | 6:10 pm

  photo by dbking Hiring is a headache. Dr. John Sullivan’s latest post at ERE pulls together a ton of shocking numbers that should convince you we need to find a better way. 50% new executive turnover — nearly half of new executive hires quit or are fired within the first 18 months at a new employer (Source: Corporate Leadership Council). 50% of the processes users (both managers and new hires) later regret their “buying” decision (Source: The Recruiting Roundtable). In addition, 25% of new hires later regret taking their new job within one year (Source: Challenger, Gray) 66%…

• Employee Retention - Good or Bad?

  brentdaily

  31 Oct 2009 | 11:03 am

  photo by antkriz Dueling philosophies on hiring and employee retention at the latest Web2.0 conference (via WSJ Blog). Mark Zuckerberg touted the Facebook culture of hiring entrepreneurially inclined  people who burn brilliantly and then fade away (presumably of their own volition).  Tony Hsieh of Zappos provided the counter philosophy of finding the folks who fit the culture and aspire to stick with the company for 10 years or more. Who is right? Both.  The key that makes both of them right is that everyone is aware of the culture.  Each CEO knows exactly what they’re looking for…

• The Worst of Times

  brentdaily

  25 Oct 2009 | 3:18 pm

  photo by photomish dan A sobering article from the Economist illustrates how unhappy people currently are with their jobs.   When the economy turns expect to see a massive surge in voluntary turnover.  The article included some alarming numbers from the US-based Center for Work-Life Policy: Between June 2007 and December 2008 the proportion of employees who professed loyalty to their employers slumped from 95% to 39%; the number voicing trust in them fell from 79% to 22%. Employers have the upper hand these days, but what good is that if nobody is willing to bring their best?  Quality work…

• 

  Emmanuel Gobillot

• The Power of Muddling Through

  28 Feb 2010 | 4:00 pm

  The current crisis needs us to rediscover the most underrated yet powerful tool leaders have at their disposal - the power of muddling through.

• Keep calm but dont carry on

  29 Dec 2009 | 4:00 pm

  As another year passes I find it worth pausing to think about our inability to mobilize and act to solve some of our challenges.

• See you at Disney!

  10 Dec 2009 | 4:00 pm

  DigitalNow conference 2010 promises to be an amazing event even if I say so myself!

• Flashforward and leadership

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Over the last few weeks I have become quite an avid viewer of the TV series FlashForward. The reason I mention this is that I have been spending the last few days traveling the UK speaking at conferences and it occurred to me that, along will my fellow speakers, I was playing the FlashForward game without fully taking into account its consequences.

• down logic lane

  9 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  On my way to running a workshop in oxford a few weeks back I found myself walking past Logic Lane. Bad humor aside walking past Logic Lane reminded me of how most businesses function according to some deeply held beliefs that are logically sound. Yet, logic is not the same as truth. Businesses gain a lot in exploiting not the flawed logic of their competitors but the truth that lies unseen.

• 

  RapidBI - leadership models, thoughts and tools

• New workshop for consultants, business advisers and OD specialists

  rapidbi

  10 Mar 2010 | 9:06 am

  Rapidly identify & prioritise the needs of your clients. Users of RapidBI's Business Improvement Review (BIR), have used the tool to help identify client needs, prioritise actions and provide a way of evaluating outcomes and measuring progress (benchmarking) made. Now the team at RapidBI have taken our accreditation workshop, and integrated it with a client engagement package, forming a powerful 1/2 day interactive workshop

• What is Best Practice?

  rapidbi

  9 Mar 2010 | 1:09 am

  BEST PRACTICE Often in business we hear about Best Practice and Good Practice, but what does it mean? Where and when should we use it? How to generate Best Practice in your organization

• The Impact of the Web on Accelerated Learning

  rapidbi

  8 Mar 2010 | 1:56 am

  Accelerated or brain friendly learning has been increasingly accepted amonst trainers, but are we missing much of this learning via the internet?

• Train the Trainer – Infection Control

  rapidbi

  6 Mar 2010 | 9:21 am

  We often talk about the importance of wearing gloved as part of our infection control Standard Practises (SPs), the use of hand-gel, but we don't really do infection control. What are infections? how are they spread? What can each of us to to STOP the spread of infection in its tracks? Where are infections being spread in your organisation - they are being spread - but do you KNOW where? Practical - hands on training for helping to reduce the spread of infections in your organisation

• Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory

  rapidbi

  4 Mar 2010 | 7:28 am

  Howard Gardner's varying approaches to the "Multiple Intelligence Theory" and their relevance to Accelerated Learning Techniques.

• 

  Rich Gee Coaching

• The Marketplace Is Changing – Are You Ready?

  Rich Gee

  20 Feb 2010 | 12:02 pm

  Over the past 3-4 years I’ve been watching massive changes take place in the marketplace. Some people see them, some people don’t. Unfortunately, many people still act as if these institutions will go on forever. They actually disagree with me (even though they admit that the institutions are in severe decline) and come up with fanciful scenarios that somehow resurrect their position. So without further ado, here are my predictions that will change YOUR LIFE. (this is a long one – be patient!) Music Stores Let’s start out with an easy one first. Ever since the first…

• Time For Wall Street CEOs To ‘Earn Back’ America’s Trust.

  Rich Gee

  9 Feb 2010 | 4:39 am

  Bailout watchdog and Middle Class advocate Elizabeth Warren has accused Wall Street CEOs of abusing consumer trust and challenged them to step up and support financial reform — for the nation’s benefit as well as their own. In an opinion piece to be published in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal, Warren writes: For years, Wall Street CEOs have thrown away customer trust like so much worthless trash. Banks and brokers have sold deceptive mortgages for more than a decade. Financial wizards made billions by packaging and repackaging those loans into securities. And federal regulators…

• The CEO Revolving Door Keeps Spinning . . .

  Rich Gee

  8 Feb 2010 | 3:38 am

  From the “WOW – That didn’t take long” department: “Former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain is taking over as chairman and CEO of CIT Group as the commercial lender continues to restructure its business following a brief stay in bankruptcy protection last year. As chairman and CEO of Merrill Lynch, Thain came under fire for having paid out $3.6 billion in bonuses to Merrill employees just before a BOA deal closed, and for spending more than $1 million to redecorate his office at Merrill, despite its massive losses. CIT Group Inc., one of the nation’s largest…

• I Got Off My Ass . . . My First Podcast.

  Rich Gee

  1 Feb 2010 | 5:19 pm

  Enjoy! Tweet This! Share this on Linkedin Share this on Facebook Share this on Reddit Share this on del.icio.us Digg this! Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Buzz up!

• $14.27 Can Change Your Career. Guaranteed.

  Rich Gee

  27 Jan 2010 | 4:12 am

  Every so often, a person comes along, writes a book, and changes the way people act. Napoleon Hill did it with”Think and Grow Rich”. Dale Carnegie — “How To Win Friends and Influence People”. Peters and Waterman — “In Search of Excellence”. Stephen Covey — “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. And Keith Ferrazzi — “Never Eat Alone”. Seth Godin has been writing books, speaking, and blogging for over 10 years. I first was introduced to him with his first book, “Permission Marketing”. I then drifted off from…

• 

  EveryJoe

• Design Your Own Tequila Bottle

  Kori Ellis

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:57 pm

  1800 Tequila offers a “Design Your Bottle” feature, where you can upload original artwork to make customized tequila bottles. This would make a cool gift — perhaps for the guys in your wedding party. The customized bottles are priced at $99 and the turnaround time is 2-3 weeks. Image: 1800 Tequila You can also get one of the 1800 Tequila limited-edition Essential Artists bottles, which showcasing eleven designs gathered from over 15,000 online submissions. Visit 1800tequila.com and check it out. Post from: EveryJoe Design Your Own Tequila Bottle

• LeBron James Back, Cavaliers Roll

  Stephen Kersey

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:56 pm

  LeBron James missed the last two games for the Cleveland Cavaliers due to wanting to rest some nagging injuries. Against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, LeBron was back and didn’t waste any time dominating the action. In 42 minutes, LeBron had 23 points, ten assists, six rebounds and three blocks. Mo Williams chipped in 21 points for the Cavs, while Delonte West had 17 points off the bench. The Sixers, who were playing at home, were actually leading the game after three quarters. But a poor fourth quarter doomed the squad. Andre Iguodala had 30 points, seven rebounds and five…

• Lance Berkman Injury Update – Left Knee

  Stephen Kersey

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:55 pm

  Last season, injuries kept Lance Berkman from living up to his potential. The bad news for the Houston Astros is that the injury bug has struck again: Berkman needs knee surgery that very well could force him to miss the beginning of the 2010 baseball season. The good news is that the knee injury is considered minor. At most, Berkman will miss a month of action. When he returns, doctors expect him to be near 100%. The surgery is needed due to a knee bruise. The 34-year-old first baseman hit .274 with 25 homers and 80 RBIs last season. Considering that he had .312 with 29 homers and 106 RBIs…

• Larry Johnson Signs with the Redskins

  Stephen Kersey

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:55 pm

  Not long ago, Larry Johnson was one of the most dominant running backs in the NFL. However, he has struggled in recent years. The Washington Redskins now hope that Johnson can regain some of that magic. In Washington, Johnson will join forces with Clinton Portis at running back. Portis is coming off of an injury plagued season and there’s no guarantee he’ll be 100% by next season. With that in mind, Johnson is good insurance. Last year, Johnson had 581 yards in seven games with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals. The best season of his career came in 2005 when he…

• Hot Links: Hot Twins and More

  Kori Ellis

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:46 pm

  Here’s some reading for the weekend that features hot chicks, cool phone apps and a vajazzled vagina. What more could you ask for? Hot Twins (The Chive) Women of Spring Training (Maxim) Porn May Be Good for Society (Asylum) 5 Phone Apps That Need to Happen (College Humor) Have your ever seen a woman who was Vajazzled? (Crushable) Image: sxc.hu Post from: EveryJoe Hot Links: Hot Twins and More

• 

  Inside Personal Growth

• Podcast 162: The Career Within You with Elizabeth Wagele

  Greg Voisen

  4 Mar 2010 | 8:33 pm

  My interview with Elizabeth Wagele the author of, “The Career Within You“, focuses on a tool called the Enneagram designed to assist the you in finding the correct career path . Elizabeth states that more than ever people are considering new careers-but deciding on a new career path can be daunting.  How does one determine what the correct path to fit their personality type? This practical yet-fun career guide employs the Enneagram Personality Assessment System to help you find a career specifically tailored to your specific type by offering a quiz designed to identify your type,…

• Podcast 161: Your Body Speaks Your Mind with Deb Shapiro

  Greg Voisen

  4 Mar 2010 | 7:28 pm

  I have had the wonderful pleasure of being able to interview Deb Shapiro again.  My first interview was with Deb and her husband Ed about their new book entitled “Be The Change”. In this podcast I will be speaking with Deb about her new book entitled, ” Your Body Speaks Your Mind“.  This new book address the mind body connection, and the role that our mind plays in your overall well being.  Wellness is primarily a state of mind, and your emotions play an important role in how you feel. Dis-ease manifests itself in various ways within our bodies and what Deb Shapiro…

• Podcast 160: Working for Good with Jeff Klein

  Greg Voisen

  23 Feb 2010 | 9:26 pm

  I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting Jeff Klein at the recent Innovation and Humanities Conference in Orange, CA.  It was an inspiring to hear him speak,  and I was very impressed by his message and passionate delivery.  I subsequently have had several deep dialogues with Jeff and feel honored to know a man who’s mission is to help shift how we think about our work. Jeff starts the preface of his book with a wonderful quote from Kahlil Gibran, “Work is love made visible”, and there could be nothing more true.   “Working for Good” has been written to…

• Podcast 159: Greater Than Yourself with Steve Farber

  Greg Voisen

  23 Feb 2010 | 7:54 pm

  I had the pleasure of being introduced to Steve Farber, the author of, “Greater than Yourself“, by a very good friend of mine by the name of Ron Schultz.  Steve and I had the opportunity to meet in person recently at the Innovation and Humanities Conference in Orange, CA and I was very impressed with his viewpoints on leadership.  Steve’s new book entitled, “Greater than Yourself“,  is truly a book about developing leaders with heart and soul. In a not so distant era in time, the terms heart and soul were probably frowned upon using, and the word love was a…

• Podcast 158 : Capture Your Flag with Erik Michielsen

  Greg Voisen

  22 Feb 2010 | 7:17 pm

  I was in my office one day, and got a surprise call from Erik Michielsen.   He was referred to me by author Simon Sinek who has appeared on his video blog entitled “Capture Your Flag” and was also a guest on Inside Personal Growth. The further I dialogued with Erik about his website, I began to realize what an amazing resource he has created for people searching for more fulfillment in their careers.  Erik engages in wonderfully authentic dialogues with the men and women on the street about their feeling, emotions and motivations around their careers. His online interview show…

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  First Friday Book Synopsis

• Too Busy to think about (improving) Your Business? — Join the club

  Randy Mayeux

  13 Mar 2010 | 11:25 am

  I had a conversation with a few business consultants this week.  Their world is a world of:  finding clients, challenging clients, guiding clients.  It is a never-ending process, and their competitors are many – with the largest competitor being “no-one.” The more I listened, the more I realized this:  the average person is so busy doing [...]

• Adam Werbach on “Nature’s Simple Rules”

  Bob Morris

  13 Mar 2010 | 11:17 am

  In Strategy for Sustainability: A Business Manifesto, published by Harvard Business Press (2009), Werbach identifies and then discusses what he characterizes as “Nature’s Simple Rules” as a basis of strategy and execution. They are: 1. Diversity across generations to support long-term species survival. 2. Adapt and specialize to the changing environment with precise navigation and [...]

• Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson on embracing constraints

  Bob Morris

  13 Mar 2010 | 10:49 am

  Here is a series of brief excerpts from one of the chapters in Rework, co-authored by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. It was published by Crown Business/Random House in 2010. * * * “I don’t have enough time/money/people/experience.” Stop whining. Less is a good thing. Constraints are advantages [...]

• Book Review: Strategy for Sustainability

  Bob Morris

  13 Mar 2010 | 10:29 am

  Strategy for Sustainability: A Business Manifesto Adam Werbach Harvard Business Press (2009) As Werbach explains in the Introduction, all companies have the opportunity to formulate and then execute a strategy that will enable them to avoid severely damaging if not fatal problems such as those encountered within the last 12-18 months by major corporations such as AIG, Bear [...]

• Follow Me on Twitter to Get a Quick alert about each new blog post

  Randy Mayeux

  13 Mar 2010 | 9:43 am

  I usually tweet a link to each new blog post, by me, and all of our blogging team members. (If I am out speaking or teaching, I may be a few hours late). So one way to learn what is up on our blog pretty quickly is to follow me on twitter.  Follow me here:  Randy1116. Filed [...]

• 

  TradePub: Executive & Management

• Chief Marketer

  10 Mar 2010 | 12:20 pm

  Chief Marketer symbolizes the new imperative in marketing—to connect multiple disciplines in the service of selling, sustaining and growing your position in the market. Their mission is to seek out the best of marketing intelligence, and then absorb, summarize, and organize it for easy access and a quick read online and now in print for busy marketing executives who rely upon their objective stories and balanced, unbiased content to make informed business decisions.Request Free!

• The Four Levels of Effective Expense Management

  5 Mar 2010 | 2:20 pm

  Employee-initiated expenses are the 2nd largest controllable cost after payroll in many companies. But still many companies are struggling to manage an appropriate level of cost containment where T&E is concerned. What are the most important tasks to consider when trying to effectively manage expenses? Should the priority reside in:Policy enforcement and complianceMobile access to enter and approve expensesAutomation and standardizationPreferred vendor programsPaperless processesDownload this white paper to see what your next best step should be in making the most of your expense management…

• The Importance of a Print Management Strategy And Why it Matters

  5 Mar 2010 | 12:20 pm

  Print Management provides a breakthrough answer to today's top business challenge: reducing overhead without harming productivity. Jim Salzer of DocuAudit Intl. shows how Print Management allows you to control documentation expenses by outsourcing the management of your current print environment.Written by: Convergence Consulting, Inc.Sponsored by: DocuAudit InternationalRequest Free!

• Ten Innovative Ways to Use Twitter for Business

  4 Mar 2010 | 5:20 pm

  Download this free guide to learn how your business can convert conversations into actions, attract new followers, share information for potential customers and gain recognition. With this free guide you will also receive daily updates on new cool websites and programs in your email for free courtesy of MakeUseOf.Request Free!

• The Chief Marketer Report

  3 Mar 2010 | 1:50 pm

  Each week, it provides strategic perspectives, expert opinions and thought leadership for high-level marketers that need to cut through the clutter--latest trends & developments, news and analysis on specific marketing disciplines, as well as the hottest topics being discussed in marketing blogs.Request Free!

• 

  N2growth Blog

• Promote YOUR Blog Day

  admin

  11 Mar 2010 | 10:03 pm

  By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth Ever wish you could promote your blog for free to a receptive audience? Well, today is your day for fully authorized, gratuitous self-promotion of YOUR blog. For one day only, this is your chance to shamelessly plug your blog in the comments section below. I stumbled across this idea from @sarahrobinson over at Escaping Mediocrity and thought it was a fantastic way to help readers that share common interests find one another. So here’s how it works – In the comments section of this post include: Your name, blog name &…

• Play To Win

  admin

  10 Mar 2010 | 10:02 pm

  By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth Today’s message is not likely to please the politically correct, nor will it mollycoddle the timid. I’m not going to address competing or playing nicely, rather I’m going to deal very bluntly with the topic of winning. Want to succeed? It’s easier than you might think…just don’t quit. Strip away the excuses, rationalizations, and justifications, and the only thing standing between you and the attainment of your objectives is what you see staring back at you when you look in the mirror each morning. In…

• Why Do Businesses Fail?

  admin

  9 Mar 2010 | 10:02 pm

  By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth Why do business fail? Given the current state of the economy, I would say it’s a safe bet that many of you have pondered the answer to this question as we watch companies close their doors on a daily basis. The unfortunate reality is that well more than 50% of all new business ventures fail within the first three years, and especially during tough economic times, many mature, even once category dominant companies fail over time. In today’s post I’ll share my thoughts as to the real number one reason why businesses fail…

• Celebrity vs. Hero

  admin

  8 Mar 2010 | 8:42 am

  By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth  As the Academy Awards drew to a close last night I felt compelled to post the following message on Twitter: “I’d prefer a TV awards extravaganza to honor our real heroes instead of those who imitate them.” At the risk of drawing fire from the media and rabid movie fans, I’m beginning to grow weary of propping-up social climbers as heroes. While there were certain notable exceptions, for the most part it was yet another display of the self-indulgent, narcissistic view of the world through the very skewed lens of…

• Measuring Success

  admin

  7 Mar 2010 | 10:02 pm

  By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth “Measuring Success” seems like a simple enough concept right? Well it is, in concept…the problem rests in the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the matter. There has always been vigorous debate surrounding the topic of success metrics, and the argument only tends to heighten during tough economic times. I’m often asked ”What success metrics do you believe are most important to measure?” Regrettably there really isn’t a canned answer as each industry, sector, vertical, and micro-vertical have…

• 

  Big Red Tomato Company

• Where are we now?

