My motivation for writing this particular article comes from years of observing — and personally experiencing — both the good and the bad elements of the management-staff relationship. I begin with the players and note that the distinction between them… Read More ›
line management
HOW WELL DO YOU WRITE?
On many occasions in this series of articles, I have addressed the topic of verbal communication. Since almost everything you do as a manager involves some type of communication with somebody else, your ability to convey a clear, accurate message… Read More ›
THE PRICE OF BAD MANAGEMENT
There are quite a few professions where the consequences of mistakes, bad professional practices, or serious errors in judgment are quite easy for us to imagine. Air line pilots, surgeons, dentists, criminal lawyers, structural engineers, cruise line captains, and school… Read More ›
DECISION-MAKING: “THE STRATEGIC TRIANGLE” PART II
In part I of “The Strategic Triangle”©, I addressed the value of being clear on what pieces of any problem or issue confronting you are actually under your control or jurisdiction. Here in part II, I will address the remaining… Read More ›
DECISION-MAKING: “THE STRATEGIC TRIANGLE” PART I
In my management workshops, we spend considerable time focusing on decision-making. The sheer number of decisions most managers make in a week is staggering, many of them on the fly, with little time for contemplation. We also focus a lot… Read More ›
SET UP TO FAIL
Making personnel moves is a routine part of most manager’s jobs. It is also one of the most critical elements of a manager’s responsibilities, whether looked at from the organization’s or the individual assignee’s perspective. From the organization’s vantage point,… Read More ›
MISSION, VISION, & VALUES
Over the years, as a manager and consultant, I have had the opportunity to participate in numerous Mission, Vision and Values exercises, involving both large and small organizations. Many have been fun, some just OK, and some downright tedious. … Read More ›
THE FAIRNESS-EQUITY DILEMMA
Ask any manager if she or he strives to be fair and equitable in her or his dealings with subordinates and you will rarely get a negative response. By the time we reach adulthood, these two concepts are well ingrained… Read More ›
THE THREE LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT
In any organization of size, there are usually three distinct levels of management. No matter how many managers there are, or layered the levels, there are still only three. Each layer has a critical strategic function to perform and in… Read More ›
THE FINE ART OF HIRING
Most managers who have logged a few years of experience hiring employees will tell you that it is harder than you might think. If lucky, a few of those hires have been spectacular successes. Most hopefully have turned out OK…. Read More ›