Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
Sometimes saying “no” is tough, even when there are all sorts of good reasons to do so. But if you are always saying “yes” to things you can’t or won’t be able to do, you’re setting yourself up for failure or dodgy performance downstream.
There are three areas where it makes sense for you to say no; 1) things that you should not do; 2) things that you can’t do; and 3) things that you prefer not to do.… Read the rest
The subject of the call with the pharma CEO was not new territory for either one of us: the non-executive chairman of his company’s board wanted to micromanage and get deeply involved when he had the time or interest, and would go missing in action when the heavy or unpleasant work (like letting the founder know he was off the board of directors) came around.… Read the rest
Just as you would in choosing a new hire, choosing a job, choosing a boss, or even choosing a mate, knowing how to make an informed assessment is critical. It is the stuff that any coach who works with executives or leadership teams (like me) should be able to do in their sleep, and it’s the type of thing that any layperson should learn and know how to do.… Read the rest
I don’t live in Marin County, California even though my son goes to grade school there. And I’ll confess that I am more likely than not to be Marin-a-phobic.
So if this post reads a little too new age, dharma breath, hot tubs, and organic tofu – in other words, all the stuff you might associate with Marin – be aware that I am one of the most earnest and pragmatic people around.… Read the rest
Signs of a slow recovery abound which should mean that some form of job uptick will occur. While it’s pretty clear that a rising economic tide will not lift all ships – some jobs, for example, are likely lost forever – the 18-month logjam in the job market appears to be breaking up.
The question for many, as people start to take new jobs with other companies, and their jobs and other jobs as well start to open up, is easy: Stay or go?… Read the rest
The conversation with fellow grade-school parent Amy Eliot at the bus stop this morning could have been anywhere about any company or organization: it just happened to be about the grade school our kids attend. The lessons on what works apply to all.
There is no shortage of good research and study on change and how to accelerate it. Rossabeth Moss Kanter, author of Change Masters is a great place to start for contemporary work.… Read the rest