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 ›
motovational managers and leaders
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 ›
POSSIBILITIES TO LIVE INTO
Benjamin Zander’s web site describes him as a conductor, teacher, and dynamic world-traveling speaker on management and leadership issues. While I have never had the pleasure of attending in person one of Mr. Zander’s leadership talks, I have had the opportunity… Read More ›
A SIMPLE ASSESSMENT OF YOUR ORGANIZATION’S HEALTH: THE HUMAN DIMENSION
Anything quantifiable — that is, reducible to numbers — is obviously a potential measure of how well an organization is doing. So profits and/or productive output, for example, are usually one valid measure of organizational performance. But numbers do not give… Read More ›
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH DIVERSITY
I feel obliged to begin this article with a disclaimer. I am certainly not an expert on the behavioral differences between the genders, nor am I a leading authority on the many topics that comprise “diversity” issues. What I do… Read More ›
HOW WELL AM I DOING MY JOB?
I frequently ask managers how they evaluate, or attempt to know, how they are doing in their jobs. What never ceases to surprise me is the number of respondents that are unable to provide anything but a rather vague “OK”… Read More ›
THE “TOUCHY FEELY” THING
For many years, I have heard the phrase “TOUCHY FEELY” used by managers of both genders, to describe a variety of things and behaviors in the workplace. “Oh, you mean that touchy feely stuff’” or “I don’t do that touchy… 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 ›
MINIMIZE THOSE SYMBOLS OF POWER
A LITTLE THING THAT MATTERS —- When one becomes a manager in many organizations, there are numerous symbols of power and authority that often accompany this newly acquired status. An office, for example, is generally construed as quite a status… Read More ›
What Best Mnagers Know & Do 