Social networking opens up a new avenue for those of us who were not born to be social butterflies
Is it just me or is everyone more interested in 'networking' these days? I've noticed a significant increase in 'join my network' requests from people I know, have known, or barely know through sites like LinkedIn. Everyone seems to be interested in connecting and exchanging contact information. Is social networking taking over the planet, or…
If you want to thrive as your own boss you need to be prepared to sell yourself every day
Have you dreamed of being your own boss? Most of us probably have. We think about the flexibility and freedom it offers. We wonder how much more income we would retain if we simply contracted out our services. We imagine what it would be like to be our own boss. That picture of three-day weeks…
It's time boards gave serious and strategic consideration to how they can accelerate and maximize their effectiveness
I'm preparing to facilitate a board strategy retreat and the project has sparked thoughts about bringing a psychologist into the boardroom. “Let me be clear, I don’t do strategic planning,” I stressed when I got the call. The chair assured me they weren't looking for a strategic planning expert. They wanted someone who is really good…
Striving for three final candidates allows hiring committees to keep an open mind, test for fit and plan for imperfection
In The Secrets of Great CEO Selection, Ram Charan advises hiring committees to keep an open mind, test for fit and plan for imperfection. One of the organizations I'm involved with just concluded a chief executive officer selection process so this topic is fresh in my mind. A key lesson I learned is how important it…
Our simple 4-step plan to reducing productivity and watching your business go down the drain
A lack of productivity is actually a serious concern because the more it costs us to produce something the less competitive we are in the global marketplace. And the less competitive we are leads directly to fewer jobs, diminished earning power and a lower standard of living. The usual explanations as to why we struggle with productivity…
Before jumping head-first into a team building session, ask yourself if it really going to resolve the issue
Leading a team requires a skill set that is completely different from that of managing direct reports, the people who work directly under you. I have worked for leaders who were great at galvanizing a team but really ineffective one-on-one, and amazing bosses who were terrible team leads. Actually, most of the people I’ve worked…
Management is the infrastructure that allows a leader's vision to become a sustainable reality
Business and management guru Henry Mintzberg made the argument a few years ago that businesses are asking for trouble because of their penchant for separating "leaders" from "managers" and placing leadership in a superior role over management. We are suffering, in other words, not from a lack of leadership, but from the absence of good management. Mintzberg believes that, while…
Tackling culture requires the same approach you apply to any other business problem: What is your goal? Where are you now? What is your plan to close the gap?
I once sat with a small group of business owners who wanted to talk about culture. For each of them, culture ranks as one of their key human resource worries – how to shift their culture in a meaningful way, or maintain a culture they see as critical to success. One of the advantages –…
And stop sucking all the air from a room
Donald Trump may be a caricature-like and extreme example of someone who can't help but steal centre stage, but such people lurk everywhere. We have all worked on a team or sat in a room where someone dominated the conversation to such an extent everyone else started to fade into the background. Maybe you are…
Attempting to make everything perfect steals time from your clients, your employer, your family and yourself
For her entire career, Phoebe has really struggled with how to manage her time. She has a great attitude and the quality of her work is first-rate, but it seems to take her twice as long as anyone else to bring a project to completion. Recently she moved into a new role, replacing someone who…