  Matthew Needham

  11 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  I thought I’d wrap this week up with a quick review of what we’ve covered so far this month and also what we’re going to be talking about in the next few weeks in the March Money Month. In the last week we’ve talked mainly about debt, the week before we looked at what it meant to be rich and what it all means.  Specifically we’ve looked at: What it means to be rich A book review of rich dad poor dad The secrets of getting rich The differences between good and bad debt and how to control bad debt A Book review of  I will teach you to be rich and finally, Are you…

• Do you want to retire rich or do you want to retire dead?

  Matthew Needham

  10 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Yesterday I was reading my Twitter Feed when I spotted a link on @breakingnews quoting a story on CNN Money that 43% of Americans have less than $10k saved towards retirement The CNN story refers to a survey, conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, that’s just been released which also said that 27% of Americans have less than $1000 towards retirement. (I’m assuming thus 27% is included in the 43% as that would be catastrophic) The fact of the matter is that less and less people are saving for retirement (dropping from 75% of Americans to 69% in 2009). Which will end…

• Wednesday Wisdom

  Matthew Needham

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  photo credit: jessica.garro I Will Teach You To Be Rich March is Money Month and the Wednesday Wisdom’s during the month of March are dedicated to the personal finance books which have shaped my life and will undoubtedly help you. In terms of return, these books have paid for themselves many times over and that’s why you should add these books to your reading list now. The subject of this week’s Wednesday Wisdom is I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi: This is the newest book in my personal collection around personal finance, primarily because I’d read some of Ramit’s…

• Control Your Debt (part #2)

  Matthew Needham

  8 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  photo credit: kalleboo This is the second part of a two part post on controlling debt, which is the first step to finanicial freedom. In the first post we looked at the  difference between Good Debt and Bad Debt, in part two we look at strategies for dealing with bad debt.  If you missed the first part of the post you can catch up here : Good Debt and Bad Debt In this post we look at the strategies for dealing with ‘bad debt’ Dealing with ‘Bad Debt’ If you want to know the difference between good debt and bad,  for the purposes of this post we’re defining good…

• Control your debt

  Matthew Needham

  7 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  photo credit: xJasonRogersx In The Secrets of Becoming Rich we talked about the six steps to creating a solid foundation to build your wealth. In case you’ve not read the six steps, you can catch up here. This post is part one of a two part post looking at controling your debt. In this post specifically, we’re going to look at the difference between Good Debt and Bad Debt, in part two we look at strategies for dealing with bad debt. Good Debt v’s Bad Debt The secret to long term financial freedom is similar to going on a diet. We all know that in order to loose weight we…

• 

  Lead Change Group

• Spontaneous Motivation

  Mike Henry

  11 Mar 2010 | 4:16 am

  “If people are going to do their best, they must be internally motivated” – Kouzes & Posner Leadership Challenge 4th Edition Real success in energizing an organization or a community or a tribe comes from a shared vision and spontaneous motivation. By “spontaneous” I mean “controlled and directed internally,” and “produced without being planted or without human labor,” (both from Merriam Webster Online Dictionary). Proactive Leadership Character-based leaders model this self-originating proactive motivation in pursuit of a shared…

• Leadership Energy

  Mike Henry

  7 Mar 2010 | 3:46 pm

  Character-based leadership creates energy. Character-based leaders lead out of who they are rather than their position.  They don’t manipulate; they inspire.  Their character, personality, gifts, values, beliefs and behaviors communicate to the whole team and other stakeholders that they are part of the team.  They share the goals and objectives of the team and serve the team in pursuit of that goal. The team rewards those leaders with energy.  They know that their leader is making as great or greater contribution to the cause. That knowledge inspires them to take responsibility,…

• Urgent or Important

  Mike Henry

  1 Mar 2010 | 2:11 pm

  We have talked about vision in previous posts such as Can You Taste It?Energize, Mobilize & GuideShared Vision, Align Your Vision and Own Your Vision.  As a follow up to the whole series, let’s do a short check to see how you’re doing at deciding what’s most important. As the leader of your team, you make choices every few minutes.  Even as a contributor, more and more these days, you have some control over how you spend your time.  You decide to attend meetings, write software or return customer calls or talk with a team member about some deliverable.  You make…

• Community’s Forth Dimension

  Mike Henry

  25 Feb 2010 | 2:44 pm

  Social media entered another dimension this past weekend. At least for me.  It took on a third dimension, and a fourth! I met 13 members of the Lead Change Group face to face this past weekend at LeaderPalooza.  The third dimension was the people. What a great group of new comrades-in-arms.  The fourth dimension is the tangible creative energy that the group ignited in my spirit. I took away 4 ideas from LeaderPalooza: I’m not alone. People share the same passion I have for leadership that inspires commitment rather than commanding compliance. The War on Apathy has new resources!

• Own Your Vision

  Mike Henry

  22 Feb 2010 | 5:05 am

  We’ve had several posts now about vision.  Have you “seen” the common thread between them?  We discussed the need to be able to articulate your vision in a way that makes your stakeholder’s salivate.  We also talked about the value of a shared vision, how it energizes and mobilizes your team and how you need to keep it aligned with your highest purpose.  There is one last thing you must do though… Finally, Own It Own your vision. Take responsibility for your team’s shared vision of the future. Invest your energy and time in pursuit of that vision.  Give…

• 

  The Corner Office

• 7 Myths About Being Unemployed

  Steve Tobak

  12 Mar 2010 | 6:43 am

  Unemployment and jobless claims are at multi-decade highs, so congress proposed a $100 billion "jobs" bill exclusively for local government employees and paid for by the deficit. Forget that. If you're facing unemployment or business is down, like for most of us, check this out.

• Critical Success Skill: Knowing When Someone is BSing

  Steve Tobak

  11 Mar 2010 | 6:30 am

  Probably the most critical but unheralded business success skill is knowing when someone is full of it, full of themselves, BSing you, or even fooling themselves. Life offers thousands of options and opportunities. Detecting BS is key to narrowing the field and making the right choices.

• Is Anger Management BS?

  Steve Tobak

  10 Mar 2010 | 6:45 am

  Rant and rave at employees? Throw gadgets at the IT guy? Act out childhood issues on unsuspecting coworkers? If it doesn't get you fired, that behavior will likely land you in anger management class. But nobody knows if they do any good and I'm not sure anyone cares.

• Aspiring Leaders: Stay Focused on the Big Picture

  Steve Tobak

  9 Mar 2010 | 6:40 am

  The less you get yourself all worked up about workplace politics, who makes what and all that, and the more you focus on taking risks, meeting goals, making numbers, and pleasing customers, the faster you'll get into the big leagues and the bigger you'll make it once you get there.

• An Insider's Look at CEO Pay

  Jeffrey Pfeffer

  8 Mar 2010 | 6:05 pm

  Soon a customary rite of spring will be upon us. No, not the start of the baseball season or the March Madness of college basketball. I’m referring to proxy season, in which companies disclose top executive pay and those disclosures get followed by the customary laments about how much money CEOs make and how weak [...]

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  Crucial Skills

• Defending a Bad Attitude

  awalston@vitalsmarts.com

  9 Mar 2010 | 4:47 pm

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kerry Patterson is author of three bestselling books, Influencer, Crucial Conversations, and Crucial Confrontations. READ MORE   Dear Crucial Skills, I am a relatively new supervisor, and several of my former peers are now my direct reports. One has been with the company for twenty-five years and her attitude has become increasingly combative. She questions almost everything I tell or ask of her, she is very negative about company policies, and she makes comments in front of other employees that undermine my authority and the company. My managers think she is detrimental…

• Smart Solutions: Olympic Moments - Skating and Talking

  awalston@vitalsmarts.com

  9 Mar 2010 | 4:41 pm

  ABOUT THE EXPERT Neil Staker is founder of PeopleSmart Solutions and a Master Certified Trainer in Crucial Conversations, Crucial Confrontations, and Influencer Training. ABOUT NEIL BOOK NEIL I love the Olympics—hard work, stress, anxiety, competition, disappointment, and triumph—all packed into one crucial moment. I was particularly drawn to bronze medalist, and Canadian figure skater, Joannie Rochelle. Her mother unexpectedly died from a heart attack just two days before Joannie skated her short program. Under extraordinary stress and emotional turmoil, Joannie still managed to do her…

• Stopping Brain Drain

  Joseph Grenny

  2 Mar 2010 | 5:40 pm

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joseph Grenny is the author of three bestselling books, Influencer, Crucial Conversations, and Crucial Confrontations. READ MORE Dear Crucial Skills, I’m a manager in a tech company that seems to be clueless. While I know unemployment is high, management seems to be oblivious to the fact that we are losing some of our key people to poaching by competitors. We haven’t increased salaries in the past two years and I’ve personally lost three of my best people because our salaries are so far below market. My peers have seen similar losses. I know HR is…

• From the Road: Training #241- How to Keep It New and Exciting

  Steve Willis

  2 Mar 2010 | 5:28 pm

  ABOUT THE EXPERT Steve Willis is a master trainer and vice president of professional services at VitalSmarts. READ MORE I’m often asked how frequently I train our courses. Depending on the course, my answer is somewhere between “a lot” and “a whole heck of a lot.” My response is almost always followed by the same question: “Don’t you ever get tired of teaching the same program over and over again?” (I know that, in the back of these people’s minds, they’re thinking that even the Love Boat wasn’t as “exciting and…

• Confronting Late Employees

  David Maxfield

  23 Feb 2010 | 4:46 pm

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Maxfield is coauthor of the New York Times bestseller, Influencer. READ MORE Dear Crucial Skills, At our organization, we expect our employees to be ready to care for patients at the start of their shift. But I have several employees who are far in the disciplinary path because they consistently “clock-in” a minute or two late. Of course, they would have been on time if “the water main hadn’t broken,” or they “hadn’t been stuck behind a school bus.” These employees feel the policy is punitive, unfair, and intolerant; and…

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  Mountain State University LeaderTalk

• Leadership Principles Series | Leading Others and Connecting Through Communication: A Leader Values and Engages Others

  Becky Robinson

  11 Mar 2010 | 12:48 pm

  Note: From time to time, we will post a "flashback" to a previous month's theme, to review and recall what we've been learning. This post is a review of January's theme. A leader values and engages others. One of the competencies that is most violated by leaders is valuing and engaging others. Too often we take our employees for granted. We see them only as someone to complete a task or check off a box. Valuing others begins with viewing others as whole people and treating them with consideration and respect. Effective leaders recognize that people are complex and…

• Hidden Bias

  Becky Robinson

  9 Mar 2010 | 6:14 am

  Last night I participated in and and observed a live chat in one of Mountain State University's Bachelor of Science Organizational Leadership courses. It's an exciting next step for me as I prepare to become one of MSU's newest adjunct faculty members. After reading and writing about Mountain State's leadership programs for more than a year, and getting to know students and graduates through interviews, I am excited to experience our programs first-hand, to interact with students and to learn and grow with them. I can already see many ways that teaching will sharpen my…

• March 7th Leadership Development Carnival

  Becky Robinson

  7 Mar 2010 | 3:31 pm

  It's time for another Leadership Development Carnival. This one is hosted by Dan McCarthy at Great Leadership, and it will be well worth your time to check out the links for some great reading on the topic of leadership and development. We are thankful to Dan for including us in this month's carnival. Here are a few reasons I appreciate this carnival: It's a great place to find new blogs to learn from and read. I can catch up on my reading and discover posts I might have missed from all my favorite bloggers. Dan is always encouraging and supportive of others, an excellent…

• Try Something New?

  Becky Robinson

  4 Mar 2010 | 2:26 am

  For years, my family joked that I only liked to eat macaroni and cheese or pizza. For years, it wasn't far from the truth. Some things I wouldn't eat: turnip greens, seafood. (I still don't.) As I grew toward adulthood, I expanded my food choices considerably, perhaps in part to my parents' gentle encouragement: "Yum, this is so good. Would you like to try some?" I am still not a very adventurous eater —  I gravitate toward familiar foods — but I am much more willing to try new things. People often find comfort in what they know and experience anxiety when…

• Are We the Same, Or Are We Different?

  Becky Robinson

  2 Mar 2010 | 2:33 am

  Sometimes, our similarities and differences are easy to see; our outward qualities of age, race, and gender are visible and obvious. When we see those outward qualities, we may be tempted to label and name before we look deeper to find common ground beyond our surface differences. We may look different from one another outwardly, while our hearts and minds are aligned; or we may look the same while underneath we hold much different perspectives. We are the same AND we are different. We are different AND we are the same. If we want to lead others, we need to be able to see: past and…

• 

  Mary Jo Asmus

• Thought-full Thursday: Dreaming

  Mary Jo Asmus

  11 Mar 2010 | 3:10 am

  Every Thursday, I provide you with a thoughtful way to coach yourself – something all leaders need to do. So take five – enjoy the inspirational quotes or passages and reflect on the questions that follow.  “When I dream alone, it is just a dream. When we dream together, it is the beginning of reality. When we work together, following our dream, it is the creation of heaven on earth “ ….. Adapted Brazilian Proverb What is the dream that you dream of becoming a reality? What does heaven on earth look for you? Who will you invite to dream with you? What first step can…

• Making Sure You Sweat

  Mary Jo Asmus

  9 Mar 2010 | 4:30 pm

  Leadership can be quite a journey. We have good days and bad days (and weeks, months, years). In the end, they all contribute to our learning. The good, the bad, and the ugly are all experiences that we can reflect on and learn from. Many of them “happen” quickly to us, providing us with a chance to react and do our best to change course. Yet there are some things that we need to be intentional about improving. And one of them is us. You know, the self-development- that- forces- us- to- look- at- ourselves- and- do- things- that- will- force- us to- step- out- of- our- comfort- zone…

• Finding Luminosity In Those You Lead

  Mary Jo Asmus

  8 Mar 2010 | 5:07 am

  In the fine arts, the word “value” has to do with the degree of lightness or darkness, the “luminosity” in a color. This is true for human beings too; we all emit a certain degree of luminosity to others – a value that can be interpreted in a positive or negative way. We can notice the value in others if we stay alert. We’ve all known someone who emits a great deal of light; they are luminous. We are attracted to them. That’s the easy part. Making the effort to notice value in those we have rejected, whom we don’t see eye to eye with, is important too. As leaders, there is…

• Thought-full Thursday: Living the Questions

  Mary Jo Asmus

  4 Mar 2010 | 3:27 am

  “Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language. Do not now look for the answers. They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question. Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer, some distant day.” Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet What questions, if answered, will release your full leadership potential?

• Connecting the Dots

  Mary Jo Asmus

  3 Mar 2010 | 4:15 am

  Ruth Shaw was the first woman to head a U.S. power company (Duke Energy). Equipped with a Ph.D. and a successful career in higher education, she had served as an executive in various positions at Duke. When she was chosen for the top position, she was surprised. She didn’t have technical knowledge in engineering, marketing or operations. The board chairman told her that the company already had specialists; that she was chosen to be the CEO to connect the dots. Connecting the dots is very much about having, and using, one’s intuition. My own lifetime of connecting dots Early in my…

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  All Things Workplace

• Don't Let Halos and Horns Blur Your Expectations

  Steve Roesler

  8 Mar 2010 | 9:07 am

  What do your company's talent  conversations sound like?If you've spent more than a few minutes managing, succession planning, or doing a performance review, you know that total talent conversations can morph into a bias founded upon a single experience. Here's what I mean. The Halo EffectThe Halo Effect surfaces when someone has an outstanding characteristic and we allow our positive reaction to that singe characteristic to influence our total judgment of the individual. What follows is a high assessment on many traits because we believe the person is a star in one trait. We ascribe a range…

• Ten Online Resources for Job Seekers

  Steve Roesler

  5 Mar 2010 | 12:18 pm

  The Internet can be a very useful tool when it comes to finding work. However, you may have to search hard and long for quality websites, since, as with most things online, there’s a lot of junk. The following are ten online resources with job search engines and other websites to help you find work fast. 1. Job Search Sites Some of the better job search sites are, in no particular order: Indeed, LinkUp, Simply Hired, and Jobster . Increasingly, employers are posting more and more ads on Craigslist , which is a great resource to find jobs in your immediate area. If you’d like to take…

• Want Better Results? Look For "Plays Well With Others"

  Steve Roesler

  4 Mar 2010 | 12:12 pm

  "Collaboration is a key driver of overall performance of companies around the world. Its impact is twice as significant as a company’s aggressiveness in pursuing new market opportunities (strategic orientation) and five times as significant as the external market environment (market turbulence). As a general rule, global companies that collaborate better, perform better. Those that collaborate less, do not perform as well. It’s just that simple.” That's a pretty powerful claim. It comes from a research study I read a few years ago that was conducted through a collaborative effort of…

• Making Change: Earn Your Chips Early

  Steve Roesler

  2 Mar 2010 | 8:24 am

  If you want to change an organization, you start by changing the patterns in which people talk together, the things they talk about, the frequency of their contact and the makeup of those who overhear them." --Art Kleiner, Who Really Matters I would add: Start doing those things before you need acceptance for a new initiative. Change Chips Are Earned Up Front Most change models start at the point where someone shares a new vision or plan, then asks for enthusiastic support. But we're all poker players (whether we know it or not). We spend time unconsciously earning or collecting chips based…

• Future Leaders: Do You Have These Three?

  Steve Roesler

  1 Mar 2010 | 8:36 am

  We say we want a mentor, a coach, a trusted advisor. We want to grow and become more effective. We ask for help. For "feedback." This is what you need to make it a success: The patience to listen, the humility to hear, and the courage to act. Do you have all three?

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  The Practice of Leadership

• How Malcolm Gladwell masters his “look no hands” style of speaking

  George Ambler

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:19 am

    Photo by penmachine   Gideon Rachman provides some insight into “The secrets of Malcolm Gladwell”, that is some of the secrets to his great speaking ability. In his post Gideon makes the following observations from his experience of speaking alongside Malcolm Gladwell. “First, he is a master of the “look no hands” style of speaking. He just stands up there, with a button mike and talks – and it all sounds very spontaneous, with little asides and jokes, and messages tailored to his Mexican audience. Second, he tells stories – there are theories attached to the…

• Goal setting at Google

  George Ambler

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:18 am

       Photo by Anderaz Don Dodge, a Developer Advocate at Google helping developers build new applications on Google platforms and technologies, wrote an interesting post “How Google sets goals and measures success” discussing how Google goes about goal setting. Don describes the central philosophy to Google’s approach to goal setting is as follows: The Google goal setting process happens in a 90 day cycle… “Every quarter every group at Google sets goals, called OKRs, for the next 90 days. Most big companies set annual goals like improving or growing something by x%,…

• Are you a Leader or just a Boss?

