Category Archives: Surrounding yourself with talent
Learn processes from your employees at work
Empathy comes from experience. Over fifty years ago, I was CEO of a record manufacturing company in Hollywood. We were the only such facility on the West coast to provide and control the entire process from studio, through finished vinyl … Continue reading
Is ‘servant leadership’ too soft for you?
First, what is “servant leadership?” It’s a term rooted in ancient philosophy. Robert Greenleaf may have been the first to resurrect the concept in his book published in 1970. Not quite as bold as inverting the management triangle, the concept … Continue reading
Is “management by walking around” an outmoded fad?
Let’s set the scene. One of the CEOs I used to coach started his day by walking the floor of his extended facility and checking in with managers and employees of the various departments, especially the call center. He tried … Continue reading
Stop managers from gaming the system!
Does this really happen? Business unit managers are under lots of pressure to perform, and occasionally are tempted to step over the line finding ways to look better than reality reflects. Of course, this has never happened to you, and … Continue reading
Why should you explain WHY?
Remember the five “W’s?” In my early journalism classes, I was taught the five “W’s” of good news stories, and that most should be in the first paragraph at that. Who, what, when, where and why are the five, with … Continue reading
Are you the leader if no-one follows?
Here is a variation of the “tree falls in the forest” question. In past insights, we’ve looked at leadership skills, ways to enhance effectiveness, and how to develop creative ideas that motivate and propel your organization to greatness. Here is … Continue reading
Learn the power of NO!
Over the years I have counseled entrepreneurs to think of a “no” response in terms of “yes, but…” There is always another way to say “no” that leaves the door open for creative thinking. Well, almost always. Sometimes, you just … Continue reading
OK. Let’s AMPLIFY your three levels of leadership.
Another leadership development bit? Yup. But if you have no time or are impatient, here are the three levels: visionary, strategic and tactical. Skip or stay with me; but think about your balance in your leadership methods either way. The … Continue reading
How to solve your most critical problems
First, the challenge Let’s say you have been told by your board, by your chairman, CEO, or direct leader to solve three problems you identify and report back within a month showing progress – or that you have solved these … Continue reading
How good a leader are you?
There are many roads to Rio, so they say. But there is one overwhelming method of appraising the effectiveness of a business leader. Outcomes. We can invent lots of metrics to measure progress for a leader, including revenue, profit, employee … Continue reading