Wake-Up Calls for Managers

For the hard parts no one prepares you for

When the path isn’t clear, the stakes are high, and the answers aren’t obvious—this is where managers struggle most.

Wake-Up Calls for Managers delivers practical, real-world guidance for navigating:

 

  • Tough conversations
  • Leading through uncertainty
  • Building influence without authority
  • Driving results through others

The Leadership Caffeine Blog

The Management System Creates the Customer Experience—Observations in Excellence and Otherwise

For the management of business-to-consumer (B2C) organizations, the retail or service location is, of course, the ultimate proving ground. The experience for the consumer—good or bad, reflects the organization’s management systems from values, commitment to hiring, leadership development, and operations effectiveness. Here are some examples—good or bad—of the management system in action.

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Leadership Caffeine Podcast #30—Charlene Li

Leadership Caffeine Podcast #30—Charlene Li

In this episode of the Leadership Caffeine podcast, Art Petty talks with author and digital transformation expert, Charlene Li, about her new book, The Disruption Mindset: Why Some Organizations Transform While Others Fail.

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Giving Thanks for Our Veterans

We in the United States are the beneficiaries of a long line of remarkable individuals who in times of peril risked or sacrificed their lives to defend our country, and who in times of peace work in harm’s way to keep us safe. While “thank you” is the minimum we can offer, there are many ways as citizens to acknowledge how grateful we are for their service.

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How to Fight the Pressure to Make a Bad Decision

How to Fight the Pressure to Make a Bad Decision

Yet again, we are faced with a firm that potentially allowed the pressure-to-produce force decisions that impacted not only lives but all of the organization’s stakeholders. As a manager, you may not face life or death consequences, however, manage long enough and you will encounter situations that challenge your ethics and values. Here are six ideas to help you navigate a situation where the prevailing approach is one you believe detrimental to the firm.

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Managers—Less of You is Probably Enough

Managers—Less of You is Probably Enough

As managers and leaders, we often fall victim to the belief that our teams need us to survive and thrive. In reality, if we’ve done our jobs right in selecting, developing, and placing people in the right positions, and worked hard to create a healthy environment, what they need is less of us.

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Free Webinar: 4 Conversations to Help You Develop New Managers

Free Webinar: 4 Conversations to Help You Develop New Managers

On Wednesday, October 30, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. central, I am hosting a new webinar entitled: 4 Critical Conversations for New Manager Success. My goal in this free event is to share a framework of four sets of conversations and supporting activities promoting managers can use to strengthen their selection and early-stage development of new managers on their teams.

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Designing Constructive Feedback Discussions for Success

Designing Constructive Feedback Discussions for Success

Delivering quality constructive feedback is elusive for many managers and much desired by individuals striving to strengthen performance. In this article, I share an overview of the four core processes around effective feedback development and delivery.

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