  George Ambler

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:15 am

  I often find that many people onfuse leadership with positional power. We tend to believe that a person in a position of authority or someone with a title, has their position or title due to their leadership qualities. However, in many cases there is no correlation between someone’s position and their leadership ability. Just having a title does not make you a leader, leaderships is about influence. Title only buys you time to exercise true leadership, and in this time your leadership either increases or diminishes and eventually fails. There is a huge difference between being a…

• A 2009 Review of The Practice of Leadership

  George Ambler

  3 Jan 2010 | 11:47 am

  Photo by Sabrina Campagna   A happy New Year to you all! The top posts for 2009 and of all time featured on this blog are listed below…. Top Content Just in case you missed some of the great posts from 2008 here are were the most read posts of the year… Setting SMART Objectives Leaders vs. Managers….. Are they really different? Research finds leadership skills inadequate to meet current and future demand Book Review: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team The ten C’s of employee engagement 10 Steps to Setting SMART objectives Steve Jobs and his leadership The Importance of a Clear…

• John Kotter defines Leadership

  George Ambler

  3 Jan 2010 | 11:46 am

  Photo by apesara John Kotter author of “What Leaders Really Do” and more recently “A Sense of Urgency” provides the following definition of leadership from his book “Leading Change”. “Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles” Leadership is about bringing about change and effective change requires vision, inspiration and effective communication. A vision that is so clear and compelling that people align to make it happen. Today more than ever business and society requires…

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  Hard Court Lessons

• Losing is a Process

  12 Mar 2010 | 7:37 am

  I think most will agree that losing isn't fun and the last thing you want to hear is that it's good for you.But it really is.There are great opportunities to learn, grow and develop in defeat especially when you’re not beating yourself up for losing.As the American writer, Richard Bach once put it,“That's what learning is, after all; not whether we lose the game, but how we lose and how we've changed because of it and what we take away from it that we never had before, to apply to other games. Losing, in a curious way, is winning.” See you on the court!

• Leadership Truths

  9 Mar 2010 | 8:46 pm

  No two people will define leadership the exact same way and if you ask, you'll more than likely receive different responses.For some reason, there seems to be a boatload of thoughts, opinions and perspectives as to what leadership truly is all about.It's one of those things that has a different meaning to different people depending on your involvement or past experiences with it.I'm a member of a leadership group on LinkedIn and a question was posted that asked to identify the major differences between ledership and management.After more than 800 replies, the responses are still coming…

• Get Your Mojo On!

  12 Feb 2010 | 3:35 am

  Have you ever had one of those moments when everything seemed to click on all the right cylinders?It's that intangible feeling you get when the basket is as big as the ocean and you just can't seem to miss a shot?It's sometimes referred to as being in the "zone" or on "fire" and is one those unexplainable things that you want to bottle when you got it and never let go. During Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan seemed to have everything working for him when he scored 35 points in the first half of the game. Everything he threw up seemed to drop including six three-pointers.Even…

• Remember The Acorn

  30 Jan 2010 | 7:49 am

  Reaching our full potential as individuals involves us knowing who and what we are on the inside, determining the things we're suitable for and then taking the appropriate action based on what we've learned.We all have the seed of something inside of us the same way an acorn is the beginning of an oak tree.The responsibility falls on to us to nurture and grow that seed into something great.Leaders can play a role in helping their followers figure this out by empowering them to make their own decisions and reach their own conclusions. By empowering others, leaders are actually empowering…

• High Five

  28 Jan 2010 | 5:12 am

  The positive benefits of acknowledging others and showing appreciation are huge and is something any of us can do regardless if we're in a leadership role or not. It truly is one of the most important things a leader can do to inspire, motivate and empower others so long as its done so genuinely.Former NBAer, Doug Christie once shared a story with me from his playing days in Toronto. It was during a timeout when his team mate, Damon Stoudamire publicly acknowledged the job he was doing on defence against a opposing player.He went on further to describe the importance of this in helping to…

• 

  Saying What You Mean

• Improving Executive Presence One Bite at a Time

  nicoledefalco

  25 Feb 2010 | 8:05 pm

  Justice Potter Stewart coined an idiomatic phrase so useful it’s like a linguistic hammer. Instead of continuing the struggle to define a nebulous term (in his case, hard-core pornography), he simply stated that “I know it when I see it.” In addition to potentially revealing a little too much information about what he did in his spare time (how does he know it when he sees it if he hasn’t seen it before?), Justice Stewart gave us a catch-all term that relieves us from the burden of succinctly describing the indescribable. Since that fateful judgment in 1964, every elusive word or…

• Executive Presence: The Power of First Impressions

  nicoledefalco

  10 Feb 2010 | 10:32 am

  Observing Art and Preppy I tried to stay focused on writing my blog post, but the scene at the next table had the dramatic pull of a multi-car pileup. I couldn’t help  marveling at the Albert Einstein-esc coif exploding out from the man’s head. It looked like a zany tutu wildly encircling a large damp cantaloupe. His ensemble of warn out khaki clothing and beat up Chuck Taylor’s completed the cliché. Behold, “The Writer, The Artist.” I searched the Starbuck’s parking lot for the oldest clunker I could find and made myself a bet that he’d drive away in that car. The part…

• How Social Media Helps Birds of a Feather Flock Together

  nicoledefalco

  27 Jan 2010 | 11:30 am

  Savvy leaders are students of both yesterday and today in order to inform a prosperous tomorrow. This month I found out that turning 40 is a time for reflecting back (as well as being the brunt of a lot jokes about farsightedness, forgetfulness, and gray hair). While it’s a blast remembering the amusement park-type fun of bumping around the “way back” of a station wagon unfettered by seat belts and other safety accoutrement, too much time lamenting about the “way things were” becomes fruitless and counterproductive. For leaders, nostalgia can be both poignant and potentially…

• Influence Without Expertise

  nicoledefalco

  17 Dec 2009 | 7:14 pm

  An outstanding source of influence is a reputation for and track record of success as an expert in a given arena.  A wealth of credibility is earned when an individual is crowned by a community as the “go-to” person for information and results relative to a certain topic, process, or task. Leaders intent on making positive contributions in organizations and/or communities use the credibility and respect bestowed upon them for their specialization to motivate others to join them in the achievement of positive goals. But what if you are a jack of all trades and master of none? Here…

• The Most Important Part of a Productive Meeting

  nicoledefalco

  1 Dec 2009 | 8:28 pm

  For those of us working in organizations as employees, vendors, or consultants, the ebb and flow of our time is greatly affected by a schedule of daily meetings.    Influential leaders recognize, accept, and capitalize on the significance of meetings in everyday work life. They astutely leverage this valuable time to motivate others to collaborate on initiatives, expedite decision-making, and facilitate the production of needed deliverables. While it is true that influential leaders artfully employ efficient meetings, it is also true that running productive efficient meetings increases…

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  Bret L. Simmons: POB: Positive Organizational Behavior

• Humble Pie

  Bret L. Simmons

  12 Mar 2010 | 1:26 pm

  I screwed up today. I betrayed the confidence of someone that I trust, admire, and respect. Three other people I also value were touched by my ugly transgression. I got lazy with e-mail. I meant to forward an article to four people, and instead of starting a new e-mail I grabbed the last e-mail I had from one of them and added the other three addresses to it. I did not even think to delete the text from the e-mail I grabbed, and it contained information shared in confidence. I wish I could crawl under a rock. I’ve already apologized to all involved, but somehow that’s just not…

• Today’s Problems Come From Yesterday’s Solutions

  Bret L. Simmons

  11 Mar 2010 | 3:11 pm

  You can’t change the past, but if you don’t learn from it you are trapped into recreating it and all its problems. The only way to generate a unique and flourishing future for your organization is to foster a community of continual learning. Peter Senge’s first law of The Fifth Discipline is today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions. The problem you inherited today is likely the result of a series of solutions that seemed right at the time made by people that are probably no longer around. Your challenge is to learn to avoid sowing the seeds of…

• Respectful Engagement

  Bret L. Simmons

  9 Mar 2010 | 5:02 pm

  Respect is a gift we give ourselves by the way we treat others. Remarkable leaders never demand that others respect them and their position. Instead, remarkable leaders focus on their responsibility to behave in respectful ways towards others, especially those with less power and position. Remarkable leaders owe it to themselves to engage with others respectfully, and the credit returns to them abundantly in the form of organizational effectiveness and individual growth and well-being. In her wonderful book “Energize Your Workplace,” Jane Dutton says the following about respectful…

• Service System Recovery: Back To Peet’s Coffee

  Bret L. Simmons

  8 Mar 2010 | 2:10 pm

  I am drinking a cup of latte from Peet’s coffee on campus as I write this follow-up.  Recall that I lamented about the vanishing cup of $.99 coffee at Peet’s before switching over to Starbucks, then I talked about how someone in management here on campus read my blog post and provided some impressive service recovery. Today I went back to Peet’s for the first time to give them another chance. Much to my great surprise, the manager, Michelle, recognized me and introduced herself. We had a nice conversation about some of my assumptions about the $.99 cup of Joe. Turns out I…

• Student Branding Blog: Learning To Brand

  Bret L. Simmons

  8 Mar 2010 | 11:17 am

  My new article entitled “Learning to Brand” is now live on The Student Branding Blog. Borrowing a concept from Peter Senge, I suggest that the most successful personal branders will be those that can learn faster than their competitors. BTW, in the video I am sitting on a tree stump that had some geothermal activity under it, which is why you see steam seem to rise out of nowhere. Check it out!

• 

  Saying What You Mean

• Improving Executive Presence One Bite at a Time

  nicoledefalco

  25 Feb 2010 | 8:05 pm

  Justice Potter Stewart coined an idiomatic phrase so useful it’s like a linguistic hammer. Instead of continuing the struggle to define a nebulous term (in his case, hard-core pornography), he simply stated that “I know it when I see it.” In addition to potentially revealing a little too much information about what he did in his spare time (how does he know it when he sees it if he hasn’t seen it before?), Justice Stewart gave us a catch-all term that relieves us from the burden of succinctly describing the indescribable. Since that fateful judgment in 1964, every elusive word or…

• Executive Presence: The Power of First Impressions

  nicoledefalco

  10 Feb 2010 | 10:32 am

  Observing Art and Preppy I tried to stay focused on writing my blog post, but the scene at the next table had the dramatic pull of a multi-car pileup. I couldn’t help  marveling at the Albert Einstein-esc coif exploding out from the man’s head. It looked like a zany tutu wildly encircling a large damp cantaloupe. His ensemble of warn out khaki clothing and beat up Chuck Taylor’s completed the cliché. Behold, “The Writer, The Artist.” I searched the Starbuck’s parking lot for the oldest clunker I could find and made myself a bet that he’d drive away in that car. The part…

• How Social Media Helps Birds of a Feather Flock Together

  nicoledefalco

  27 Jan 2010 | 11:30 am

  Savvy leaders are students of both yesterday and today in order to inform a prosperous tomorrow. This month I found out that turning 40 is a time for reflecting back (as well as being the brunt of a lot jokes about farsightedness, forgetfulness, and gray hair). While it’s a blast remembering the amusement park-type fun of bumping around the “way back” of a station wagon unfettered by seat belts and other safety accoutrement, too much time lamenting about the “way things were” becomes fruitless and counterproductive. For leaders, nostalgia can be both poignant and potentially…

• Influence Without Expertise

  nicoledefalco

  17 Dec 2009 | 7:14 pm

  An outstanding source of influence is a reputation for and track record of success as an expert in a given arena.  A wealth of credibility is earned when an individual is crowned by a community as the “go-to” person for information and results relative to a certain topic, process, or task. Leaders intent on making positive contributions in organizations and/or communities use the credibility and respect bestowed upon them for their specialization to motivate others to join them in the achievement of positive goals. But what if you are a jack of all trades and master of none? Here…

• The Most Important Part of a Productive Meeting

  nicoledefalco

  1 Dec 2009 | 8:28 pm

  For those of us working in organizations as employees, vendors, or consultants, the ebb and flow of our time is greatly affected by a schedule of daily meetings.    Influential leaders recognize, accept, and capitalize on the significance of meetings in everyday work life. They astutely leverage this valuable time to motivate others to collaborate on initiatives, expedite decision-making, and facilitate the production of needed deliverables. While it is true that influential leaders artfully employ efficient meetings, it is also true that running productive efficient meetings increases…

• 

  Management Blog

• Corporate culture: ninja style

  AIM Qld & NT

  11 Mar 2010 | 1:26 pm

  Padraig Hyland has a unique way of explaining his thoughts on leadership. A self-proclaimed business 'ninja', Hyland uses comedy to deliver his tips on how to build a positive corporate culture. Via meettheboss.tv

• The role of intuition in decision-making

  AIM Qld & NT

  10 Mar 2010 | 3:04 pm

  Should leaders rely on intuition or hard data when making decisions?        A recent Harvard Working Knowledge blog post suggests there is a compelling argument for decision-making processes that incorporate both gut feelings and analysis.Blogger Jim Heskett says achieving this mix involves weighing up a range of factors including the nature of the decision, the nature of the decider, available information, history and experience. But that's not to say all leaders are completely comfortable with intuition. After inviting comment on his post, Heskett found many professionals are…

• Tips for building good client relationships

  AIM Qld & NT

  9 Mar 2010 | 2:06 pm

  The key to maintaining long-term client relationships is to manage expectations – a process that can help businesses avoid damaging their reputations.A recent Flying Solo blog posts suggests beneficial relationships can be fostered by following nine golden rules. In summary, here are the first five: Be clear about inclusions – outline what you will deliver and explain these deliverables in plain English Be clear about exclusions – leave no room for assumptions by describing what services your offering doesn't include Don't over-promise – be honest with your client about what…

• Twitter hits the 10 billion mark

  AIM Qld & NT

  8 Mar 2010 | 4:35 pm

  Twitter may have a lot of detractors but last week's milestone of 10 billion 'tweets' proves the social media platform has become a force to be reckoned with, commentator Gordon Farrer argues.Writing in The Age, Farrer says Twitter is currently attracting 50 million tweets a day, a figure that translates to around 2.5 million posts every hour.While Twitter is often described as a conduit for inane or boring details, it's claimed the social media form has recently evolved into a tool that people use to report on what's going on around them.        It's also…

• Women opting for work/life balance: survey

  AIM Qld & NT

  7 Mar 2010 | 5:27 pm

  New research suggests most Australian women are more focused on their family life than career, The Advertiser reports.The Kidspot survey found three quarters of women feel family is the most important thing in their lives and placed career last in a list of priorities that included friends, fitness, study and community work.Kidspot chief executive Katie May says the results show the idea of 'doing it all' is no longer relevant and that there has been a move away from the 'perfectionist' attitudes held by many women.But female equality advocate Jenni Colwill disagrees with…

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  Emerging Leadership Circle

• Us vs. Them – Perspectives on leading change

  Jim Canterucci

  11 Mar 2010 | 6:20 am

  To successfully lead change we must view change from the eyes of the front-line employee. At a high level the front-line employee can view the impact of organizational change based on the actions of two groups, Us and Them. The concept of US vs. THEM is used to show the two sides of change leadership rather than imply a confrontational attitude. The concept of US vs. THEM is useful to show the perception of change and how it is dealt with based on individual, local (US) control of reactions to change as well as how change is introduced by the organization (THEM). For successful change…

• Roots and Wings

  Jim Canterucci

  9 Mar 2010 | 6:57 am

  The following is a short book preview contributed by the Ohio State University Leadership Center. From: Gergen, C. & Vanourek, G. (2008). Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. As much as we ascribe to the hero’s journey, we are more fragile and vulnerable than we care to admit. We need others to fortify our resolve, provide perspective, and back us with emotional support. The deepest sources of strength among the life entrepreneurs we interviewed were their life partners, families, friends, mentors, and business partners. These…

• Let your people do their job

  Jim Canterucci

  4 Mar 2010 | 6:38 am

  Be involved, be supportive, challenge, provide guidance, coach skills and approach, BUT let your people do their job – until they stop doing it or it’s clear they will fail, not before. If they do fail or failure is likely, then make an official change of personnel or assign the task to someone else. To illustrate one of the easiest leadership mistakes to make, here’s a painful story from my youth. Like most 9 year-old boys in the US I played Little League baseball. I hadn’t yet found the little athlete inside of me at that point. I wasn’t very good but I loved…

• 12 Deadly Sins of Leaders

  Jim Canterucci

  2 Mar 2010 | 7:01 am

  The following is a short book preview contributed by the Ohio State University Leadership Center. Leadership vs. Management Strategies for Developing Effective Teams From: William A. Howatt Kentville, Nova Scotia: Howatt HR Consulting Inc. (2008) Not being aware of the value of staff development. Wanting to be liked more than respected. Not implementing an effective vertical and horizontal communications system. Not being aware of the impact of negative comments. Not asking team members for their opinion on a regular basis. Not following the same rulebook as the team. Not promoting…

• Is anybody out there?

  Jim Canterucci

  25 Feb 2010 | 5:17 am

  According to a new survey by Lynn Taylor, author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant –TOT (John Wiley & Sons), U.S. employees spend 19.2 hours a week (13 hours during the work week and 6.2 hours on the weekend) worrying about “what a boss says or does.” Yes, people notice what you say and do and just as importantly what you don’t say or do. The best relationships develop to a point where a short cut language develops and a glance or a nod can suffice. Do you have that type of relationship with everyone on your team? Don’t forget that a close relationship between friends…

• 

  Leadership Lessons From Triathlons

• Questioning How We Think

  13 Mar 2010 | 10:55 am

  This morning, I was an active spectator at the Singapore Biathlon. This was an aquathlon, organised by the Singapore Navy, comprised the Olympic Triathlon Distance of a 1.5km swim and a 10km run. I found it fun and challenging to take photographs and videos of friends running from the transition area, and highly determined sprint to the finish. It was a vast sea of both familiar and unfamiliar faces, and I had to shift my focus (and that of my Creative Vado Pocket Video Cam) constantly. John Cooke wrote about how ‘Riding and training offers many lessons that can be applied in life…

• Keep It Short and Sharp-Witted

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:31 pm

  Since this is the weekend, we will combine a little English writing lesson with wit and humour. This is a story of a 16-year-old boy from New Hampshire who won the World's shortest essay competition. He was awarded a scholarship at the University of Harvard for his imagination and humour. Here's an example of absolute brilliance… An English university creative writing class was asked to write a concise essay containing the following elements 1) Religion 2) Royalty 3) Sex 4) Mystery The prizewinner wrote: ‘My God, ‘ said the Queen. ‘I’m pregnant. I wonder who the father is?’…

• EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MITCH THROWER

  12 Mar 2010 | 3:05 am

  You may have read or heard of him. He is editor of a leading triathlon magazine. When you sign up for your next endurance event on the Active.com portal, you are assessing one of his entrepreneurial offsprings.A serial entrepreneur, Mitch is the co-founder of one of the fastest growing companies in the US -- The Active Network, Inc. which includes Active.com, a software, marketing and registration powerhouse. He also co-founded and served for seven years as CEO of The Active Europe Network, Ltd. which operates Active’s business model in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. His initiative and…

• Business Lessons Learnt From Road Trips

  11 Mar 2010 | 2:00 pm

  The past week was a mini-adventure, of sorts, for me. My journey (as a rusty navigator) with my partner-driver, Melina took us from Auckland to Taupo, and back up. There is so much about leadership you can glean from working as a partnership/team when tensions can mount and tax your mind and body. I so appreciate the relevance of a GPS device, yet it may have reduced the moments of engaging and energetic arguments ('I am right - you are wrong!' and 'You are too slow!').Knowledge Management expert, Keith De Larue wrote a very good piece on his 5,000-kilometre bike-ride in the 1980's. There…

• A Memorable & Mesmerising Cheer

  11 Mar 2010 | 1:48 pm

  This was the opening for the Carbo-Party at Ironman New Zealand 2010. It is filled with strong emotions, sub-text and enormous bursts of energy! I enjoy watching it over and over...Video captured on Creative Technology HD Vado Pocket Video Cam.

