Tag: management
The New Game of Management
Today’s managers and supervisors are under tremendous, and often competing, pressures. They’re challenged to balance short-term results with long-term focus. They must keep costs down but drive ever-increasing levels of contribution and value. They must follow directives and think outside of the box. And they have to do it all at once. Analogies abound. A […]
Give ‘Em Enough Rope….
I like to start each day with an early morning yoga class. And, if I get there early enough, I stretch out my spine by hanging upside down from ropes that are anchored to the wall. A friend recently walked into the studio, announcing, “There’s Julie. Give her enough rope and she’ll hang herself!” How […]
Everything I Needed to Know About Leadership, I Learned… When My Kids Entered Kindergarten
Move over, military. There’s a new leadership development setting in town! For most of the twentieth century, leaders grew up primarily through their military experiences, developing the models, approaches, and skills that would eventually extend to the workplace. But, as enlistment in the armed forces has systematically dropped, potential leaders have had to find other […]
Building the Bench
Just as many organizations begin to feel that they’re stabilizing after a long period of economic uncertainty, they may find themselves facing a new and unexpected challenge: deficient management bench strength. According to the American Management Association’s study of nearly 1,000 companies, just 28% of respondents believe that their organizations have sufficient leadership depth. Nearly […]
Career Conversation: It All Starts with a Question
Career development is one of the most misunderstood management activities today. Too frequently it’s all about the forms, checklists, and annual deadlines. But genuine development doesn’t happen like that. It happens a little bit, everyday. And it happens thought conversation. In our research, we’ve found that managers don’t need to be suave, smooth, and rehearsed. […]
Updating the Definition of Career Development
Few will argue that career development is important, a challenge for most managers, and a high stakes game in organizations today. Where the argument begins is around what career development actually is. Too frequently, form trumps function. Literally. For many managers, career development is all about the form, checkboxes, and deadlines. Now, don’t get us […]
