Tag: meaning
How Exceptional People Developers Beat Bad Systems
A manager who doesn’t appreciate the value of something or simply doesn’t want to do it will always find an excuse not to. And, when it comes to employee development, one doesn’t have to look far for a legitimate one! Organizations unwittingly create impediments to growing people—something that’s recognized as a competitive advantage and requirement […]
Symbolic leadership: What do you stand for … or where do you sit?
“Symbols can be so beautiful, sometimes.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut, “Breakfast of Champions” Sandra described the past week of headaches associated with a systems conversion that took place in the call center in which she works as a customer service representative. She outlined the many hiccups and problems they encountered, the way data dropped out of […]
Finding the “motive” in motivation
For decades, management science has concerned itself with researching and developing sophisticated systems for understanding and unleashing employee motivation. In organizations, we’ve experimented with countless combinations of possible solutions to arrive at that magical motivational mix. We’ve tried: Compensation, bonuses, and different takes on doling out the almighty dollar to inspire employees Recognition in a […]
Meaning Matters
Earlier this year, Emily Esfahani Smith wrote an article in The Atlantic titled, “There’s More to Life Than Being Happy.” Now, I’m not ready to throw in the towel on my pursuit of happily ever after… but it’s hard not to take note of the frequent mention of ‘meaning’ in articles, books, and other works of thought […]
Looking for Lasting Commitment… Beyond Engagement
Leaders are enamored with employee engagement. They repeatedly conduct surveys to assess it and hold meetings to address it. Yet, despite the millions of dollars that are invested annually, engagement continues to be among employees’ biggest disappointments and management’s top challenges. Maybe it’s time to re-think our expectations… to reframe the issue… to take the […]
Pre-solution: The Forgotten Step Before Resolutions Can Take Hold
As 2013 draws to a close, it’s seductive to make declarations about how things (including ourselves) will be different in the coming year. Daily exercise Kind words to the crotchety co-worker No sugar The list goes on. The problem is that too frequently we jump to these resolutions prematurely. They end up operating in a […]