• 

  Capgemini Thought Leadership

• Top 5 Outsourcing Myths for Mid-Market Companies

  7 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Mid-size companies have more in common with their larger counterparts than some people would have you believe. Just because they are smaller doesn’t mean that their IT problems are small or insignificant.

• Data Center Optimization

  4 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Data center strategies are coming under scrutiny as companies face rising data volumes, performance expectations and security and environmental concerns. We outline the key things to consider before updating your physical data centers.

• Simplify Your Journey to the Cloud

  4 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Cloud Computing provides organizations with the ability to quickly access variable compute power, and to turn fixed capital hardware investment into controllable, variable and transparent operational cost. This document explores the opportunities, challenges and benefits in understanding your journey to the Cloud.

• The Digital Entertainment Revolution

  25 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Capgemini and In-Stat, leading market analyst for the mobile Internet and digital entertainment ecosystems, share the key findings of their collaborative research. This report identifies the timing and scope of the impacts of the current digital entertainment transformation and the specific business challenges and opportunities facing each segment over the next 3-5 years.

• Digital Content Services

  22 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pm

  With ongoing declines in traditional revenue streams and struggles to replace these loses with new digital revenues, media and entertainment companies must transform their operating models to successfully make their business digital and become more competitive. Capgemini is helping to define, shape and implement new business models for pioneering media and entertainment companies with a transformation framework called Digital Content Services. This point-of-view presents our forward-thinking perspective on the challenges - and opportunities - in today’s media and entertainment industry.

• 

  Talent Technologies Blog

• Team building or team development?

  admin

  7 Mar 2010 | 3:33 am

  Talent Technologies helps Thai and Asian companies develop their teams. In this article we look at the difference between team building and team development to help you decide which of the two is... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• An easy-to-use framework for strategy

  admin

  5 Mar 2010 | 2:34 am

  Deciding on an effective strategy can be a challenging task for even the best  of management teams. Disagreements are always likely to happen, yet there are few things more infuriating than when team... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• The 3 key people ingredients Virgin Air looks for in creating great service experiences

  admin

  23 Feb 2010 | 8:42 pm

  What do you need to look for when hiring people you need for customer-facing positions? Of course, every business has its own set and segments of different customers, but we feel this article... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• How customer experience drives shareholder value

  admin

  16 Feb 2010 | 6:35 pm

  ‘How can offering a superior customer experience add value to my company’s bottom line?’ Asked questions like this by our clients, we thought it would be useful to demonstrate how... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• European Young Professionals networking event

  admin

  16 Feb 2010 | 6:29 pm

  The European Young Professionals are hosting their first event of the year at Q Room, Landmark Hotel. Cloud Nine is one event not to be missed. With sumptuous raffle prizes (including a free return... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• 

  Top Executive Coaching with Tony Mayo

• How to Conduct a “Customer Listening Session”

  tonymayo

  10 Mar 2010 | 11:46 am

  Top executive coach Tony Mayo explains how to conduct a "Customer Listening Session."

• Positions Ponder. People Purchase.

  tonymayo

  8 Mar 2010 | 5:49 am

  I hesitate to share the details of my first breakthrough in selling because I once thought I was the only salesperson with this problem and, to put it bluntly, the reason for the problem makes me look like a jerk. What follows may be of no use to you because you’re probably one of the [...]

• What About Me?

  tonymayo

  2 Mar 2010 | 12:07 pm

  Mesmerizing and provocative meditation to modern music from “The Sakyong, Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche, one of Tibet’s highest and most respected incarnate lamas.” Sakyong Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, Jampal Trinley Dradul (born Osel Rangdrol Mukpo in 1962) is the head of the Shambhala Buddhist lineage and Shambhala International, a worldwide network of urban Buddhist [...]

• Clever Solution to a Corrupt Choice

  tonymayo

  1 Mar 2010 | 9:43 am

  Pebble Problem A merchant owed a large sum of money to a lender. The old, ugly moneylender fancied the merchant’s beautiful daughter. He proposed that he would forget the debt if he could marry the merchant’s daughter. The merchant and his daughter were horrified. The moneylender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. [...]

• You assume more than you know

  tonymayo

  28 Feb 2010 | 3:40 pm

  Two minute video to remind us of how much we assume. Your point-of-view determines what you see and what you can ask.

• 

  QAspire Blog - Quality, Management, Leadership & Life!

• Quick Thoughts on Differentiation

  Tanmay

  10 Mar 2010 | 10:48 pm

  “How are you different?” – an important question that your prospective customer will first ask. Your prospective employer too. Your boss will. So will your team members. Here are some quick thoughts on differentiation, as I thought about it during my recent visit to Helsinki, Finland (some pictures above). It is obvious enough to understand that one has to build differentiation in all that one does. Difficult enough to actually do that. It is not just one action, but a series of actions consistently performed over a long haul. There are no short-cuts in building differentiation.

• A Round Up of My Writing in February 2010

  Tanmay

  27 Feb 2010 | 1:01 am

  February was an amazing month for me personally – lot of new exploration, new experiences (good and bad, bad left me with some good lessons) and new ideas. January and February have been months of deliberate blogging for me where I religiously wrote three posts a week. It only helped me sharpen my own thinking and write better. If you missed any of my February posts because of work, travel or holidays, here is a quick round up of all I wrote in February. Now looking forward to March! My Writing at QAspire Blog I started the month with a post titled “3 High-Value Tips for Leaders to Break…

• #QUALITYtweet – Interviews, Guest Post and Reviews

  Tanmay

  23 Feb 2010 | 9:01 pm

  I am delighted to share a couple of things that happened this week around my book #QUALITYtweet. Phil Gerbyshak is a cool friend who also wrote advance praise in the book. Phil is a “Make it Great” guy whose attitude on life is nothing less than contagious. It reflects in the way he writes. Phil interviewed me this week on my book. You can read the full interview here Tom Glover been devoting the last several articles to my book #QUALITYtweet. He reviewed the book in a previous article and shared two-part interview with me. You can read Part - I and Part – II of the interview. Today,…

• Quick Thought on Leadership and Subordination to a Cause

  Tanmay

  21 Feb 2010 | 8:21 pm

  If you are a manager or leader, you are very likely to have followers whom we commonly refer to as ‘subordinates.’ In an organizational context, subordination refers to a lower position in the hierarchy. A leader is placed at a higher rank and subordinates are at a lower rank. That is the common perception, and also a reality in many organizations even today. Key question that leaders need to ask themselves - “If people are subordinates, what are they subordinating to?” In my view, people never subordinate other people. They are subordinates to a cause. In that sense, even a leader is…

• The focus is on YOU

  Tanmay

  18 Feb 2010 | 8:51 pm

  This morning when I was praying, God gently put His hand on my head and lovingly said - "My Son, Those who wait for an opportunity never get it. I have given you hands and head so that you can work hard, think, move ahead and create opportunities. Just like a farmer sprinkles seeds across on the land, I have sprinkled opportunities around you. But like a farmer, you have to work hard and long to seize those opportunities. The road below your feet will never move unless YOU move. A river never complains about the obstacles in the way. River creates a way because a river was made to flow.

• 

  churchrelevance.com

• Talent Scouting the Slums

  Kent Shaffer

  8 Mar 2010 | 1:59 pm

  Today I met 14 year old Nelson Juma Dbongo of the Mathare Slums. He wants to be a journalist and an actor. He has what it takes. In his free time, he goes to the library to read and learn how to improve his writing composition. He has already written 8 comedies and a few dramas on tough topics like AIDS and drug abuse. Since 2001, Compassion International’s Mathare Community Outreach has made this possible. It takes him 30 minutes to get there (or 1 hour if he walks slowly). THE FUTURE Nelson wants to attend university, hopefully in America. He wants to be a successful actor and…

• The Hope of the Mathare Slum

  Kent Shaffer

  8 Mar 2010 | 12:07 pm

  A mist of alcohol hit my face. We were downwind from moonshiners. This is the Mathare Slum, where the streets are made of garbage.  These 3 square miles of winding alleys are home to 800,000 people. It is Kenya’s second largest slum. It houses drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves, and gangs. And children are routinely exposed to alcohol, drugs, and pornography. But admist the oppression is a bright shining hope… the children and staff of Mathare Community Outreach. It provides the normal services of a Compaasion International project, but it also gives its kids special programs to…

• The Gritty Reality of Being a Child Sponsor

  Kent Shaffer

  7 Mar 2010 | 2:06 pm

  I sponsor a child in Africa. His name is Owen. For 5 days, I am touring Kenya to see, learn, and blog about the incredible impact Compassion International’s 287 projects are making in Kenya. Each day teaches me more about the importance of child sponsorship. And each day teaches me more about how child sponsorship dramatically changes a kid’s life. Today I had the honor to take Owen to a Kenyan amusement park. I’ve seen the local poverty. I’ve heard the stories. But this was the first time I saw with clarity the gritty reality of what my child sponsorship means to…

• Kenya Day #3 (Photo Recap)

  Kent Shaffer

  6 Mar 2010 | 1:53 pm

  Here is a recap of Day #3 at Compassion International Kenya. Photos by Ryan Detzel Photos by Kent Shaffer. Photos by Keely Marie Scott. Sponsored by: The Carlos Whittaker EP The Carlos Whittaker EP is the beginning of the soundtrack for Carlos and his Ragamuffin Soul movement. Featuring the first single: Rain It Down, the infectious Jesus Saves, and the worship anthem We Will Worship, the Carlos Whittaker EP is just a taste of what is to come from Carlos and his band of Ragamuffin followers.

• Education. Education. Education is the key.

  Kent Shaffer

  6 Mar 2010 | 9:18 am

  Compassion International is big on education. Watch this video to find out what education means to Shadrach of the Masai tribe. Now watch this video to see the quality of their education and their enthusiasm in action. You can sponsor a child to give the gift of education. Videos by LV Hanson. Sponsored by: Clover: Websites for Growing Ministries Clover combines beautiful, clean, contemporary design with the most intuitive content management system ever invented. The best part is that Clover is priced for ministries. Be a part of something beautiful.

• 

  Grant McCracken

• simultaneity vs. seriality: what to do now that we have no attention span

  Grant McCracken

  11 Mar 2010 | 8:37 am

    I saw a dandy presentation in Boulder by Steve Clouthier. It had a strange structure. Steve began with one image and stayed with that image for the entire 40 minutes of his talk. When he wanted to make specific points, he would drop down on to one of the sections of this image, and an entire world would open up.  Finished there, he would climb back up to the entire image. Steve’s presentation was given as if from Google Maps.  He was working from 31,000 feet.  When he needed to give us a finer view of his topic, he would drop down into it.  And then return.

• T-Mobile, ever so badly behaved

  Grant McCracken

  8 Mar 2010 | 3:55 pm

    So I am in the United lounge at La Guardia (sp)  the other day.  And I hope to use the wireless system there.  And for a moment it works.   T-mobile at my disposal.   Not really.  I can’t make contact.   And then, I can’t get out. Mr. Impatient business man, I revert to my wireless carrier of choice, AT&T  But T-Mobile won’t let go. In fact, I can’t "get out" and make contact with AT&T because T-Mobile insists I must be trying to talk to it. "You talking to me."  It is very like a…

• Truth, beauty and D’oh!

  Grant McCracken

  3 Mar 2010 | 4:13 pm

  For one shining moment here in Boulder while walking down a side walk, I thought one of life’s great secrets was about to be revealed to me. This reads: "There is no greater beauty than that of."  So close to illumination and then..new sidewalk!

• Edinburgh notes

  Grant

  1 Mar 2010 | 3:51 am

  Am in Scotland today. It is unforgettably beautiful…except that I failed to remember this beauty from my last trip 20 years ago. Staying at the Balmoral hotel and was reminded of the British struggle to do hotels well. I used to think this was due to the Britisl loathing of anything that looks like servitude. But this morning as I struggled with a badly designed shower I began to wonder this isn’t also about the ancient problem of hotels in a hierarchical societies as Britain once was so ferociously. Travelers are people out of place. It is hard to know what their status is.

• Rusting Buicks and the destruction of wealth

  Grant McCracken

  25 Feb 2010 | 7:23 pm

  Picture yourself in the hinterland of British Columbia. You are many hundreds of miles from Vancouver.   You are in the middle of nowhere on a stretch of road so desolate it feels like something out of an X-Files episode. (Cue the X-Files orchestra for a few bars of that eerie theme music.) There’s a mining camp at one end of the road and a mining camp at the other.  Most everyone here get an hourly wage. And the wage is generous.  These rough necks are paid like princes.  They start high.  (Who would come to this god forsaken place otherwise?)  And because…

• 

  Management Craft

• Best of Inspiration from Exec Women in Govt Conference

  Lisa Haneberg

  12 Mar 2010 | 8:53 am

  I had the pleasure and privilege of speaking at the Executive Women in Government conference yesterday. There were about eight speakers - all powerful and inspiring leaders - and their messages seem to come together in a wonderful call to action. The post I did on Relevancy, Vibrancy, and Legacy shared the main points of my contribution. Here are a few of the more memorable bits of wisdom from the other speakers: We live in a new era of complexity and we need to face what we have to do. Our movements must change, too (referring to previous movements that catalyzed change). The importance of…

• Relevancy -> Vibrancy -> Legacy

  Lisa Haneberg

  3 Mar 2010 | 3:50 am

  I am putting the finishing touches on a presentation for next week that is about how we can leave our legacy in today's crazy work world. It strikes me that there are three levels of contribution.Relevancy - you keep learning and you stay up to date on how to best communicate and connect with others. You seek mentors and coaches in a variety of places and from people at all levels of the organization. Because you stay current, you can better manage across generations and cultures and you use these skills to help teams spend time well and get results. Relevancy requires openness.Vibrancy - you…

• How our Actions Ripple and Spread - An Opportunity to Catalyze

  Lisa Haneberg

  1 Mar 2010 | 10:01 am

  I love this post from pal Lisa over at the Bloom blog called Ripple Effect. It is a stunning story that every manager should read. When we show care and appreciation, when we acknowledge others and make them feel special, our efforts - which often take no more than a minute and cost nothing - can have a huge and lasting impact on others.

• Do you talk beyond the point of contribution?

  Lisa Haneberg

  26 Feb 2010 | 3:36 pm

  I was facilitating a training class this week and asked participants one thing they loved and hated about meetings. Meetings are SOOOO expensive and it is important that every meeting should help move things forward with top velocity. One participant said she hates it when people talk beyond the point of contribution. What a great way to phrase a common problem!!! I told her it would make a great blog post title and here it is. Twitter is just 140 characters. The best blog posts are often short and saturated quickly get to the point. Should the same logic apply to meeting conversations? Well,…

• High Impact Middle #Management - Again!

  Lisa Haneberg

  23 Feb 2010 | 5:43 pm

  I got an email from my publisher that the new edition of my book about high impact middle management is available (they just did an email blast you can see it here). The new version has a slightly tweaked title: The High Impact Middle Manager. I am thrilled to have this book (a slightly revised version of my first book, High Impact Middle Management) back in publication and available. If you are a middle manager, know and love a middle manager, or want to someday be a great middle manager, check it out. Amazon has it as available for preorder, but it should start shipping soon. A bit of…

• 

  All Things Workplace

• Don't Let Halos and Horns Blur Your Expectations

  Steve Roesler

  8 Mar 2010 | 9:07 am

  What do your company's talent  conversations sound like?If you've spent more than a few minutes managing, succession planning, or doing a performance review, you know that total talent conversations can morph into a bias founded upon a single experience. Here's what I mean. The Halo EffectThe Halo Effect surfaces when someone has an outstanding characteristic and we allow our positive reaction to that singe characteristic to influence our total judgment of the individual. What follows is a high assessment on many traits because we believe the person is a star in one trait. We ascribe a range…

• Ten Online Resources for Job Seekers

  Steve Roesler

  5 Mar 2010 | 12:18 pm

  The Internet can be a very useful tool when it comes to finding work. However, you may have to search hard and long for quality websites, since, as with most things online, there’s a lot of junk. The following are ten online resources with job search engines and other websites to help you find work fast. 1. Job Search Sites Some of the better job search sites are, in no particular order: Indeed, LinkUp, Simply Hired, and Jobster . Increasingly, employers are posting more and more ads on Craigslist , which is a great resource to find jobs in your immediate area. If you’d like to take…

• Want Better Results? Look For "Plays Well With Others"

  Steve Roesler

  4 Mar 2010 | 12:12 pm

  "Collaboration is a key driver of overall performance of companies around the world. Its impact is twice as significant as a company’s aggressiveness in pursuing new market opportunities (strategic orientation) and five times as significant as the external market environment (market turbulence). As a general rule, global companies that collaborate better, perform better. Those that collaborate less, do not perform as well. It’s just that simple.” That's a pretty powerful claim. It comes from a research study I read a few years ago that was conducted through a collaborative effort of…

• Making Change: Earn Your Chips Early

  Steve Roesler

  2 Mar 2010 | 8:24 am

  If you want to change an organization, you start by changing the patterns in which people talk together, the things they talk about, the frequency of their contact and the makeup of those who overhear them." --Art Kleiner, Who Really Matters I would add: Start doing those things before you need acceptance for a new initiative. Change Chips Are Earned Up Front Most change models start at the point where someone shares a new vision or plan, then asks for enthusiastic support. But we're all poker players (whether we know it or not). We spend time unconsciously earning or collecting chips based…

• Future Leaders: Do You Have These Three?

  Steve Roesler

  1 Mar 2010 | 8:36 am

  We say we want a mentor, a coach, a trusted advisor. We want to grow and become more effective. We ask for help. For "feedback." This is what you need to make it a success: The patience to listen, the humility to hear, and the courage to act. Do you have all three?

• 

  Lip-Sticking

• "If You Use The Restroom Before You Order"

  Mary Schmidt

  12 Mar 2010 | 10:57 am

  By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing TroubleshooterYou have to pay us! (?!?) The sign in its entirety: Restrooms for CUSTOMERS ONLY.  AND You will be charged $1.00 if you use the restroom before you order!" This a real sign posted on the front door of an  Albuquerque Old Town restaurant.  This soon-to-be customer (who didn't need to use the restroom), turned on her heel and walked the other way.  (And, how often do we need to - um - take a bio break, during a long day of shopping, before we can focus on ordering?) Yet another example of a business viewing people as a problem, not an…

• Neat Company uses Twitter & blog promotion to do some smart, tax-season marketing

  Donna DeClemente

  10 Mar 2010 | 7:50 am

  By Guest Blogger, Donna DeClemente, Donna's Promo Talk It's tax season again, the time of year that we all love to hate, especially us small business owners! I handed over all my papers to my accountant a couple of weeks ago which of course is the hardest part of the job. I have two daughters that are both in college now so I was excited to learn that I'd be getting some tax credits for this. My oldest daughter is in her second year, in what I believe to be the #3 most expensive college in the U.S. - NYU!Anyhow I recently received an email advertisement from the Neat Company in which they…

• Sometimes Setting People Straight is a Matter of Marketing

  Lena West

  8 Mar 2010 | 2:00 am

  by Guest Blogger, Lena West, Chief of Social Media Strategy at xynoMedia As you might know, last week was the first week of class for my 8-week, Real Women Do Social Media program. I am humbled to say that before class started, we sold out of the 25 available seats in the program (I wanted to keep the groups intimate). To say that I was proud and amazed is an understatement.Stay with me now...On Twitter, because you only have 140 characters, each word counts - and to me, it counts that much more. There are no other words around those 140 characters to place them in any sort of context.

