Almost all of us have had to deal with a boss whose own management style and set of management skills left something to be desired. Managing up — as it is called — is relatively easy when one’s boss has… Read More ›
Managing & Leading
THE “OPPRESSIVE” BOSS: MANAGING POOR MANAGERS
Almost all of us have had to deal with a boss whose own management style and set of management skills left something to be desired. Managing up — as it is called — is relatively easy when one’s boss has… Read More ›
MANAGING UP PART IV: MENTORING THE BOSS
I met my sergeant soon after I arrived in Germany. His name was Thomas Brett. I was a green, newly minted, Second Lieutenant placed in charge of eight Medical Dispensaries. I knew just enough about being an Officer with such… Read More ›
MANAGING UP PART III: DISAGREEING WITH THE BOSS
Unless you are a natural contrarian who loves being on the opposite side of almost any issue, chances are you don’t relish arguing or disagreeing with your boss. Some folks are so emotionally uncomfortable with conflict that they avoid such… Read More ›
MANAGING UP PART II: SHAPING EXPECTATIONS
Working in the absence of a clear understanding of what is expected of you, is a lot like walking around in the dark in a strange hotel room at 3:00 in the morning; sooner or later you are going to… Read More ›
MANAGING UP PART I: KEEPING YOUR BOSS INFORMED
No boss likes being blind-sided by something that one of their subordinates had wind of in advance. As a subordinate, it is always useful to bear in mind the critical difference between three things; (1) those things you can do… Read More ›
LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR IN ACTION: An Illustrative Example
What is leadership? Leadership as a verb. One only knows it when one see some specific behavior and thinks “now that’s leadership”. I also believe this observed behavior must be aimed at accomplishing more than simply directing a group of… Read More ›
BEING ACCOUNTABLE: “The Asoh Defense”
On November 22, 1968 Japan Airlines Flight 2, a DC 8, was scheduled to land at San Francisco International airport. In heavy fog, its Captain Kohei Asoh, not adequately trained on the plane’s new flight director, landed his aircraft in San… Read More ›
The Abilene Paradox
What do you call the phenomena when a group of people silently agree on the dubious merits of an idea or course of action but either remain silent, or agree to do it anyway? George Washington Psychology Professor the late… Read More ›
PROBLEM SOLVING: WHAT ARE THE REAL ISSUES INVOLVED?
Abraham Maslow, famous for his theory of the “Hierarchy of Human Needs”, also had this to say about problem solving: “If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail”. No manager has only one… Read More ›
What Best Mnagers Know & Do 