The rhythm that we established as school children lives on in many of us. Admit it: You get antsy in the spring, realizing that summer is just around the corner. Feeling like September is a fresh start, you clear out a few old files and bring in a few new office supplies. ‘Back to school’…
In today’s highly complex and fast-paced environment, leaders constantly navigate a wide margin of error. Given globalization, heightened competition, and ever-shrinking budgets and cycle times, the potential for leaders to make mistakes is great. Some leaders err by commission—actively undertaking acts that undermine team or organizational success. Others err by omission—failing to do something that’s…
Have you noticed the recent trend toward “pop-up” establishments? Over the holidays, I shopped in pop-up stores and ate in pop-up restaurants, and so did many other people. It’s a phenomenon in which retailers, chefs or other entrepreneurs temporarily take over a space to operate their businesses. They’re only there for one night or perhaps…
The annual performance appraisal might be among the most reviled of time-honored workplace traditions. And it makes sense. Managers must invest countless hours in a process that endeavors to boil a year’s worth of a human being’s contribution down to a series of check boxes, numeric ratings, and bulleted highlights. Employees—those human beings whose contributions…
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…