• The Academy Awards - A Woman-focused TV Show?

  Yvonne

  6 Mar 2010 | 11:56 am

  I'm happy to know the folks at Hoffman York. They're tuned in to the women's market like few others. Regular Lip-sticking readers will know that I have no patience for marketing to women that is dominated by men. Yes, men can "get it" and many do. Yes, men who take the time to stop, look and listen, provide valuable marketing ideas for the women's market. But, for the most part, if you pitch marketing to women articles, ads, or books to me...there better be a woman involved, somewhere. At Hoffman York, there is. At Hoffman York I see the men and women working together. What concept! Their…

• Where are the Women Bloggers In (Insert Industry)?

  Mary Schmidt

  5 Mar 2010 | 9:24 am

  By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing TroubleshooterI just got back from a huge trade event, HIMSS 10 (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society). Lots and lots of exhibitors, 30,000 people...and - to HIMSS' credit - a "social media" education area and two panel discussion sessions with bloggers who focus on health care.  Unfortunately I was only able to attend one of the sessions, but it was worthwhile if only because I got to chat with Jane Sarasohn-Kahn, who writes the HealthPopuli blog (you may have heard her being interviewed on NPR.)  The guys on the panel were also…

• 

  Persuasive.net

• The Pain & Pleasure Principle

  AJ Kumar

  21 Feb 2010 | 10:25 pm

  Every single human being is motivated 1 of 2 ways: move away from pain or go towards pleasure. For a very simplistic example… in most religions, there is the Heaven and Hell concept… People who are motivated by pleasure: A person lives their life to go to Heaven. This means that the thought of going to [...]

• 9 Secrets to Present Powerfully

  AJ Kumar

  27 Jan 2010 | 7:30 pm

  You’re at a huge networking event.  Nervously, you glance around the room and see many familiar faces. Some of the faces are new and are even smiling.  These are the faces of your fellow club members.  You have talked to them many times on many different occasions.  So why should this be any different?  Why [...]

• Using Your Body Language to Persuade

  AJ Kumar

  18 Jan 2010 | 6:07 pm

  Ever listen to someone speaking and realize that something about that person just did not ring true? Something about the way he carried himself conflicted with his words. Maybe, it was his inability to look you in the eye. Perhaps, his hands distracted you. Or maybe it was the facial expressions that just did not [...]

• The 6 Steps to Mastery

  AJ Kumar

  29 Dec 2009 | 10:15 pm

  One of my favorite mentors during the beginning of my personal development career was a guy by the name of Matthew Ferry. I’ve learned many amazing concepts about the law of attraction, the universe, synergizing, and several others.  However, one of the most concepts I’ve ever heard was the six steps to mastery. 1. Formulation Create a [...]

• The Three-Step Close That Attracts Clients Like Crazy

  AJ Kumar

  22 Dec 2009 | 8:02 am

  Nine out of ten business presentations end with either an unimpressive “Thank you” or a feeble “Are there any questions?” Both are ineffective when it comes to persuading your audience to buy your products and services. After many years of making business presentations, I discovered the most effective close consists of three parts: a question and [...]

• 

  Learn to Duck

• Tattoos and BBQ at SXSW

  Micah

  11 Mar 2010 | 8:35 am

  This is my third year going to SXSW. This year I am staying through music, which means I have a long time to spend in Austin. So what am I to do? Tattoos and BBQ. Its what SXSW is all about. And, since there will be plenty of guides to BBQ, let me hand down a bit of tattoo wisdom. Especially if you are planning on getting your first tattoo during SXSW. The Rules of Your First Tattoo: 1) Whether you are getting a shamrock on your ankle or an intricate custom piece across your back, allot yourself 4 hours for the first sitting. 2) If its going to be highly custom, be ready for two appointments.

• Location? Location! Location.

  Micah

  1 Mar 2010 | 7:18 pm

  This is not a post on location based services such as Foursquare, Gowalla or location platforms like SimpleGeo. I will leave that up to the experts. Just want to make sure that you have a chance to bail out early. After all, we all have places to go check into. The last four startups I have been involved with (including the two I helped found) have been in the state of Colorado. It seems that over the years, I have gone from being slightly ashamed of the fact that my startups werent in New York or the San Francisco Bay Area to being proud of where I currently hang my hat. I have gotten to the…

• 750 Words on Relationships

  Micah

  1 Mar 2010 | 12:21 pm

  Yesterday, I was on the phone with a really interesting cat. Young guy, he and some friends had built a really smart series of summits and conferences as a way to get young entrepreneurs together with people from all kinds of industries to create connection and opportunity. “Its about dream fulfillment,” he said. “Its about connecting people with ideas. Its about creating opportunities where they didnt exist.” Then he said, “its about connecting people that would be friends even if they had nothing to offer each other.” And for some reason, that concept…

• How Can I Help You?

  Micah

  28 Feb 2010 | 2:00 pm

  5 words. Short sentence. Probably the most important sentence I utter, and with the most feeling, after “I love you.” I was at lunch with a friend a month ago or so, and as the lunch came to a close, my friend told me that I had given him the advice that as a CEO he needed to ask other what he could do to help more often. “I thought you were pompous and condescending  when you gave me that advice.” he said. “Oh,” I replied. “Im sorry. Im often pompous and condescending without realizing it.” (Well, I am.) “But, the advice ate at me,…

• 750 Words on Sharing

  Micah

  21 Feb 2010 | 9:51 am

  When I was a senior in college, I was looking for a job on campus. Looking through the want ads, I came across the highest paying job on campus: University Fundraiser. We were tasked with calling alumni and asking for contributions. I started slowly, but over a six month period, I had the biggest single month and raised more money than anyone had ever done in their entire careers. I was hooked. I headed to Washington, DC after college with my long time friend, Larry “Bubba” Henderson, and after a few months of ramen, we both landed jobs. He worked for Georgetown University where…

• 

  Secret Women's Business Network

• SWBN Bitesize 38: Final Thoughts on Building an Online Persona

  Lisa

  3 Mar 2010 | 3:38 pm

  I’m sure some of you are still not convinced about the concept of building and developing an online persona. Some of you still think it involves some deception or fabrication. I guess I’m not going to convince everybody, but in this final SWBN Bitesize podcast on the topic I return again to the world of the radio presenter (on-air talent) to explain my main point:

• SWBN Bitesize 37: How to Develop Your Online Persona

  Lisa

  1 Mar 2010 | 4:40 pm

  You’ve aligned yourself with a particular personality model and given some thought to the key aspects of your persona you want to portray publicly. You have your story. But what methods are you going to use to tell that story and share and develop your online persona?

• Secret Women’s Business Network Webinars

  Lisa

  26 Feb 2010 | 6:51 am

  The Secret Women’s Business Network hasn’t ventured into the world of webinars…..until now. Later today we’re going to be holding an “Introduction to the SWBN” Webinar so that you can learn more about what we do, what we stand for and how you can network with us. You can also ask any questions you might have about the SWBN. To join the free webinar, please sign up first at Eventbrite to let us know you’re attending: It takes place at 4pm EST (USA), which is 9pm UK time and 8am Saturday morning for Sydney Australia (all other timezones please check out…

• SWBN Bitesize 36: Some Personality Types Work Better than Others

  Lisa

  24 Feb 2010 | 3:36 pm

  Some personality types work better than others and seem to have greater longevity. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel..simply naturally align yourself with a particular personality model (or a crossover of two) and build your story around it.

• Presence Presents

  Allison

  24 Feb 2010 | 1:11 am

  The SWBN was well represented this weekend at Ed Dale’s 30DC Coming home seminar in Melbourne. I wanted to make sure that every woman at that conferences got a gift and a small pitch about the SWBN so I thought hard about what would be cool and accepted by every woman there. it had to be small so that people flying would not be burdened. Ruled out books, diaries and other bulky goods had to be branded with our logo had to showcase what we do for those who were unfamiliar with our work had to be cost effective – balance between cost and ROI had to be something that lasted had to…

• 

  Biz Growth News - branding, business development and new media tips to attract more clients in less time

• John Demartini in Dublin: 5 Free Tickets for 10 March 2010 Event

  Krishna De

  10 Mar 2010 | 12:43 am

  Yikes I almost forgot to let you know that I have kindly been offered 5 free tickets for an event with author and star of The Secret John Demartini. His event is called ‘Bringing Balance to Life and Purpose to Work’. This is short notice so please leave a message for me over on my Facebook Page and I’ll be delighted to give the first 5 people who respond the ticket. Please make sure that you let me know your email address so I can connect you to the event organisers. The Event takes place in the D4 Ballsbridge Inn (Former Jurys Hotel, Ballsbridge) on Wednesday 10 March at…

• Lottery.ie iPhone App Review: In conversation with Deirdre Waldon of Agency.com

  Krishna De

  24 Feb 2010 | 2:38 pm

  Today I was at a conference hosted by The Brain Food Store where there were some great speakers – check the Twitter hash tag for the conversations and insights shared by people at the conference – #bfs10. As usual however, one of the great things about attending conferences is the opportunity to meet interesting people and one of the people I connected with today was Deirdre Waldon of Agency.com. In our conversation I discovered that their agency had developed the iPhone App for the National Lottery in Ireland and I also learned that they had had a significant numbers of downloads…

• Forum on Public Procurement Promoting Recovery Through Public Procurement: Attend the conference at no cost

  Krishna De

  22 Feb 2010 | 10:46 pm

  I have just received an invitation to a conference that might be of interest to you if you want to tender to the public sector in Ireland. I can not attend the conference but read on if you want to know how you could receive my ticket to attend at no cost – the value of the ticket is €375 plus vat. The Forum on Public Procurement, which represents many Irish public sector buyers and suppliers, proposes to open a debate on how small but significant changes in the public procurement process can assist in restoring economic confidence, generate economic activity and offer innovative…

• Your Country Your Call and Ballygowan Pink: 360 integrated marketing programmes and blogger outreach in Ireland

  Krishna De

  19 Feb 2010 | 5:54 am

  This last week there have been a a couple of notable business projects reaching out to connect with bloggers and using new media as part of an integrated campaign of 360 marketing that have caught my attention. REVIEW OF YOUR COUNTRY YOUR CALL ‘Your Country Your Call’ is a new project and is a countrywide competition to identify and reward two proposals that, when implemented, they can help to secure job creation and a prosperous future for Ireland. There will be two competition winners and the winning proposers will each receive a cash prize of €100,000. Both winning proposals will…

• Google Wonderwheel – inspiring topics for your ezine, online article or business blog posts

  Krishna De

  15 Feb 2010 | 6:00 am

  Do you ever get stuck for inspiration in terms of what to write about for your online articles, your newsletter or ezine or your business blog? Or what you could talk about in your podcast or your inline video? Google just might have the answer for you – in this video I go through how to use the Google Wonderwheel search tool to help you with ideas for your topics. Of course – model NEVER copy someone elses articles won’t you! What other places do you like to get ideas for topics for your articles? Here are three other ideas that you might find of assistance: 1. Questions…

• 

  Lean Six Sigma Academy

• Who will you hire?

  Ron Pereira

  10 Mar 2010 | 1:33 pm

  Which do you feel is more important – hard work and hustle or brains and intelligence? In other words, if you had to choose between the following two people to run your family business… who would it be? Person 1: Average intelligence but an unbelievable drive to succeed.  This person has had to work hard for everything they have ever gotten. Person 2: Off the scale intelligence but an average drive to succeed.  This person has always been the smartest around and, as such, has never really had to work hard at anything in their life since most things come naturally. What do you…

• Lean Leaders, circa 2020

  Ron Pereira

  7 Mar 2010 | 4:58 pm

  Guest Post by Michael Lombard of the Lean Builder Blog Have you seen any of Conan O’Brien’s “In the Year 2000” skits? They were funny when he started doing them way back in the 90’s, and were even funnier when he kept doing them long after the turn of the millennium. I don’t know if it was the quasi-futuristic clothing, the dude with the falsetto voice, or Conan’s ridiculous predictions, but that was some hilarious television. In that same spirit, I’d like to make some ridiculous predictions about what Lean Leaders will be like in, let’s say… 10 years from now (in the year…

• The Goal: A 2 Second Improvement Each Day

  Ron Pereira

  4 Mar 2010 | 1:09 pm

  Another hat tip to Jon Miller for first posting this video of Paul Akers and the FastCap team practicing lean thinking. What you think of this process? Do you do something similar at your place of work? The RSS feed content you are reading is copyrighted by the author, Ron Pereira. If you are reading this material on a site other than LSS Academy, the web site is likely infringing on the author's copyright. Related posts:Kaizen – FastCap Style The Lean US Senator Preaches the Gospel that is Lean on Fox News! The American Innovator

• Lean in Hospitals: Running Free vs. Coordinated Efforts

  Ron Pereira

  3 Mar 2010 | 12:08 pm

  Guest Post by Alicia C. Simmer of KHC There’s a choice to be made in how hospital leaders approach implementing lean: either let lean run free or force lean efforts to be coordinated. Running Free In the ‘running free’ approach, power is distributed to departments and groups to make improvements => the on-the-floor experts focus on their issues and make changes that allow them do the right things, the right way. This sounds great, right? People are empowered to change their environment. Lean becomes incorporated into the culture and mindset of the hospital staff. Change and…

• Learn How to Receive Lean Training DVDs Valued at $795 for Free

  Ron Pereira

  28 Feb 2010 | 7:25 pm

  A year ago I, along with my good friends Jon Miller (Gemba Panta Rei) and Kevin Meyer (Evolving Excellence), began one heck of a journey as we launched Gemba Academy. We started with humble beginnings – 1 course with 12 videos and 0 customers. Booyah! Growing Up Quickly But, after a lot of hard work – and lots of PDCA – I’m excited to say that we now offer more than 70 videos covering a wide range of topics including 5S, the 7 Wastes, Value Stream Mapping, Quick Changeover, and Practical Problem Solving. And while this definitely makes me happy, the most amazing…

• 

  Blog - Just Ask Leadership, Executive Coaching - CO2Partners

• Let the Crazy Out a Little at a Time!

  10 Mar 2010 | 7:07 pm

  All leaders bring unique characteristics and histories with them on the rise to the top. Like you and me, they're human. Sometimes, though they want to forget or hide parts of their past, of themselves--the parts they find embarrassing or unbefitting their current position. The more they try to hide or forget, the more potential there is for damage--to themselves and, perhaps, others. The more they bottle up, the farther the cork flies and liquid spills. Rather than having an "I am who I am, and I'm never going to change!" explosion, I let the crazy out just a little bit at a time. It honors…

• Is Your Leadership Encouraging Screen or Face Time?

  9 Mar 2010 | 5:48 pm

  Is your obsession with order driving your company to input more data and generate more reports? Is it distracting your employees from delighting your customer?Yesterday, a hundred megabyte drive was sufficient storage; today it's in the terabytes. The drastic reduction of costs associated with data storage is allowing companies to save, compile, and sort to discover incremental performance of their people. This incessant need to measure, control, and create predictability within the business may be having a counter-intuitive effect on the company and its staff's abilities to serve the…

• Dan Pink - Interview on Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

  8 Mar 2010 | 2:57 pm

  Gary B. Cohen: Dan, thank you for your willingness to share your thoughts with the readers of the Just Ask Leadership Blog. Your new book, Drive: The Surpising Truth About What Motivates Us, is a terrific read. I will be doing a full review of the book later this month for our next CO2 Leadership Newsletter. In your book, you introduce the concepts of Motivation 2.0 and Motivation 3.0. How would you describe the difference between them?Dan Pink: Motivation 2.0 is built around our reward-and-punishment drive. It presumes the way that people perform at the highest level is by offering them…

• Great Leader vs. Great Manager Is There A Difference?

  8 Mar 2010 | 11:32 am

  When you are confident that you are a good Manager, does that mean that you are automatically a good Leader? Leadership should not be considered to be the same as management. They are different, yet not in the way most people presuppose. Leadership is not something that requires a specific personality profile, such as one requiring charm or a sense of inquisitiveness. Leadership is not a replacement for management nor is it to be thought of as being even better than management. Leadership and management are two distinctly different systems that must both be alive and complimentary in every…

• Questioning Tips: Let Go of Your Answer

  6 Mar 2010 | 7:48 pm

  If you are a teacher before you show up for class you will have prepared yourself to insure you know the material. As a leader of an organization, department,or group you likely are thinking about the subject deeply before beginning to ask about it. You may have even rushed to a solution or conclusion before a question leaves your mouth. If you start down this path you will spoil an opportunity for others to engage and find their own vision of possibilities or conclusions. Your voice will detour their journey.Let go of your answer when asking!

• 

  Directionally Correct

• Growing Pains

  Russ Aebig

  5 Mar 2010 | 4:45 am

  When companies are young, there is often abundant enthusiasm, and a scarcity of funds. From an IT perspective your decision horizon is also not too far out. You will typically have comparatively few users for the systems you have to build (or buy, or rent, or...). The criteria that you have to work with will typically be very basic functionality, low volume, and little interaction between functions. Given that the expectation that you will pull off minor miracles with two quarters and a dime, the best and easiest answer is to develop point solutions with minimal investment in the software…

• Voices and Messages

  Russ Aebig

  25 Feb 2010 | 5:05 am

  If you have developed your culture where there is a healthy sandpaper to challenge ideas, there will be no shortage of voices to listen to. Are they all equal in volume? Are they all equal in critical thinking? Are they all equal in importance? The obvious answers are no, no, and no.

• Attraction of Identity

  Russ Aebig

  21 Feb 2010 | 6:17 am

  As an organization, who are you? What is your internal and external story? If you cannot crisply define yourself in a few words you likely have a problem on your hands.

• Dark Matter

  Russ Aebig

  22 Jan 2010 | 6:19 am

  Ask anyone (astrophysicists excluded) what the universe is made of and they will point to the mountains, oceans, plants, buildings, and people around us. They would be correct - to a point. The reality is that these known and tangible items account for four percent (4%) of the universe. Ninety six percent (96%) is unknown - called Dark Matter. What we know is vastly over-shadowed by what we don't know. Given how much we don't know, it is quite likely that we will learn that we likely don't know the 4% that well either.

• IT Farming

  Russ Aebig

  14 Jan 2010 | 4:47 am

  ...One interesting aspect to explore here is not the comments or absence of them, but how the situations being commented on came to be. While many times these comments can refer to specific events, more often than not, when you dig beneath the surface, you will find that what is being reacted to is a systemic condition, the seeds (either crop or weeds) of which had been planted long ago.

