Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
There was a minor kerfluffle with an organization with which I’m associated; a blog stalker noticed that a post I wrote quoted somebody from the organization by name (accurately, and within context, btw) and took exception.
Like the swimmer who admires the beauty in the whites of a sharks’ teeth before realizing they are about to be eaten, there are far bigger issues for anyone to worry about than someone quoting somebody else accurately on a blog.… Read the rest
When you’re whacking somebody, stepping down to get out, or getting fired yourself, what passes for organizational “truth” makes most “goodbyes” meaningless.
Isn’t time for more transparency, and more courage?
“Left the firm to pursue personal interests” is the “doing nothing” act in departures. It’s hardly ever true, and frankly everyone knows it.… Read the rest
Steve Jobs changed millions of lives. I know; he changed mine too.
From time to time people come along who greatly inform you, either by their immediate presence or the impact of their work.
Jobs did both; from the “insanely great” products he strove (and drove others crazy) to build to the example he set as a maverick (“pirate” might be his preferred youthful self-description).… Read the rest
IBM founder and CEO Thomas Watson had a sign in his office – and more signs plastered throughout the firm.
Aretha Franklin sang about it in the movies.
Buddha noted “What we think we become.”
So why don’t we think more?
The thought came to mind as I trekked back from a week-long stay at San Francisco’s Camp Mather, a place in the high Sierras near Yosemite.… Read the rest
There are execs who can’t seem to say goodbye – Howard Schultz and Michael Dell come to mind – while there are those who perform well such as Proctor & Gamble’s Art Lafley, who move on when their time as a CEO is up.
The latter types of leaders make the transition to “civilian” status from the CEO role with grace and timeliness. … Read the rest
Our 8 1/2 year old son Traylor seems finally settled on a transitional object.
The Peanuts’ cartoon character Linus has his omnipresent blanket; my little big guy has Flatopup.
Flatopup took hold after a number of other alternatives were considered and then discarded. When Traylor was in preschool my spouse and I were convinced that his friend Emma – another child of a non traditional (single mom) and adoptive family – was his transitional object, the enduring item in his preschool life that enabled him to go through any number of other changes with the sense of a constant at this side.… Read the rest