Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
When I found Mattuccui’s to catch a March Madness game on a big screen, I knew it would be a “make do” – and a reminder for all of us.
The bar was tucked on a side road just down the street in San Anselmo from where my 8 yo son was having a late morning brithday party for his friend Spencer Hao.… Read the rest
The last big tech boom – eleven years ago – had collars and handcuffs wrapped around founders and early hires.
Apart from the joy, challenge and excitement in creating something from nothing (btw – something not to be ignored or underestimated) the big financial upside was in stock. Stock which in many cases couldn’t be cashed out until the startup went public or got bought.… Read the rest
There is the regular stuff that gets you fired; this is about the dumb stuff.
First the regular stuff that causes you and your job to go different ways: position different than advertised, working relationship with boss or key clients never really worked out, company reorganization, you were too good in your role (and it scared people), you were not very good in your job (and it also scared people), somebody senior just didn’t like you, someone bought somebody else (and your job went away) or your company went out of business.… Read the rest
I’ll be working with the staff of my favorite preschool (also the school my son attended, and on whose Board of Trustees I sat for four years), the Little School in San Francisco this evening as part of their ongoing staff development program.
While my work is mostly helping senior execs and start-up and leadership teams raise the level of their performance, the same ingredients which imbed that work – efficiency and effectiveness – inform the work of teachers in a preschool.… Read the rest
Over hot chocolate (Peet’s non-fat, no whipped cream) this week, the search headhunter – newer to that side of the desk after running executive recruiting for one the nation’s blue chip companies on the other side of the proverbial desk – asked the awkward question.
His candidate search work for engagements had been outstanding; his new business development success had been missing in action.… Read the rest
Everyone admires firefighters.
Whether saving a cat from a high tree, or risking (and sometimes losing) lives battling a forest fire, firefighters universally evoke respect.
The same is true inside the business and organizational world; everybody applauds and cheers for the person or team who comes in to save the day, prevent the business for slipping into disaster or at least preserve what’s left of it, or prevent that favorite customer from leaving.… Read the rest