A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS — The scene was the US Army’s 5th General Hospital in Stuttgart — what was then — West Germany. I was a First Lieutenant in the Army Medical Service Corps and was serving as Officer… Read More ›
Self-Management
THE POWER OF CLEAR POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS
A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS — In a previous blog I entitled “Being Smart”, I referred to Stanford Professor Carol Dweck’s remarkable study of over 400 New York City fifth graders in which she demonstrated that simply by creating the mind-set… Read More ›
MAINTAINING A SENSE OF HUMOR
A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS — Freud considered humor one of the most sophisticated forms of psychological defense mechanisms. I have long considered it an indispensable asset for succeeding as a manager. To understand why, let’s look at the nature… Read More ›
BEING IN THE PRESENT
A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS — Ask any subordinate if he or she wants to work for a manager who really doesn’t want their job and the answer will usually be a resounding NO! From a subordinate’s point of view,… Read More ›
LISTENING
A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS — One of the hardest things I needed to do when I first became a manager, was to learn how to listen. Yes, I realize we all learned the basics soon after birth but I… Read More ›
A SIMPLE YES OR NO
A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS —- In two other articles in this series on the little things that matter — and which can make a big difference for a manager — I addressed the importance of acknowledging accomplishments big and… Read More ›
TELLING THE TRUTH
A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS —- Truth telling, of course, seems an obvious recommendation for any manager and not exactly a little thing. But here I am not referring to the need to avoid the BIG lie. Only the most… Read More ›
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND AFFIRMATION
A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS —- There are plenty of marvelous books on management and leadership suggesting the golden rules of being a success. I provide a list of my personal favorites as part of my website at: http://www.terrybusch.com. They… Read More ›
THE VICTIM MENTALITY: AN EMOTIONAL BLACK HOLE
At some point during a career, most people have the misfortune of drawing the proverbial short straw. Perhaps you were passed over for an assignment or promotion you absolutely believe should have been yours. Or perhaps you were laid off through… Read More ›
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR SUBORDINATES
Imagine that out of compassion, you hire an unemployed friend into a position directly under your management supervision. In short order, you discover that your friend is having difficulty getting along with your other subordinates, that there are some serious… Read More ›
Insights on Managing and Leading 