The Leadership Caffeine Blog
Career Reinvention Journal—A Proprietary Algorithm for Career Makeover Success
Four Absolutes for Every Career Reinvention Project There are at least four absolutes when undertaking a significant career change. These include: 1. Getting started is the hardest part. Many people think about doing something different with their time and skills....
Career Reinvention Journal—A Proprietary Algorithm for Career Makeover Success
Many people think about doing something different with their time and skills. Most daydream about it in moments of stress, and it stops there. However, there’s a way to get beyond the barriers and the overwhelming idea that you have to solve this issue for the rest of your life. Here’s my proprietary algorithm for getting career reinvention right:
A Rave Against Miserable Customer Service, Lousy Leaders and Protectionist Policies
One of my favorite, provocative business thinkers, Gary Hamel, says what we’ve all been thinking about in his Wall Street Journal blog post, “Too Many Industries Suffering from Detroititis.” Hamel appropriately skewers the U.S. Airlines as suffering from this malady of poor customer service and short-term thinking, all propped up by the government’s artificial protectionist policies. I offer a few of my own thoughts on the “delightful” experience of flying U.S. carriers and what you can do in your organization to avoid the dreaded new disease, “Detroititis.”
Turnarounds and Talent is Overrated: Two Great Posts
Some days others have created such interesting posts, the best thing that I can do is to encourage you to head in their direction. Today’s posts from some great pros are too good to pass up. Point your browser towards both of these and enjoy!
Leadership and the Young Professional
very academic quarter for the past few years, a good colleague has invited me to be a guest speaker in her senior-level college management class and talk about leadership. I’m on the schedule tonight and I love this experience.
It’s great to have to stand in front of a group of early-career professionals and go through the humbling experience of recognizing that you are talking based on the road traveled and their view is on the unchartered horizons in front of them.
If Ayn Rand Could See Us Now
Stephen Moore, an economics writer for the Wall Street Journal does a masterful job in his January 9th Opinion piece, “Atlas Shrugged, From Fact to Fiction in 52 Years,” articulating what I’ve been sensing as our government has moved quickly in the past few months to assert control. The examples in Atlas and the parallels to what is happening today should send chills up the spine of any thinking being.
Professional Development: It’s Time to Improve Your Presentation Skills
Whether you enjoy speaking in public or would rather have honey smeared all over you and be staked to an anthill, the ability to speak effectively in public is one of the admission tickets to success in many professions. Master this art form and doors open effortlessly in front of you. A very wise manager once indicated something to the effect of, “you will be as successful as you are able to communicate.” It’s an odd twist of words, but the point is clear.
Trade Shows: If You Must Use Them, Set Yourself Up for Success
In prior posts…one in particular entitled, “Marketers, Are Trade Shows Extinct Yet,” I raised the ire of a fair number of marketers for expressing my belief in the demise of this ancient marketing tactic. My erstwhile colleague encouraged me to quit complaining and offers some tools to help marketers begin building improved execution practices into their event and trade show programs.
I took the challenge and crafted “The Management Excellence Guide to Trade Show Marketing in a Recession,” and am offering this as a free download in this post and on the main page at https://artpetty.com. If you absolutely, positively believe you need trade shows as part of your marketing program, it’s time to improve your execution, your efficiency and your effectiveness.
Bicycle Helmets, Texting while Driving and Project Failure
The same traits that drive people to do dumb things that they know can cause personal injury, manifest themselves in the way many organizations pursue projects. Like head injuries from a bicycle fall without a helmet and car accidents due to texting or talking on the phone, every single one of the issues above and the many more that I did not list, are easily prevented by the application of well-established professional project management practices.
The First Work Week of January, 2009: Once Again Into the Storm
Welcome to the first work week of 2009. There are no more opportunities to hide behind the holidays. It’s time to face the worst economy of our lives head on with a steely resolve to overcome and succeed. It’s also time to quit preoccupying on the negative news that bombards us and to focus on generating victories.
Managing Your Boss and Death to Slogans: Weekend Reading
Grab a cup of something hot and enjoy these two quick-reads. Patrick Lencioni offers good advice for managing upwards and Dan and Chip Heath skewer the slogan writers.