Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
Mentoring is hot, both on college campuses and in the private sector.
“The right mentor can help you get ahead” according to the Boston Globe.
An article in Forbes headlines “To build a great company, start with great mentors.“
And the wrong or no mentor? A recipe for more career detours or a life in the slower lane.… Read the rest
It happens.
Out of the blue an exec (or anyone else) gets whacked.
Sometimes it’s a clear quantitative reason (e.g. sales goals weren’t met).
But many times it’s not. And that not-so-clear can be for a host of reasons frequently including “bad” fit.
And at the top, where competence is a given, fit is what what sometimes gets you hired and more often than not, fit is what gets you fired.… Read the rest
We might sell our Dolores Park area home, a house we’ve lived in for 20 years.
But then again, if the price isn’t right, we might not.
We might pare down early – accelerating a plan 10 years out – and buy a place in Stanley Saitowitz’ minimalistic 8 Octavia in Hayes Valley.
But then again, if we don’t sell our home in Dolores Park at the right price, we might not.… Read the rest
While not abundant, you can spot them everywhere.
They are the sorts of colleagues who turn a ray of sunshine into a warning about skin cancer.
In a world of glass half-full or glass half-empty, they manage to always find the latter. It’s as if the coin flip for heads or tails always landed on one side, not the other.
They are colleagues nicknamed “Eeyore.… Read the rest
The all-day meeting with the exec staff ended up focused on one point:
“What should we tell the new CEO?”
Hunch is everyone wants to do well with the new boss.
While there is the occasional new CEO that parachutes in, the rumor mill or extensive interview vetting usually gives you an idea who the new gal/guy might be.… Read the rest
There are phrases that bring out smiles and there are strings of words that generate frowns.
Here’s one that can do both: “Some of us were talking…”
Like other “traffic signal” words and phrases – things like “but” as in “You’ll like it but it might be bumpy” or “just” as in “He’s just another candidate” – these words or phrases are best used sparingly and with smart intent.… Read the rest