In the previous two articles in which I focused upon the phenomenon of change, I focused on the mind-set and approach best suited for the task of challenging those outdated models of practice we can find in almost any organization… Read More ›
empowering managers and leaders
WHY A MANAGER’S DEMEANOR MATTERS
You are on an airplane, 35,000 feet above the ground, flying from the East Coast to the West. Summer thunder storms have stirred up the atmosphere and the ride has been choppy for some time. The Pilot’s first “seat belts… Read More ›
THE ART OF MOVING ON
Leaving one management job for something else — within management or outside of the profession — generally happens in one of two ways: reassignment for some reason or you choose to change assignments or professions yourself. Both forms of departure involve… Read More ›
WATCH THAT “FIX IT” MODE
We have all heard the axiom “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. By extension of that logic, I suppose that means if it is broke, then fix it. Observing the behavior of many managers over the years, I believe… Read More ›
THE POWER OF PSYCHIC PAY
A colleague of mine — Jack O’Connor — frequently shares with his workshop participants the notion that there are many ways beyond money, to pay employees. Jack’s is a powerful notion — I call it psychic pay — that opens… Read More ›
DON’T PRESUME YOU KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR OTHERS
A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS —- Back in the 1950’s, one of America’s most popular television shows was a program called “Father Knows Best”. Once I became a father myself and gained a little experience at the demanding fatherly… Read More ›
PITCHING IN
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 ›
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 ›
What Best Mnagers Know & Do 