• 

  BLOG.SOGETTINGRICH.COM

• Zig Ziglar: Prime the Pump for Success

  SoGettingRich1122

  13 Mar 2010 | 9:24 am

    Share

• Access Your Subconscious Mind to Create & Achieve Success

  SoGettingRich1122

  10 Mar 2010 | 1:57 pm

   Change Your Life With MindMaster!Click Here For a FREE TRIAL...       Access over 200 Short-Cut Secrets from Millionaires – Billionaires & Champions to your Email!: Name: Email: Share

• Virgin CEO, Richard Branson, Discusses His Success & Blunders

  SoGettingRich1122

  6 Mar 2010 | 4:34 am

     Richard Branson talks to TED's Chris Anderson about the ups and the downs of his career, from his multibillionaire success to his multiple near-death experiences -- and reveals some of his (very surprising) motivations. What motivates you? Share

• Inspirational Father – Son Speeches for Business Today

  SoGettingRich1122

  4 Mar 2010 | 12:51 pm

  We realize it's difficult for some men to express their feelings. So we've taken a page or two from some popular films that may inspire you to inspire your children to greater success and maybe even open up the lines of communication between you and You and you and them.What lessons did you learn from your father that effect the way you do business today?Access over 200 Short-Cut Secrets from Millionaires – Billionaires & Champions to your Email!: Name: Email: Share

• Jeff Bezos: Founder of Amazon.com on the Internet-Gold-Rush

  SoGettingRich1122

  3 Mar 2010 | 6:32 am

   As founder and CEO of Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos defined online shopping and rewrote the rules of commerce, ushering in a new era in business. Time magazine named him Man of the Year in 1999. The dot-com boom and bust era is often compared to the Gold Rush. But Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos says it’s more like the early days of the electric industry. What do you think?      Share

• 

  rocket finance

• $125 Chase Bonuses are Back

  rocketc

  10 Mar 2010 | 11:55 am

  It had been almost twelve months since I last saw a $125 Chase Checking bonus, then last week I received a $100 coupon in the mail and then yesterday, HustlerMoneyBlog posted a link that will generate a $125 coupon. You can go through his site to get the coupon or try my link posted below. Here are the steps: Hold CTRL and click on this link so a new window opens. Log into your Chase account. I do not think you can generate the coupon without an active Chase account. Stay in the browser and leave the two windows open. Come back to the Rocket Finance page, hold CTRL and click the link up in…

• I used to believe in the War on Drugs

  rocketc

  9 Mar 2010 | 9:52 am

  But the more I research the issue, the more I realize that the libertarians have it right. I support the legalization of many drugs that are now illegal, so long as legalization is accompanied by strong penalties for people who hurt others while under the influence of those drugs. This goes against the policies enacted by one of my political heroes, Ronald Reagan. Intuitively, his “war on drugs” seemed to be the correct way to treat this issue, however, the last twenty-five years have proven that the government is ineffective in the struggle against drug use. Your brain on drugs…

• The real cost of government education

  rocketc

  5 Mar 2010 | 1:08 pm

  This money is going into the pockets of government bureaucrats and contractors. Very little of it is finding its way into the paychecks of teachers or into the educational experience of our children. This is the state of affairs in almost every government program we have in the United States. Yet, we continue to pour money down the rathole.

• Ka-Ching! We found a Chase checking bonus coupon

  rocketc

  3 Mar 2010 | 7:53 am

  I had just about given up hope that Chase was ever going to revive its bonus coupons for checking accounts with direct deposit. Many of you have contacted me in hopes of finding a coupon over the past year, but I had not seen one since last April or May. Then, last week, we had one delivered to the house. The $100 bonus coupon was in a flyer that went out to everyone in our neighborhood. Every, year, my wife and I open new Chase checking accounts in order to qualify for bonuses. The last couple of years, the bonuses were $125 apiece. An extra $250 is a nice way to start off the new year. We…

• The future of America

  rocketc

  15 Feb 2010 | 9:10 am

  As the United States descends farther and farther into a socialist abyss, we can see the end results of progressive initiatives, union run politics and the myth of “government help”. Other crown jewels of liberal polcies? How about New Orleans and just about every other inner city in the United States – including the south side of Chicago where billions of dollars of public money has been spent for decades with no change in conditions.

• 

  Frame of Reference

• Café Noir – Cavaliere

  Chris Fillebrown

  12 Mar 2010 | 4:25 pm

  Frame of Reference presents ‘Café Noir – Cavaliere’. Chris Fillebrown Related posts:Avner the Eccentric in Exceptions to Gravity bonsai La Poeta Adapting Solzhenitsyn Cancer Ward – A Book Review Alex Roman – The Third & The Seventh Christopher Parkening – Success vs Excellence More Than One Solution-Strategy Brainstorm Your Problems Into Solution A Solution-Strategy Approach To Solving Problems

• Strategyn – What is Outcome-Driven Innovation?

  Chris Fillebrown

  12 Mar 2010 | 4:02 pm

  Frame of Reference is pleased to present this short video. If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment, or subscribing to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to you. Chris Fillebrown ©2010, Chris Fillebrown, All Rights Reserved Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy by Michael Polanyi Related posts:Strategyn – Using Outcome-Driven Innovation Strategyn – The Origin of Outcome-Driven Innovation Strategyn – What Is Innovation? Strategyn – Elevating the Purpose of Innovation Strategyn – Focusing Creativity Strategyn –…

• TRIZ ShortCourse – Trimming

  Chris Fillebrown

  10 Mar 2010 | 4:44 pm

  Frame of Reference is pleased to present the seventh in a series of fourteen short videos on TRIZ by Rick Blauw. Chris Fillebrown ©2009, Chris Fillebrown, All Rights Reserved Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth by R. Buckminster Fuller and Jaime Snyder Related posts:TRIZ Shortcourse – Full Swamp Cooler Model TRIZ Shortcourse – The Pillars TRIZ Shortcourse – Functional Modeling Continued TRIZ Shortcourse – Component Modeling Basics TRIZ Shortcourse – TRIZ Backstory TRIZ Shortcourse – The Reason Why TRIZ Shortcourse – Functional Language Sergei…

• IBM Donates Supercomputer to Rice University for Biomedical Research

  Chris Fillebrown

  6 Mar 2010 | 5:20 am

  Frame of Reference is pleased to present: If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment, or subscribing to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to you. Chris Fillebrown ©2010, Chris Fillebrown, All Rights Reserved The Fractal Geometry of Nature by Benoit B. Mandelbrot Related posts:Navigation Kit For A Chaotic World by Bruno Marion Strategyn – What is Outcome-Driven Innovation? Strategyn – Using Outcome-Driven Innovation Strategyn – What Is Innovation? Strategyn – Unlock Hidden Opportunities In Core Markets Strategyn – Focusing Creativity…

• Avner the Eccentric in Exceptions to Gravity

  Chris Fillebrown

  5 Mar 2010 | 6:07 pm

  Frame of Reference presents Avner the Eccentric in ‘Exceptions to Gravity’. Chris Fillebrown Related posts:Café Noir – Cavaliere Alex Roman – The Third & The Seventh Christopher Parkening – Success vs Excellence bonsai La Poeta More Than One Solution-Strategy Brainstorm Your Problems Into Solution A Solution-Strategy Approach To Solving Problems What’s the main concept, and how does it get started? New Approaches to Problems

• 

  The Management Blog

• Why middle managers in the public sector need to 'wake up and smell the coffee'.

  Alan Wingrove

  12 Mar 2010 | 3:17 am

  Due to the current financial position of the UK, we all know the landscape of public service delivery in is going to change dramatically over the next decade. This blog looks at why middle managers are going to be in the firing line and what they can do about it. You are not watching this post, click to start watching

• Should the national debt be reduced more quickly?

  Patrick Woodman

  10 Mar 2010 | 7:17 am

  This week saw a Parliamentary debate on one of the most pressing economic and political questions the UK faces: whether measures to reduce the national debt be accelerated. As a manager, what's your view? You are not watching this post, click to start watching

• Sustaining olderpreneurship.

  Dianne Bown-Wilson

  10 Mar 2010 | 4:09 am

  A recent discussion topic on the CMI site questioned how much of a (business) start-up’s success is inspiration or perspiration.   Related Content:  Hello from a new bloggerOver 50s 'concerned about job losses'Youngest and oldest workers 'most affected by recession' You are not watching this post, click to start watching

• For the first time in America women now outnumber men in the workforce

  Rebecca Kearley

  8 Mar 2010 | 7:19 am

  Richard Donkin author of The Future of Work was speaking from an event hosted by The Work Foundation You are not watching this post, click to start watching

• Business Continuity Planning

  Colin Millar

  8 Mar 2010 | 6:15 am

  You’ve just had a call from the Fire Commander telling you that he and his team have managed to extinguish the fire at your offices.  Fortunately, it only took a few thousand gallons of water to douse the flames.  Unfortunately, the building’s now full of water; your IT and communications equipment is destroyed; your furniture is unsalvageable.  You’re bleary eyed as it’s 0230hrs on Monday morning and you should be opening for business in a few hours.  It’ll take weeks for the insurance company to settle and then you’ve got to rebuild.  What do you do? You…

• 

  Strat. In

• Classifying the mobile phone buyers in India (Part 1)

  siddhesh

  10 Mar 2010 | 6:53 pm

  For 2 weeks now, I have been doing my bit about understanding the mobile handset market in India from a ‘qualitative’ perspective. It is expected that very soon 50% of the Indian population will have a mobile phone in their hand. I tried to understand 3 things – What works, what doesn’t – what does the consumer really look at when he goes out to buy a cell phone? Overall, I have classified the consumer into 5 types – the base of this is Rama Bijapurkar’s 5 pronged classification of Indian consumer class in her book – ‘ We are like that…

• Avoiding Reality!

  admin

  27 Feb 2010 | 11:46 am

  I heard a brilliant quote from Ayn Rand a few days ago “You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.” The quote can be applied to so many dimensions of the current world and I will try and explore some of them here. As an individual we all avoid facing the reality at some point or the other, as we do not like or understand the reality. A simple example is in the movie “Wake Up Sid!” where the actor is avoiding the reality that he has to grow up / work hard / achieve something in his life. Later when the actor faces the consequences…

• The ‘Buzz’ about Product launches & the tradeoffs therein

  siddhesh

  16 Feb 2010 | 7:10 pm

  On Feb 10, Google launched a new social networking product – Google Buzz, right inside Gmail. After that there have been scores of blog-posts regarding the privacy flaws in Google buzz. Clearly the transition from something as personal as Mail to another thing as public as buzz wasn’t going to be simple. The latest update on this issue is that Google has admitted that testing of Buzz was insufficient. To quote the article, The BBC understands that Buzz was only tested internally and bypassed more extensive trials with external testers – used for many other Google services.

• India, which way to go?

  puneetyadav

  16 Feb 2010 | 2:31 am

  In the past one month, there have been some serious developments that should concern us! a)  India invited Pakistan for secretary level talks. The move astonished everybody, as up till now, India had categorically told Pakistan and the West that it would talk only and only if Pakistan took some ‘credible action against the terrorist groups operating from its soil. What prompted India’s proposal for the talks is worth wondering, but what followed was even more horrible! Islamabad:  Pakistani foreign minister, ‘A year back, they talked of attacking us. Now they are inviting us for…

• Hats off to Rahul Gandhi!

  shubham

  12 Feb 2010 | 6:18 pm

  Although I have historically been a supporter of BJP, I feel that everyone should be open to change and if anyone does something right then it should be commended. I have been trying to follow the political happening in India and recently Mumbai has been on its forefront. Shiv Sena, once a powerful force and probably a righteous organization, has started taking the same path as MNS and going on the Marathi and Maharashtrian Fundamentals. For a good number of days when MNS and Shiv Sena both were making statements which promoted regionalism, and no national leader came out criticizing them and…

• 

  Leadership and Management / Turning Adversity to Advantage

• Razzie Dazzling

  9 Mar 2010 | 12:54 pm

  At the heart of embracing failure is the quality of ‘humility’ as exemplified in the entertainment world so poignantly by Natalie Imbruglia (Taking Oneself Really ‘Npretentiously). Also, one of the adages of show biz, if not all biz, is that ‘there is no such thing as bad publicity’ which is as much an embrace of failure as any motto. Sandra Bullock displayed all of that humility, unpretentiousness and pragmatism by showing up to collect her ‘Golden Raspberry Award’ (‘Razzie’) for the ‘Worst Actress of the Year’ for her film ‘All About Steve.’ A truly rare event…

• Chaos and Order

  4 Mar 2010 | 3:50 am

  Bob Sutton’s ‘Work Matters’ blog (Thank Bret) recently posted a piece called ‘From Chaos Comes Creativity, from Order Comes Profit’ which reflected the Leadership/Management dichotomy nicely. He paints the following equation which is works for me paralleling the distinction... Creativity + Implementation = Innovation “I have always found it a useful oversimplification of the two big things that have to happen in order to innovate, to cash in on new ideas... I think that "“From Chaos Comes Creativity, from Order Comes Profit” conveys a similar message to the one I borrowed…

• Rite of Passage (Mullins Part 3)

  2 Mar 2010 | 3:59 am

    The final thought that Aimee Mullins inspired was the notion that adversity gives one a ‘sense of self...a sense of our own power.’ “Until we are tested, we don’t know what we are made of. Perhaps that’s what adversity gives us...a sense of self. A sense of our own power.” That comment recalled my own personal experience which was subsequently interpreted and shared by my mother, Marjorie Lynn. One of my earliest and most prominent experiences with reflective writing was when I took a year off of university to go work in the West African country of Togo. Not only was I working…

• Darwin and Adaptability (Mullins Part 2)

  26 Feb 2010 | 4:22 am

  One theme of Mullins’ TED presentation echoed an earlier post about Stephen J. Gould’s book about evolution, ‘Full House’. Darwin’s theory of evolution has been misinterpreted, misunderstood and misapplied since its publication and I’m not sure that all of Mullins’ assertions are completely lined up by the science, but the ‘message’ or ‘spirit’ she interprets is a useful one. “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor is it the most intelligent that survive. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change...Conflict is the genesis of change.” “The…

• The Opportunity of Adversity – Mullins Part 1

  23 Feb 2010 | 1:50 am

  A regular visitor to TED for their great lectures, I stumbled upon Aimee Mullins’ (“Aimee Mullins was born without fibular bones, and had both of her legs amputated below the knee when she was an infant. She learned to walk on prosthetics, then to run -- competing at the national and international level as a champion sprinter, and setting world records at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta. At Georgetown, where she double-majored in history and diplomacy, she became the first double amputee to compete in NCAA Division 1 track and field”) presentation called ‘The Opportunity of…

• 

  Robin Sharma's Blog

• Your Opportunity for Impact

  Robin Sharma

  12 Mar 2010 | 9:23 am

  When hardship hits most people instinctively react with “what will happen to me? My family? My stock?” Our first instinct is to pull in, protect, and preserve our domains. It’s human nature. However, if we act only upon this line of thinking we end up following fear down an extremely narrow street, setting limitations on our lives. In the new world we live in, the leaders who put people before profit will have the greatest impact. Those who believe in caring for the people first will win. Life has a very fair accounting system. Your return equals your investment. As much as…

• Peter Drucker's Secret - Vlog

  Robin Sharma

  8 Mar 2010 | 7:32 am

• Everyone is a CEO

  Robin Sharma

  4 Mar 2010 | 12:29 pm

  CEO is not some special title reserved for a chosen few. CEO is an attitude. CEO is a belief system. CEO is a philosophy for life. It’s a way of living that leads to remarkable results on all levels.  Everyone can walk the way of CEO. Here are 5 steps to help you: 1. Stay at the EdgeSerious achievers look for and love change. They’ve learned to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. To play full out in your field, to lead in life, you must hug the edge. Uncertainty is big opportunity for those that lean into the ride. Look to the frontrunners, they understand that the edge…

• The Power of Focus - Vlog

  Robin Sharma

  26 Feb 2010 | 3:14 pm

• The Victim Detox - Vlog

  Robin Sharma

  23 Feb 2010 | 12:41 pm

• 

  Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

• Don't Let E-mail Zap Productivity

  10 Mar 2010 | 7:32 pm

  The typical at-desk employee in the workplace loses 2.1 hours of productivity every day to interruptions and distractions, reports Basex, an IT research and consulting firm.Those interruptions come from e-mail alerts, instant messages, cell phones and handheld devices that constantly buzz.The typical employee also checks e-mail 50 times a day.  Each time, the employee gets sidetracked, and their attention span suffers.  Productivity drops.  Thinking time decreases.As a leader in the workplace, work with your employees to manage e-mails and to lessen daily interruptions. …

• Be A Better Listener

  7 Mar 2010 | 8:46 am

  March is Listening Awareness Month according to the International Listening Association.Being a good listener is absolutely essential to being an effective leader.When you really listen, you:Remember names and facts correctly.Hear "between the lines."Show respect.Learn more about what's going on within your workplace.Here are 10 tips on how to be a better listener:Look at the person who's speaking to you.  Maintain eye contact.Watch for non-verbal clues, body language, gestures and facial expressions.Eliminate all distractions. Don't multi-task.Ask questions that let the other…

• Be A Leader Outside The Workplace

  2 Mar 2010 | 6:32 pm

  While I volunteered at this past weekend's "Million Meals For Haiti" event in Kansas City, I was reminded of the importance and power of leaders outside the workplace.  Here's what inspired me:It took 10,000 volunteers to pack up 1,091,228 meals for earthquake victims in Haiti at this past weekend's event, organized by Numana and the Salvation Army.It also took hundreds of leaders throughout the community to organize the volunteers and to encourage participation among the groups of two to 20-plus volunteers who came to help.Those leaders included:Leaders within churchesLeaders of Boy…

• Use This Six-Step Approach For Discussing Poor Performance

  28 Feb 2010 | 5:56 pm

  As a leader, the time will come when you will have to speak with an employee about his or her poor performance.  Here are six steps that will guide you through that process:Tell him what performance is in need of change and be specific.Tell him how his actions negatively affect the team.Let the discussion sink in.Set expectations of performance improvement and timeframe, and get his agreement on the desired outcome.Remind him that he is a valuable part of the team and that you have confidence his performance will improve.Don't rehash the discussion later.  You made your…

• Make These Part Of Your Routine

  24 Feb 2010 | 6:26 pm

  Here are some good tips for leading a successful business operation from the handy booklet "144 Ways To Walk The Talk" by Eric Harvey and Al Lucia:Involve your team in setting standards that are achievable but also require everyone to stretch their knowledge and skills.Remember that regardless of what you say, it is the performance you're willing to accept that becomes your true standard.Work as a team to stay abreast of technology advancements.  Have different employees read different trade and professional magazines and blogs.   Ask others to share key learning from…

• 

  Michael Hyatt’s Blog

• Guest Post: The Third Ingredient of a Successful Blog

  Michael Hyatt

  12 Mar 2010 | 2:00 am

  This is a guest post by John Saddington (aka “Human3rror”). He is the Creative Web Director of North Point Ministries and the owner of Milk Engine, the Web design firm that built my blog. He is also the founder or partner in a number of successful startups, including ChurchCrunch. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here. A successful blog is more than just design. But you knew that already, right? As someone who’s not only been blogging since 2001 but who’s also been designing/developing blogs for nearly just as long, it’s been fascinating to…

• Shift: The Essence of Leadership

  Michael Hyatt

  11 Mar 2010 | 2:00 am

  I have been thinking for some time about writing a book on leadership. I initially wanted to call it Leadership 2.0, based on a popular blog post I had written. In fact, I often speak on this topic. The basic thesis is that the Web 2.0 has changed the expectations of those who are led. As a result, leaders cannot lead in quite the same way that they did, say, twenty years ago. Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/damircudic However, my friend, John Saddington, suggested that the whole “2.0 thing” was already passé. I thought about “Leadership 3.0,” but that seemed contrived. So I…

• The Five Marks of Authentic Leadership

  Michael Hyatt

  8 Mar 2010 | 2:00 am

  Many people have written on what it means to be a leader. Almost everyone identifies influence as the primary characteristic. By definition, this means that leadership and position are two different things. You can have a title, and a position of power, but this does not mean that you are a leader. Even people without these things can exert influence and thus leadership. Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/PeskyMonkey But leadership is more than influence. It certainly includes influence, but it is more. I believe it includes at least five characteristics. I call these the five marks of…

• Why Authors, Agents, and Publishers Should Embrace Google Book Search

  Michael Hyatt

  3 Mar 2010 | 2:00 am

  Since Google introduced its Book Search program, we have been fielding questions from authors and agents. They are concerned that Google has scanned their books and the results are showing up in Google search. The primary concern is that consumers will not buy books because. Why? Two reasons: Because consumers can read them online Because consumers can copy and paste the content to their computer and then print out the book In my opinion, both fears are unfounded. Two weeks ago, we had a representative of Google visit our Nashville campus and present a Google Technology Seminar for about 100…

• Sponsored Post: You’re Invited Backstage to the Chick-fil-A Leadercast

  Michael Hyatt

  2 Mar 2010 | 2:00 am

  As I have written before, I will be attending the Chick-fil-A Leadercast on May 7, 2010. This is a one-day leadership event that will take place in Atlanta, Georgia and will be broadcast to 500 host locations throughout the country via satellite or internet downlink. They are expecting nearly 70,000 attendees, between the live site in Atlanta and the rest of North America. Since the time I first blogged about it, GIANT Impact, the company producing the event with Chick-fil-A, has asked me to host “Backstage Leadercast.” I will be in the “Green Room,” interviewing the speakers as they…

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  Leadership & Learning

• The Quickest Way to Build Your Team

  Kevin Eikenberry

  13 Mar 2010 | 6:04 am

  John Wooden, the great basketball coach (and Purdue graduate) once said, “The worst thing about new book is that they keep us from reading the old ones.” And we have all heard that one of the best ways to find a new idea or understand a concept is to borrow from another discipline or business. From these two profound truths comes today’s post. On Twitter (thanks@evantheshow) this morning I was reminded of an older quote: “The best way to revive a church is to build a fire in the pulpit.” – Dwight L. Moody Moodywas a 19 th century evangelist and spoke a…

• And/Or? Choose And!

