Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
Recusal – one of my favorite 50¢ words – is the act of a judge (or anyone else) removing themselves from a process as a participant because of a conflict of interest.
While there’s no bright line, there is still a line; step over it and you’re conflicted, stay on the “right” side and you’re ethical. And when you’re conflicted, recusal is the smart and right thing to do if you’re able.… Read the rest
My colleague John Rehm – fresh from a tour of duty in Asia with IDEO leading innovation projects – flagged a post at HBR.com by Campbell Soup Company CEO and President Doug Conant titled Five Steps to Building Your Network.
If you’ve read Conant’s book with Nette Norgaard, Touchpoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments, you know that his candor and personal openness is unusual (unfortunately) for most senior executives.… Read the rest
People pursuing career transition or simply a new job search need crisp, succinct ways of communicating what they’re looking for, and the skills, experiences and background that serve as their foundation.
I call it a “handle.” Something that gives somebody something to grab on to, or something that gives some stickiness – think of two sides of velcro sticking together.… Read the rest
I’m having lunch and a close-out conversation with an exec coaching client in Silicon Valley today. She has made obtained great results with small changes; her boss thinks she’s doing great and frankly so do I.
And she’s got a lesson or two that you can use.
One of the things she’s done is slowed down and let her direct reports (and a colleague or two) lead part of the conversation.… Read the rest
There are three well-known West Coast asset management firms (financial services speak for mutual funds, venture capital, private equity, hedge funds, or fund of funds firms) – none of them clients – where the firm’s leadership team members barely tolerate each other.
They talk when they must. Otherwise they minimize their working relationships as much as possible.
The firms make money. … Read the rest
There are lessons that some startups learn after they’ve crashed, and mistakes that successful startups either learn early or avoid making.
If you want to be successful as a startup, learn these lessons early – or be very lucky and avoid them.
Lunch yesterday with my friend and colleague Dr. Jo Whitehouse – a rockstar in the startup world – highlighted two of them.… Read the rest