This may sound like a dumb question to someone who carries the title. But many folks carry some version of the title — manager, assistant manager, co-manager, — yet actually manage nothing at all except a daily workload assigned to… Read More ›
Managing & Leading
LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR IN ACTION: An Illustrative Example
At various times in this blog I have discussed leadership as a verb. That is, one only knows it when one see some specific behavior and thinks “now that’s leadership”. I have also stressed that this observed behavior must be… Read More ›
MANAGEMENT Decisions: Explain don’t SELL
The concept of selling something contains the notion that the prospective buyer has a choice. They can either buy what’s offered on sale or walk away. Management decisions, however, require compliance not a choice. Gaining compliance is management’s job and… Read More ›
DECISIONS: WHAT IF ALL YOUR OPTIONS SEEM WRONG?
Recently I read an article in the New York Times by Wolf Biermann, a German singer, and songwriter who has lived on both sides of the Berlin Wall. Its title was The Tragedy of Angela Merkel. In explaining the conundrum… Read More ›
MATCHING TALENT TO TASK
Yesterday morning I watched Germany’s national soccer team surprisingly exit the 2018 FIFA World Cup finishing last in their designated group. I am certain most of their fans remain in shock. Man for man they possessed as much raw talent as… Read More ›
DECISIONS AS ACTS OF FAITH
When many of us hear the words faith or belief, we think of religion. We think of a religion’s fundamental requirement that adherents accept its relevant orthodoxy, doctrine, and revealed truths without verifiable evidence to support them. I often receive… Read More ›
DIAGNOSING YOUR ORGANIZATION’S HEALTH
Imagine you are on an airplane and seated next to you is a congenial and engaging man or woman. You strike up a conversation and discover your seating companion works for the airline you are flying. At some point, you… Read More ›
THE POWER OF FOOD
You might ask what FOOD has to do with being an effective manager and leader? Consider the following scenario contained in my workshop for managers: In the past six months you have made some difficult management decisions clearly unpopular among many… Read More ›
FUN, PLAY AND WORK
Are fun and play incompatible with work? I have worked for my share of managers whose behavior towards their subordinates certainly seemed to suggest these two things do not mix. I have never believed that, however, and have experienced the reasons… Read More ›
TEAM PERFORMANCE: THE FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF FULFILLED HUMAN NEEDS
I have focused on the topic of teams several times in this series of articles. And indeed there has been enough written about the topic these past twenty-five years to fill an entire library shelf. I return to the subject here,… Read More ›
Insights on Managing and Leading 