I was recently talking with an employee who told me that their boss was fond of reminding them that their work efforts were costing the boss money. This phrase was really irritating them. Was their irritation appropriate? Absolutely in my… Read More ›
effective management and leadership
PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK: DO NOT BURY THE LEAD
In an interview conducted by the “Academy of Achievement” (p.4) the late author Nora Ephron recounted her oft told story of her first day in Mr. Charles Simms’ Journalism class at Beverly Hills High School. Mr. Simms, she says, began the class… Read More ›
ANONYMOUS FEEDBACK IS A COP-OUT
Imagine being called into your boss’s office and hearing one of the following statements: “I have some negative feedback for you and everybody feels the same way”; or “a number of your colleagues have told me that ……….”; or “I… Read More ›
RIGHT PEOPLE, ATTITUDE AND FOCUS = POSITIVE RESULTS
In 1995, Hollywood released its movie homage — “Apollo 13” — to the US Space Program’s most daring space rescue. One scene in particular has remained with me ever since I first experienced it in the theater. As the crippled… Read More ›
ARE YOU THE RIGHT PERSON FOR YOUR JOB?
Many of the managers I have worked with over the years have never asked themselves if they were the right person for their current job. Having been selected for the position, they naturally assume they were the right choice. Others, however,… Read More ›
GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES AT WORK
The March 24, 2013 edition of Businessweek contained an article by Marina Khidekel entitled “The Misery of Mentoring Millennials” (Etc. Section). Among the article’s highlights that caught my eye were the following: “For a new generation of workers, the idea… Read More ›
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EMPLOYEE OPINION SURVEYS
The March 15, 2013 edition of the magazine The Week contained the following item from The Wall Street Journal on its Business news at a glance page: “A study by the American Psychological Association found that women report higher levels of… Read More ›
THE VALUE OF THE LONG VIEW
In a recent article, I encouraged managers to define a few, long-term “big ideas” or goals they intend to pursue over time. I did so, because I believe that is the best way for a manager to achieve a real… Read More ›
WANT A SENSE OF REAL ACCOMPLISHMENT? CHAMPION A FEW BIG GOALS
So many managers I talk with tell me that one great source of their frustration with the job, is obtaining a sense of accomplishment day-to-day. This is an experience I well remember and it never ceased being a challenge. The management… Read More ›
USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AT WORK: DOES IT MATTER MANAGERS?
Talk about a hot topic among managers in many of today’s workplaces. And here I use the term “social media” in its current contemporary sense to refer to formats like Facebook, Twitter, e-mailing, text messing etc. The question is, should… Read More ›