Happy Anniversary to the most important book on leadership on my shelf. Not only is it compelling, research-based, comprehensive, elegant, immediately applicable, and timeless; it changed my life.
Research ought to be relevant, right? So, when it was time
The brilliant folks at Manager Tools–specifically, Mark–have recommended this book highly for years. I read much of it a while ago, and recently picked it up to re-read it.
In 300 words, here’s why it’s worthy of attention; read at least chapters 1, 2, 16, and 20. (Those chapters recommended by Luther College professor Schweizer — it’s the “condensed” version of taking in the whole book, and will take you less than an hour.)
Have you seen productivity dip while creating a positive atmosphere? There’s a likely reason, and a solution.
So much
A few weeks back, I was at a presentation of Janyne Peek Emsick, and she reminded us of a great quote from Karl Lewin:
To know,
and not do,
is to not yet know.
Have you ever explained how to tie your shoes? Better yet, was there ever a time that you tried tying shoes simply based on a verbal description of the process? You had to DO it to get it, right? That’s what Lewin is getting at.
A coping strategy when things “drive you crazy” at work or home:
Take a moment to consider the
A few weeks ago, I shared an unusual incident involving an appliance installer, and the Facebook discussion after I shared it online.
After the post, there was a bit more discussion, and I also finally offered my thoughts on the issue. This week, I’ll share that “coda.” Some of asked how it turned out – “whatever ended up happening to that guy?” I don’t know, and I’m not investigating it; it’s none of my business. Is it?
An earlier post discussed the perils of the use of the word “don’t”.
“Don’t” is negative, and can also be dismissive. It is direct (that’s good) and easy (that’s why it’s frequently used). There’s a nice alternative, though, that can quickly lay out both the non-desirable behavior, and the preferred:
If we are effective, we are probably quite busy.
Many of us have tried different ways to stay organized, including electronic gadgets, pen and paper planners, whiteboards, etc.
I’d like to share two ways that have worked for me. I’m sharing them here, because others who have adopted them have found quite useful.
Both of them go the pen and paper route, so if you’re looking for ways to incorporate Outlook or Evernote or iCal or GoogleSomething, then check out another blog, like the awesome lifehacker.com.
Each of my two methods has a time and place.
The first is for when life is normal, and the second is for when it’s overwhelming.
When things are at their normal level of hectic, I use a technique based on the Franklin Covey system:
When I read the (rightly) popular Good to Great, I found myself agreeing with nearly everything in principle, but thought that some concepts were a little too idealistic for a small- to mid-sized organization. Massive businesses, like his examples, have more luxury to move people around, for example.
That’s why I had a touch of a problem with
This week, five posts that will help you understand the value of great customer service, everyone’s role in it, and some ideas