Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
November was a blur but I came away with one distilled thought: It never hurts to give thanks for thanks.
The good deeds – mitzvahs if you speak Yiddish – directed my way were small to large but net-net, they were all very kind and very terrific.
The unfortunate expectation that some people have is that if you do good for someone else there is a chit, a payback note, that suggests the next favor is due you.… 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
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
They’re sometimes dismissed – usually by extroverts – as “too shy” and not-so-good at speaking up.
Social skills to mix it up in crowds can seem lacking.
When they’re “on point” it can seem like they can falter. They are said to have “issues” when it comes to small talk; not great “speaking on their feet.”
So can introverts (co) rule the world?… Read the rest
It they’d been sipping brews or smoking cigarettes I probably wouldn’t have noticed.
Instead what caught my eye and ear was the crew at the open deli kitchen of Bi-Rite Market talking about what they needed to be aware of and do to make the day go smoothly.
I reminded me that sometimes the simplest way to get results is the hardest.… Read the rest
Clever won’t guarantee success though it might get you noticed.
C. S. Lewis once noted “No clever arrangement of bad eggs ever made a good omelet” and that’s a pretty smart way to size clever by itself.
So I chuckled as I saw the slogan on the back of the wait crew shirts at the recently re-opened La Rondalla restaurant in my San Francisco Mission neighborhood.… Read the rest