  Kevin Eikenberry

  12 Mar 2010 | 4:44 am

  Last week I wrote a post titled Do We Nurture or Build Relationships?   I was trying to distinguish between nurture and build as concepts, and I think I was pretty successful.  The wise commenters talked about building relationships and then nurturing them once formed.  They are of course, correct AND  their comments  reminded me of an important lesson. And is  more powerful than or. As leaders when we think in terms of and, we are more inclusive of ideas, we engage people more fully and we can help them develop and grow. There are times when or is necessary and valuable.  When it…

• Coaching, Love and Belief

  Kevin Eikenberry

  10 Mar 2010 | 5:05 am

  Coach and Be Coached Event! If you read my newsletter or follow this blog, hopefully you know about our big Remarkable TV online event next week, Tuesday March 16th from 11 am – 3 pm ET.  It is called Coach and Be Coached and is designed to help all of us reach higher levels of performance through, coaching and being coached! (Learn more and register here) Given our ongoing planning for this event, I’ve been thinking and reading a lot about coaching.  Here is the quotation I shared with our Powerquotes subscribers last week. “Coaching is a profession of love. You…

• Rules of Thumb

  Kevin Eikenberry

  8 Mar 2010 | 3:35 am

  This week’s Resource Recommendation – Rules of Thumb: 52 Truths for Winning at Business without Losing Your SelfBy Alan M. Webber Among other things, Alan Weber has served as Editor of the Harvard Business Review and is the co-founder of Fast Company magazine. In this book he has taken his experiences from these roles and others (which admittedly have given him access to interesting situations and people), tied them together with his writing skills and created an easy-to-read collection of Rules of Thumb. Early on he talks about a habit of collecting truths and ideas on 3×5…

• Five Powers of Coaching

  Kevin Eikenberry

  8 Mar 2010 | 3:30 am

  Spiderman, Wonder Woman and Superman all had super powers; they had special skills that allowed them to be super heroes. They had great powers given to them at birth that made them special. Generally speaking, they didn’t have to develop those powers, they just had them. We too were born with tremendous skills, but unlike like our comic book and big screen heroes, we have to work to understand and develop those powers. Because they are fictional characters, it might seem easier for them. We on the other hand can’t become “Super”, “Outstanding” or even…

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  Andrew P. Moore

• Beating the Donkey! 5 Leadership Lessons on Power

  Andrew Moore

  7 Mar 2010 | 2:47 pm

  I was yelling.  I mean yelling.  I was 3 months into my job as a manager and I was on the phone with one of my guys and we were going at it.  I was the boss Who was he to question me or to push back on my direction.  I had tried incentives.  I had tried to relate to him, but nothing was working.  It was time to use my power to force him to do what was needed. He hung up on me.  He also did what I yelled at him to do, but he did it begrudgingly.  The effect on the account was half-ass and we both suffered from the lack luster effort.  I later apologized for treating him like a…

• Thanks Judy! Leadership is About Personal Accountability.

  Andrew Moore

  3 Mar 2010 | 8:09 pm

  She was not an imposing figure, but she demanded respect.  Judy Childress was the varsity choral director of my high school.  She had sharp and wild eyes; the kind you get from a lifetime of artistic opportunity.  She was incredible at harnessing the talent of her students and her community.  Judy was a tenured and talented teacher that was respected across the board as a person who could get things done.   I was scared of her… I cannot remember why I was late or what I was doing, but I remember what happened on that stage….  It was during a musical rehearsal.  I was…

• Developing a Leadership Manifesto – How Your Life Made You a Leader

  Andrew Moore

  2 Mar 2010 | 2:53 pm

  It is very rainy and I had been driving for almost 2 hours.  I had to go to DFW yesterday for a meeting.  I have found that a great way to pass the time in my car is to listen to audio books.  This is not a secret.  What my be a secret is the public library has a ton of audio books.  I have been running through their catalog as fast as I can listen.  I have killed two books in two weeks. My latest slaughter was Leadership Therapy:  Inside the Mind of Microsoft. All in all a clinical study- but effective in certain areas.  Here is where I found the most interesting information:…

• Inspire- What’s in a Word?

  Andrew Moore

  28 Feb 2010 | 12:51 pm

  Inspire-  to arouse the mind to special or unusual activity and creativity As a leader, when you are prepared to direct your team, make sure you take the time to inspire them and not talk-down to them.  Leaders inspire.  Look at the word ‘inspire’.  The humanityquest.com breaks down the etymology of the word  like this:  In + Spirare – to breathe, conveying the idea of motion or direction. To direct with your breath-  to breathe into someone a direction.  We as humans make a huge deal about our breath.  About someone’s last breath, wasting our breath or a…

• Leadership Chum: Why Most Leadership Blogs Suck

  Andrew Moore

  22 Feb 2010 | 8:35 pm

  I have been trying really hard to provide entertaining content on what is a pretty dry subject for most people.  I LOVE leadership and management.  I believe that there are opportunities for the subject to be engaging and entertaining because the subject is dynamic and deals directly with…. Wait for it….. Direct Personal Interaction.    Can’t be any more compelling than that. RIGHT?!?!?! Evidently-  I am not right.  I am finding some real boring crap online.  I mean really boring.  How can a subject about interacting with people be less compelling than say this…

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  LeaderLab

• Leader-Member Exchange Theory

  david

  11 Mar 2010 | 1:14 pm

  Originally referred to as the “vertical dyad linkage theory,” Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) has been the subject of much research (and an upgraded name). LMX focuses on the interactions between leaders and an individual follower. The leaders relationship to the follower unit as a whole is viewed a series of these individual relationships. These relationships are referred to as vertical dyads. Leadership’s focus, then, should be on developing these dyads. LMX separates these relationships into two groups: the in-group and the out-group. Researches have found that those classified as part…

• New Issue: LeaderLab Quarterly

  david

  7 Mar 2010 | 5:46 pm

  Volume 1, Issue 1 (Spring 2010) [Download/Print Entire Issue] Letter from the Editor [Download/Print Article] You’ve Survived, Now What? Michael Petty As a result of the current economic upheaval, firms face a new reality of chaos, complexity and continuous change. To lead organizations through this new economic landscape, leaders must begin to think beyond the challenges of the next quarter and begin think strategically. [Download/Print Article] A Leader is As A Leader Does Angelia Arrington Do you follow the leader or lead the followers? What type of relationship do you have with your…

• Path-goal Theory

  david

  4 Mar 2010 | 5:30 am

  Path-goal theory is half leadership, half motivational theory. It was developed to explain how leaders motivate their followers toward a determined end. It is derived from expectancy theory, which argued that employees will be motivated if they believe that a) putting in more effort will yield better job performance b) better job performance will lead to rewards, such as an increase in salary or benefits and c) these rewards are valued by the employee in question. According to path-goal theory, leaders help followers be selecting a style of leadership (directive, supportive, participative or…

• Book Review: Switch

  david

  2 Mar 2010 | 5:22 am

  Theorists may be familiar with Lewin’s Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze model. Those fortunate enough to hold an IVY-league MBA may be familiar with Kotter’s eight-stage model (Reviewed Here). However, more people will eventually be familiar with the Heath brothers Switch model. The creative minds behind Made to Stick recently released their sophomore effort, Switch: How to Change Things when Change is Hard. The Heath brothers compile into a three-principle model for change. The present this model using an easy to understand elephant and rider analogy, arguing that it’s impossible to make an…

• LeaderLab Episode 0102 – Daniel Pink

  david

  26 Feb 2010 | 4:28 pm

  Daniel Pink is the author of several New York Times best-selling books including his new release, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. In Drive, Dan explores new research that suggests that our traditional ideas about motivation may be way off. 0:00 Introduction 1:19 What is motivation 3.0? 3:50 Talk to us about some of the research you explore in the book. 6:40 What advice can you give organizational leaders on how to use this research? 10:20 How do these findings apply to sales organizations? 17:30 What is emotionally intelligent signage? 21:30 What are you reading?

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  Reflection Leadership

• Team Roles

  Tom Glover

  10 Mar 2010 | 5:18 am

  Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes I’ve been writing quite a bit lately about teams and I wanted to continue with a look at different roles that team members take during team interactions. When we work on something collaboratively in a team setting we are all trying to accomplish a shared goal. As I’ve mentioned before, one of the best ways to promote teamwork and to create a high performing team is to be a better team member. Part of being a good team member is identifying the appropriate role that needs to be played at any given time. Jim Clawsen, who is a professor at the Darden School…

• March 7th Leadership Development Carnival

  Tom Glover

  8 Mar 2010 | 3:06 am

  Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes It’s time again for the Leadership Development Blog Carnival. This month’s blog carnival is host by Dan McCarthy at Great Leadership. Since it was posted last night, Dan chose as this month’s theme the Academy Awards, calling this the Academy Awards Edition of the carnival. This month’s edition has 41 great entries and I’m again honored to be included. As always, the blog carnival does not disappoint. There are a number of posts that I previously read since they are from my favorite bloggers, but there are also a good number of posts I had missed…

• Being a Better Team Member

  Tom Glover

  4 Mar 2010 | 4:44 am

  Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes In a previous article I looked at some of the challenges to being a team. Many of the challenges that I looked at were related to the creation, care, and feeding of a team. While we’ve all heard that “there is no ‘I’ in team” teams are absolutely made up of individuals. The one individual on the team in particular that I want to look at is ourselves. There are things we can do as individuals to help us be better team members, which will lead to better and stronger teams. There has been much written about how aspiring leaders can learn valuable…

• Staying Focused When Things Get in the Way

  Tom Glover

  1 Mar 2010 | 4:50 am

  Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes Leaders are supposed to be the keepers of the vision. We expect our leaders to not only have a vision of where we want and need to go, but also to be able to hold that vision up for us to see. This doesn’t just mean the big vision with a capital “V”, it also means the goals that we have to meet. But what happens when things get in the way? As leaders we have to make sure that we are able to quickly and effectively get ourselves and everyone else back on track. Things Got In My Way Today my organization is launching sweeping changes that will effect…

• Intersection of Reflection Leadership and #QUALITY

  Tom Glover

  23 Feb 2010 | 7:21 am

  Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes I’ve been devoting the last several articles to author and blogger Tanmay Vora’s recent book, #QUALITYtweet. I reviewed the book in a previous article and shared my two-part interview with Tanmay here and here. Today’s article is a guest post from Tanmay. The Equation of Outcomes The purpose of leading greatly is to generate high-impact results for the organization, its people, clients and their clients. In the equation of high-impact results (especially in the highly knowledge oriented world of work), two most important factors are people and how…

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  Blanchard Leader Chat

• Making the Business Case for Leadership Development

  David Witt

  10 Mar 2010 | 7:27 am

  One of the biggest challenges HR professionals face when they propose new leadership development initiatives is convincing CEOs of the financial impact of the proposed initiative.  Without a clear sense of the positive financial impact, it’s easy to write-off a new proposal as too expensive, or that now is not the right time.  The lack of urgency to improve performance is based on the idea that that the current level of leadership skill in the organization is good enough.  But is it?  A look at most companies has shown that the typical organization is leaving millions of dollars in…

• Organizational Tenacity—Surviving in Tough Times

  David Witt

  4 Mar 2010 | 7:53 am

  Organizations like Southwest Airlines, Chick-fil-A, WD-40, and Wegman’s have all enjoyed long term success in part because of an unwavering commitment to their employees in both good times and bad.  What traits do the leaders at these organizations have in common?  Three things—they are bearers of hope; they treat their people as their business partners; and they see their role as serving others.  Bearers of hope. Especially in tough times, leaders at great companies keep on sending out positive messages.  That doesn’t mean that they turn their back on the truth or the present…

• One Minute Management: The Power of Simple Truths

  David Witt

  24 Feb 2010 | 8:54 am

  Earlier this week Ken Blanchard appeared on Dave Ramsey’s business talk show to discuss the enduring impact of Ken’s classic book, The One Minute Manager, which he co-authored with Spencer Johnson.  Ramsey wanted to know Ken’s thoughts on why The One Minute Manager remained so popular today–18 million copies later.  Ken’s response?  The book remains relevant because it identifies simple human truths about working together.  See if you agree.  Here are the three secrets of one minute management:  Set One-Minute Goals— All good performance starts with clear goals. Without…

• Join us today for a complimentary webinar on Creating a High Performing, Values-Aligned Culture

  David Witt

  17 Feb 2010 | 5:40 am

  Join The Ken Blanchard Companies for a special complimentary webinar and online chat beginning today at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time (12:00 noon Eastern). Senior Consulting Partners Chris Edmonds and Bob Glaser will be speaking on the topic of Creating a High Performing, Values-Aligned Culture. The webinar is free and seats are still available if you would like to join over 1,000 people expected to participate. Immediately after the webinar, Chris and Bob will be answering questions here at LeaderChat for about 30 minutes.  To participate in the online discussion, follow these simple instructions.

• Making Sense of a Challenging Year: A One Minute Interview with Gordon Pitman of AkzoNobel

  David Witt

  10 Feb 2010 | 2:23 pm

  Gordon Pitman is the Manager of Global Management Development Programs at AkzoNobel, a global leader in coatings and specialty chemicals with more than 57,000 employees in over 70 countries. In this One Minute Interview, Pitman talks about drawing out learning from the recent economic crisis. Q. What is the top business, or people management issue, you’re looking at?  A. I think one of our main challenges for 2010 is helping leaders make sense of what happened in 2009 in a way that helps then take those skills into 2010. Just as we saw a country by country entry into the economic…

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  RoundtableTalk

• Who’s wagon is your star hitched to?

  LeaderTalker

  12 Mar 2010 | 12:11 pm

  There are lots of ways you can unwittingly derail your career.  One of the more interesting ones is to hitch your star onto your boss’s wagon. I have a “friend” who we’ll call Ricardo, who is absolutely brilliant.  He is your stereotypical “Type A” high performer and is well loved by his boss. In fact, he’s very similar to his boss in a number of ways.  Both are gregarious, outgoing types who can charm everyone in their path.  Both have very quick minds and can solve complex problems with seemingly magical efficiency.  And both are relentless…

• Who’s race are you running?

  LeaderTalker

  9 Mar 2010 | 6:05 pm

  During the height of the 80’s talk show wars, an upstart named Oprah Winfrey told her team to stop looking at Sally Jesse Raphael et al and said “we’re running our own race here”.  There’s no question that her strategy seems to have paid off. As leaders, there is something to be said for keeping an eye on your “competition”, but spending too much time thinking about what they’re doing and comparing yourself to where they’re going could, in fact, diminish your efforts. As leaders, having a clear vision and direction for where we’re taking our teams and ourselves allows us…

• View from the corner cubicle: leadership lessons from Tomer Strolight

  LeaderTalker

  4 Mar 2010 | 12:55 pm

  TorStar Digital is one of Canada’s fastest growing, most innovative media companies.  On March 3, a small group of members of the Executive Roundtable had the opportunity to sit down with TSD President, Tomer Strolight, the passionate visionary behind TSD’s success.  Here are some of the highlights from our roundtable discussion on Tomer’s leadership lessons learned and observations on what it takes to champion an untested idea and lead a fast growth company. Be passionate about your convictions… to champion a new idea (especially one that carries risk) requires you to be 100%…

• A lunch bag letdown of Olympic proportions

  LeaderTalker

  3 Mar 2010 | 8:11 am

  Have you caught the articles about the “lunch bag letdown” effect that VANOC volunteers, organizers and in deed the resident’s of Vancouver are experiencing post-Olympic party?  According to the Mayor of Salt Lake City, another former Olympic host, the post-event blues can trigger a feeling akin to depression amongst the people left behind. This got me thinking about the double-edged sword of success.  On the one hand, when you achieve something of “olympic” proportions” the thrill and confidence it instills in a team is huge.  But then reality sets in…

• John Furlong and VANOC end on a high note: I laughed, I cried, I spent $10 bucks

  LeaderTalker

  28 Feb 2010 | 8:18 pm

  The typical Canadian inferiority complex peaked mid-games only to be proven wrong. Canada wraps up the games on a high note by owning the gold podium and John Furlong demonstrates that great leaders know how to tune out naysayers and have the last laugh. Sometimes leaders stumble.  Sometimes they fall.  But the hallmark of a really great leader has to be the ability to dust oneself off and keep going to the finish line.  Although the athletes will be the ones most remembered from these games, it is the Vancouver organizing committee led by John Furlong that deserves their own big fat gold…

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  J. T. Pedersen

• Incredibly Useful iPhone Apps

  JT

  12 Mar 2010 | 3:01 pm

  Even though I’ve had my iPhone for quite a while now, I continue to be amazed at the sheer range and depth of application offerings available for it.  Even when there were ‘only’ 20,000 apps available, there was always something available to solve the need of the moment.  Now there’s over 133,000 apps, the sky’s the limit. One of my favorite examples was while having coffee with my friend and minister.  He was bemoaning the fact he had the Bible installed on his smartphone, but that it wouldn’t let him read anything past about Matthew or Mark.  Sure enough, I…

• Is It Agile or Software Anthropology?

