Lester Thurow, one of last century's great economists, coined the phrase (and wrote a book) called "Zero Sum Society". In it, he described an economic system that had a finite limit, where one person's gain would precisely be another person's loss. Unfortunately, many of us seem to use this mindset [More]
Expectations matter. I recently had the pleasure of spending time in Houston, Texas. The people were friendly, the weather was great, and the event was a success. I stayed in one of the nicer hotels, The Westin, which was convenient, but also because of a great prior experience there. They [More]
When was the last time your boss said "good job"? Of course, good leaders understand the importance of praise, and we always feel motivated when this happens. But is there a connection between doing a good job, and getting a better one? There is - but not in the way [More]
How many people remember the concept of "customer first"? Recently I had an experience where this lesson was absolutely forgotten. I had done my homework beforehand, and had gone to the retail outlet to make a multi-thousand-dollar purchase. There were three clerks on duty, and not another customer in sight. [More]
No, it has nothing to do with Airline strategy. When you start a new job, honeymoon period. Then reality sets in. Employees will either thrive (good hire), disengage (walking dead), or become journeymen (consistently average work.) What can we do to improve employee engagement, reduce start-up stress, and improve retention? [More]
Have you ever been given one of those cube-shaped paper pads, with corporate advertising on the side? They are very convenient, and a clever way to get your name in front of your market. Not too long ago, I was at a trade show where Weight Watchers had a booth. [More]
Most leaders recognize that their staff and colleagues are the ones that are directly responsible for their success. But how often do we recognize them for it? No one likes to be thought of as a "work unit": we are all individuals doing (hopefully) important things. Recognizing, and celebrating your [More]
Not every work day is a great day. A client is pressuring you about a deadline. Your colleagues aren't doing their share of the work. Your key go-to person isn't doing her normal bang-on job. And of course, you forgot to bring your Starbucks card, which means that you are [More]
Who doesn't remember the old adage "Do as I say, not as I do"? For today's sophisticated manager, this expression is certainly not appropriate. But how about "It's not what you say, it's what you do"? This variation is better, as it focuses on action. Furthermore, when you do and [More]
Much has been written about leadership, but what makes a great follower? In fact, who even wants to be known as a follower? Being a follower brings up a terribly unhealthy picture: you are uncreative, require close management, have little intellectual capability - and certainly have no leadership potential. While [More]
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