A recent issue of the Harvard Business Review features a cover story which zeros in on an important and all too common dilemma. Leaders believe they have alignment with and among team members. And why not? Meetings are held, key items discussed, nodding of heads and indications of agreement are noted. Then what?
Much has been written and talked about concerning employee engagement, I am reminded that it is often simple gestures that help create a better workplace atmosphere.
Some time ago, I visited an underperforming company. Their Chairman of the Board asked me to spend time on a tour of the facility and to provide feedback. Once that was finished, I was asked what I thought. “You failed the mop test”, was my response. The plant...
Few items raise more concerns (complaints?) than the subject of meetings. Small or large, routine, or ad hoc, brief, or multi-day, meetings in organizations are known to be an unavoidable evil. We can do better. While there are helpful books on the subject (including...
As a long-time sports fan, I am taken by the number of head football coaches who are shown the door at the end of the season. There are many reasons for this; the most obvious being too many losses as is the case with my team this year (and the year before that,...
A recent Wall Street Journal article captures an emerging trend concerning a key management challenge: people. Executives are reviewing their strategies regarding team size, deployment, and overall employee contributions to the organization. Companies like Walmart,...