  JT

  9 Mar 2010 | 6:50 am

  Monday night I had the opportunity to attend an Agile Groupies meeting.  It’s a semi-regular gathering of folks (developers, business analysts, product managers, etc.) interested in a specific approach, Agile, toward software development. For those of you not familiar, Agile development focuses on smaller development teams, working on smaller deliverables, in highly iterative, somewhat less structured approach.  Part of the thinking is that if you are delivering in smaller, more discrete ‘chunks’ of working product, that the overall process will be more ‘agile,’ more adaptive to…

• Kodak’s Zi8 – Initial Experiences

  JT

  5 Mar 2010 | 1:27 pm

  Today’s a quick post sharing some of my first impressions after having picked up a new Kodak Zi8 camcorder.  A number of you are in marketing, use Flip cameras already, or are just considering one of these new devices. Chris Brogan, over at www.chrisbrogan.com, was one of the first folks to create any sort of ‘spark’ for me with this new class of device.  Sure, by now we’ve probably all been to events with Flip cams. They’re neat, cool, but the ‘value’ wasn’t quite there.  Part of that I attribute to having a ‘good’ digital tape camcorder and being put off…

• Don’t Break Your Own Pricing

  JT

  1 Mar 2010 | 10:30 am

  Came across an interesting HBR post by Anthony Tjan today, “The Pros and Cons of Bundled Pricing.” If you don’t have time to read it, Tjan discusses the respective benefits for customers and vendors, depending on which side of the fence the reader is on. Personally, I enjoyed reading the post having sat on both sides of the fence as purchaser and provider of services, sometimes at the same time. It is a difficult dichotomy to balance especially if you are trying to negotiate for win-win relationships. One thing I learned early on in my career is (when providing a ‘solution’) to…

• One Trait for Effective Leaders

  JT

  25 Feb 2010 | 2:59 pm

  I’ve been interviewing business leaders in preparation for my presentation at next month’s It’s a Duesy II Manufacturing Revival.  I won’t give away too much before the March 17th event, but there are a few common topics that have come up. One topic, Flexibility, was mentioned, unsolicited, in each interview. Their respective domains included Manufacturing, Finance, and Human Resources.  As you may expect each brought the topic up in a different context. From a manufacturing perspective, there is a need to be flexible in how companies are organized.  Many manufacturing concerns use…

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  RIVERFORK CONSULTING

• Change Management Innovated

  Melissa Dutmers

  10 Mar 2010 | 6:24 pm

  Monday, March 15th, I’m launching an ebook titled, How to Lead the **** Out of Change: A Toolkit to Make Ideas Happen. Change management innovated. That’s what you’re going to experience. I share insights and methods of uber-productive creative leaders and teams – companies like IDEO and Procter&Gamble, and individuals like authors Seth Godin and David Rock, Harvard Business Professor and author Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Rotman School of Management dean and author Roger Martin, visionary and world-leading innovator Bruce Mau, and IDEO CEO Tim Brown, among others. There is…

• Leading change. Getting back to being remarkable.

  Melissa Dutmers

  7 Mar 2010 | 5:52 pm

  “I work for a cold-hearted, soulless corporation.” These are the words voiced by a dear friend this weekend. I assure you these words did not come from a victim like whiner. These words came from a dedicated, bright, downright amazing human being. I share this statement because I think this is a reflection of what we see see in typical large corporations today. There’s a major disconnect between employees and executives. On one end of the spectrum we have CXOs that will do anything for short term shareholder return. On the other end of the spectrum we have employees that are…

• Why Change Management Needs Design Thinking

  Melissa Dutmers

  1 Mar 2010 | 8:14 pm

  Meet John. “JOHN” introduced himself to me at a recent training course. John had the title of ‘strategic change leader’ within his company. From certification to ‘advanced’ change management, this was John’s fourth change management training course. Over dinner, John shares with me the investment his company has made in training the managers, employees, and executives in change management best practices. I almost choked on my glass of wine. I was astonished at the financial investment his company made in change management training, especially during a global economic crisis! …

• Learning to lead change – changes everything

  Melissa Dutmers

  25 Feb 2010 | 6:36 pm

  Why learn to lead change and make ideas happen? Well… it changes everything. Learning to lead change changes societies. Thank you Dalai Lama for your continued perseverance and for never losing that beautiful, bright light in your eyes. You are a guide of many. Learning to lead change changes cultures. Thank you Joseph Campbell for your writing and your reflections on the art of living. Learning to lead change changes the environment. Thank you Al Gore for shifting our thinking about climate change. I know it took a while (we’re slow sometimes). Learning to lead change changes…

• Learning to trust yourself

  Melissa Dutmers

  21 Feb 2010 | 3:07 pm

  Is trusting yourself a requirement for leadership? Yes. And here’s a story to illustrate the point. During my riding lesson this weekend, my coach says, Melissa, you need to learn to trust yourself. I’m thinking, Okay… Yoda, Jedi Master. But what do you mean? How do I trust myself? What does that look like? I thought a lot about her words over the weekend. I knew, deep down inside, that her guidance was not just horse riding instruction. Her counsel was broad and deep and applied to many layers of my life. I know what it means to trust someone else and I know why I grant…

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  Survive Your Promotion!

• Firing Employees – The New Manager’s Field Guide to Termination

  Katy

  10 Mar 2010 | 4:40 pm

  Sometimes as a manager you have to let people go. It’s an ugly truth and ideally it won’t be a big part of your job, but sooner or later you will encounter a situation where a team member is not working out. Knowing how to handle that situation gracefully can make a big difference. So here are a few tips and tricks on how to know when termination is the right answer, and how to approach the process. First off let’s be clear about one thing – termination (as opposed to layoffs or any other event that is outside of your control) should never be a surprise. Except in the…

• Is it the shoes?

  Katy

  8 Mar 2010 | 7:53 am

  Remember the old Nike commercial with Michael Jordan and Spike Lee? If you don’t, thanks to the wonders of YouTube here it is: So it’s an anti-ad, we all got that part. Michael Jordan would be great in his bare feet but Nike doesn’t care because every 15 year old still believes that his Nike Air Jordan’s will make him fly like Mike and dunk like Mike. But what does this mean for you as a leader and a manager? Don’t focus on the tools. Everywhere you look on the internet there are people trying to sell you things that claim to make you a better manager. There are books and seminars;…

• There’s No Such Thing as “Leadership for Women”

  Katy

  6 Mar 2010 | 5:48 pm

  Lately I’ve been receiving a lot of requests and suggestions about developing a leadership program for women. I’m assuming this is because people have noticed that I’m a woman and that I talk a lot about leadership. So naturally I must have the secret formula for making women effective leaders, right? And they get really mad when I tell them what I think… There’s no such thing as “leadership for women”. Now before you all jump down my throat and call me a misogynist, let me clarify. I’m not anti-women and I don’t believe that women make bad leaders. Leadership is about…

• Your Best People are Updating Their Resumes Right Now

  Katy

  4 Mar 2010 | 5:34 am

  Times were tough – they still are. So you cut back on your training budget and you backed off your employee development programs because let’s face it, it was that or layoffs. Your employees understood – they all nodded their heads in the company meeting when your CEO said it was time for everyone to tighten their belts and work through this difficult year. No one resigned. No one even asked any questions. But now they are sitting in their cubes reading the news and seeing the glimmers of recovery. They are starting to get calls from recruiters again. The grass is getting…

• The 15 Minute Drill

  Katy

  3 Mar 2010 | 12:08 pm

  Every management job, regardless of your industry or department carries with it some tedious tasks. If you are lucky enough to have an administrative assistant to do your filing or open your mail, that’s great, but I’ll bet you still have things on your list that you dread, that you put off, and that pile up until they become big nasty chores. My personal downfall is filing my email. No matter how hard I work to move things into folders as they come in the door, sooner or later I discover that I have 100-200 items (sometimes many many more) that just haven’t made it into…

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  Leader's Beacon

• Assessing Team Communication

  Eric Douglas

  15 Feb 2010 | 12:16 am

  You can use the following anonymous survey to assess team communication. Use the following scale to answer each question: A score of 1 means you do not agree with the statement; 4 means you agree with it; a 2 or 3 means your opinion falls somewhere in the middle. Your survey results are confidential. Keep the survey anonymous, don’t write your name on it. Strategic Vision 1. Our team has a clear purpose. _ _ _ _ 2. Our team is guided by the organization’s strategic goals and objectives. _ _ _ _ 3. Our team acts in accordance with the organization’s values. _ _ _ _ 4. Our team has…

• Stuck in the Muck – Which of the Four Drives Motivates You the Most?

  Susan Stone

  2 Feb 2010 | 11:46 am

  Think back to a time, and it may even be right now, that you were in a slump, no desire to do a whole lot and not quite sure what will get you going again. It is times like these where looking at the situation from a different perspective can help you get unstuck and moving forward even if it is just baby steps of progress. The Four Drive Model is our perspective shifter today and yes that is a very technical term.  When you are stuck, which of the four drives below is the one that can pull you out of the muck and get you going again? (This is a self assessment and by no means scientific but…

• What to Do When Your Team Gets “Stuck”: 7 Ways to Get It Moving Again

  iancook

  31 Jan 2010 | 2:21 pm

  There is no question about it. A team can be a powerful vehicle for accomplishing a major project, guiding a unit to superior performance, or bringing together diverse perspectives to solve a pressing problem. Have you ever been a member of a smooth functioning, high performing team? Those of you who have, no doubt, harbor fond memories of how energizing it is and how great that rush of pride feels when you achieve great things together. The best teams, including certainly that great team you were on, are not just adept at driving outcomes. They also monitor their process,–how the group…

• Negativity Invades Work Environments

  Susan Stone

  19 Jan 2010 | 11:59 am

  When you walked into the office this morning was the general climate a positive or negative one?  It seems that when I speak with my friends and former co-workers that their work environments are increasingly toxic with negativity. Who is responsible for this onslaught of emotional crud?  Is it the leaders in the organization, the employees, both, or nobody? It is easy to create and support a negative work environment. Have you ever noticed that a positive work environment can be destroyed with negativity in less than 5 seconds? Picture a recent meeting that you attended at work. In general…

• Down the Slope and Up Again: Seven Strategies to Lead Your Team through the Recession

  iancook

  15 Jan 2010 | 9:05 pm

  Wherever you look, news about the economy is bad. Layoffs abound. Pfizer, a pharmaceutical giant, recently announced 8,000 job cuts. Home Depot, the biggest home improvement retailer in the U.S., said it will eliminate 7,000 jobs. Even the State of California is letting 20,000 go. The economy lost 2.6 million jobs last year, the most since 1945, and it shows no signs of improving in 2009. Large companies are hemorrhaging. General Electric Co., a bastion of the economy, posted a 46 percent drop in fourth-quarter earnings. Aetna Inc., the third-largest U.S. health insurer, reported a 57 percent…

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  Samuel Bacharach Blog

• The Key to Strategic Agility

  Samuel B. Bacharach

  12 Mar 2010 | 11:14 am

  Strategic agility is the muscle organizations use to jump into action and capitalize on opportunities even with incomplete information and time pressure. Organizations have strategic agility when they can take risks and grab opportunities when circumstances are extremely uncertain. Organizations rely on strategic agility in order to achieve long term goals by recognizing that unique and great opportunities can’t be planned or predicted. In order to enhance strategic agility senior leaders must understand the value in aggressively exploring opportunities in a world of uncertainty.

• The Oresteia: The Value of Compromise

  Samuel B. Bacharach

  9 Mar 2010 | 2:50 pm

  In Eumenides, the final installment of Aeschylus‘ trilogy Oresteia, Orestes is tried for matricide on Areopagus, a flat rocky hill by Athens. He is tried by a jury and gets the chance to defend himself instead of falling victim to the old system of violent, tit-for-tat, revenge. The Oresteia frames the demise of a do-it-yourself revenge model to the emergence of a legal system composed of jurors, judges, and lawyers. And, if we look closely, the Oresteia can also illuminate a very important leadership lesson. Orestes killed his mother, Clytemnestra, who killed his father, Agamemnon.

• Obama & My Mother’s Coalition Strategy

  Samuel B. Bacharach

  2 Mar 2010 | 2:09 pm

  “Coalition” is a word that brings with it mixed reactions. Among academicians, there has been some wonderful work done on coalition theory.  In the world of practice, coalitions are often seen as a necessary political tool to achieve particular ends.  Leaders pushing agendas treat coalitions as nuisances they need to put up with rather than a mechanism to establish a cooperative enterprise. Successful coalitions are put in place before the fact. They are part and parcel of an ongoing process. Unsuccessful coalitions are often weak afterthought, put in place after the fact.

• Leaders, Don’t Buy The Hype

  Nathan Sheranian

  24 Feb 2010 | 12:52 pm

  The new C.E.O of Xerox, Ursula Burns, is a record setter. She is the first African-American woman to become the C.E.O. of a major American corporation. Burns’ accomplishment has earned her generous applause and plenty of praise. However, Burns knows she can’t measure success by the weight of her accolades. In this New York Times article, Burns explores her new role and the challenges she faces when dealing with an overdose of praise Leaders can learn several important lessons from Burns’ experiences. First, leaders should always be wary of accolades and recognition—especially…

• Leaders Aren’t Lone-Rangers

  Samuel B. Bacharach

  24 Feb 2010 | 7:27 am

  A leader needs others in order to get things done. In order to move agendas, go after goals, and achieve results, you’re going to need other people in your corner.  The very notion of organizations implies that things have to occur in a collective.  In order for me to achieve what I need to achieve, I have to recognize my dependence, and interdependence, on you.  The Lone-Ranger mindset rarely, if ever, works. While this seems apparent, mundane, and obvious, it’s something that leaders consistently fail to recognize.  Leaders that believe they need other people do so on a visceral…

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  Nicholls Leadership Institute

• Leadership and Humility, Part Two

  Admin

  8 Mar 2010 | 7:04 am

  It’s funny how life works sometimes. Last week right after I wrote this post, I came across a great example that related to leadership in some of my reading. I wished I had seen it before that post, so decided this morning it’s worth doing a “part two” to that post, just to share this story with you. Last week when we talked about what happens when leaders derail is that they sometimes lose sight of their humility. I think it may be fear that causes that, and the puffer fish is a great example of what happens. When a puffer fish is threatened, they swallow huge amounts…

• Leadership: H is for Humility

  Admin

  4 Mar 2010 | 12:36 pm

  Humility It’s a strange thing The minute you think you’ve got it, You’ve lost it. Have you known leaders like this? In leadership, it really is about being humble and adopting that spirit of servant leadership. It’s been interesting lately as I venture into new territories with blogging and the internet world. There are so many experts out there and sometimes it’s hard to know who to follow and who to listen to. It seems everyone is an expert and some appear to be quite full of themselves. For me, those aren’t the ones I choose to listen to. The ones who have my…

• Paralysis by Analysis

  Admin

  28 Feb 2010 | 9:16 am

  Do you ever get stuck in this cycle? You have something new to do, or even something that you just need to get done. So you make a plan. Then you analyze that plan to death, wanting to be sure you have covered all of the “what ifs” and things that just might happen. That way, of course, you have a contingency plan for everything. On top of this, we always want the things we do to be creative, to be great, and to succeed. At some point, we get so deep into the analysis, that our lizard brain takes over and we get stuck–paralysis by analysis. The reality is that not every…

• Leadership: G is for Growth

  Admin

  12 Feb 2010 | 4:36 pm

  All leaders must grow to be truly successful. Sometimes as leaders, we just get too comfortable in what we are doing. We believe we have learned everything we need to be successful, and we stop searching for ways to grow. I don’t think we ever stop learning all we need to learn. So how do you grow? Here are five tips for ways to grow as a leader: Find a mentor. There are many different leadership styles. Seek out someone whose leadership style you admire and ask them to mentor you.  Chances are they will be flattered that you asked. In doing that, remember that the mentor isn’t…

• Leadership: F is for Failure

  Admin

  8 Feb 2010 | 4:51 pm

  Yes, you did read that headline right, F is for failure. And failure is a part of leadership. How many times have you tried to do something and failed? And then what? Did you give up, or did you find another way to do it or perhaps even realize that it was better to find a new thing to do? No one is successful 100% of the time. When failure comes, and it will, it is important to not let it paralyze you. A quick walk through history will show you that failure is not uncommon in courageous leaders. Abraham went to war a captain when he was a young man, and returned home a private. He failed in…

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  Ravi Pratap Singh

• Kerr's Folly & Indian Hockey

  Ravi Pratap Singh

  7 Mar 2010 | 10:39 am

  On 28th February, the Indian Hockey Team started it's "FIH World Cup 2010" campaign in spectacular fashion by decimating arch-rivals Pakistan 4-1. As is the wont when these two nations take on each other in any sporting event, the hundreds of millions of fans on either side of the simmering border consider a victory over the neighbour to be bigger than winning the tournament itself, be it a World Cup or a school-level competition. This time was no different - infact, the win was sweeter than what the Indians have tasted in a long, long time because it was not only our first win…

• Never Give Up

  Ravi Pratap Singh

  28 Feb 2010 | 1:25 pm

  "Never Give Up" is one motto that I live my life by. It’s also the title of a beautiful poem by Charlie Remiggio which I’d like to share with you all… Never give upNever lose hope.Always have faith,It allows you to cope.Trying times will pass,As they always do.Just have patience,Your dreams will come true.So put on a smile,You’ll live through your pain,Know it will pass,And strength you will gain.

• Anticipating Customer Needs

  Ravi Pratap Singh

  29 Jan 2010 | 4:32 am

  Last week i was one of the millions of victims of the dreaded New Delhi fog. When my early morning flight to Jabalpur got cancelled (not surprised), i hurriedly booked myself on the afternoon train. As luck would have it, the train too got cancelled (surprised and shocked!). Refusing to get cowed down by Mother Nature, i decided to make the 900+ kilometer journey in a cab (everybody except me was surprised and shocked!!!). Considering the fact that i had to be on the road for 15-18 hours, the first thing i asked the cabbie was if he had a mobile charger in his car. As expected, he didn't.

• Simple Ideas from Big Thinkers for 2010

  Ravi Pratap Singh

  16 Jan 2010 | 8:31 pm

  Best selling author, entrepreneur, and agent of change, Seth Godin, recently launched his eBook What Matters Now. "Now, more than ever, we need to shake things up. Now, more than ever, we need a different way of thinking, a useful way to focus and the energy to turn the game around.", writes Seth Godin in his blog. So in What Matters Now, he has got over 70 big thinkers to share an idea each for all of us to think about (and do) in the new year. Featuring names like Tom Peters, Elizabeth Gilbert, Guy Kawasaki, and Kevin Kelly, the eBook is embellished with pearls of wisdom. Some of…

• Social Media Guidelines for Employees

  Ravi Pratap Singh

  31 Dec 2009 | 4:18 am

   Since assuming office in May 2009, Shashi Tharoorhas been more in the news for his tweetsrather than his work as the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs. Is Tharoor right in criticizing his own Government’s policies on a public forum like Twitter? Or are his colleagues in Parliament devoid of a sense of humour? Well, let’s leave that debate for another day. For now, let’s take lessons from Tharoor’s “tweet-in-mouth” troubles and draw out some basic guidelines for employees who use social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs, etc. to publish…