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Want to Kill a Few Brain Cells, (Try and) Read a Management Textbook

Jun 25, 2008

And while I’m loving the experience, I can’t help but observe that the textbooks are some of the most mind-numbing, coma-inducing products ever to emerge from Gutenberg’s great creation. In particular, the Management text in my Fundamentals of Management course this Spring is almost certain to drive the most interested of business majors to consider something more exciting like accounting or neurophysiology. What a shame to take a noble and exciting and complicated topic like management and wrap a bunch of dead theories in-between some interesting case studies and let that suffice for something that is supposed to teach the fundamentals of management.

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The Emerging and Strange Alliance Between Boomers and Millennials

Jun 24, 2008

If you are leading a team today, chances are you are dealing with one of the fascinating experiences of our time: how to manage teams increasingly comprised of aging Boomers and newly graduated Millennials. Your first thought might be that you couldn’t find two groups farther apart in terms of values, priorities, interests and capabilities. Well, your first thought is wrong.

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Don’t Misread the Millennials…Or A Coping Strategy for Managers

Jun 4, 2008

The impact of this upbringing is now manifesting itself in the workplace, as more buttoned down Generation Xers or younger Boomers are dealing with a wave of people that seemingly don’t have the work ethic and willingness to pay dues that allegedly we all must bring to our professional lives. Looked at through the eyes of those that are not so far away in age, but miles away in work philosophy, it’s easy to start applying labels like lazy and spoiled. However, before we indict this group of leaders that the demographic numbers indicate that we surely will hand over the reins of power to, it’s important to try and understand what makes them tick.

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A Blogging Milestone and What I Learned by Writing 100 Blog Posts

May 31, 2008

It was a tough week for blogging. A perfect storm of business and personal schedule challenges conspired to keep me from spending quality time on the blog. OK, and the fact that I have been holding steady at 99 posts for a few days, and somehow it seemed like I needed to create something truly remarkable for the milestone, 100th post. I’m over the “need for remarkable” part, but thought I would take a few minutes this Saturday morning to reflect back on what I’ve learned in this half year of blogging about all things management, leadership, strategy and project and product management.

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Why Sales Managers Shouldn’t Hate Performance Reviews

Feb 11, 2008

I don’t know too many Sales Managers that relish the opportunity to conduct performance reviews with their Reps. In fact, come to think about it, I don’t know too many Sales Managers that actually conduct performance reviews with their Reps. Unless you count the token compliance that a few accommodate through a “half-hearted, fill out the form to get HR off my back” approach that some Managers confess to employing. That’s too bad, because all parties involved are missing out on valuable conversations that can contribute to the growth of the business, the strengthening of the sales bench and the development of sales superstars.

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How Good Leaders Approach a Recession

Jan 15, 2008

While I don’t know too many business leaders that look forward to a recession, I know a few strong leaders that do a remarkable job of working through them from a “glass is half-full” perspective.

It’s not yet clear whether we are in or heading for a recession, but the topic is on the collective mind of people in the U.S. and around the world. If we are heading for recession, the right attitude and the right actions on your part will help your firm weather the storm and even prosper during or shortly after any period of business contraction.

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Leading the Generations-An Example of What Not to Do!

Dec 17, 2007

I attended the family holiday party this weekend and while munching on too many cheesy ryes and catching up on the lives of the out-of-town relatives, I was stopped in my tracks by the story of the job change that my Gen X second cousin described. It was a stark description of the gross mismanagement of the generations at a unique time in history when we have four very distinct generations in the work force.

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Keeping it In Perspective

Nov 21, 2007

No thoughts on compelling business issues today, other than the reminder to everyone about the importance of keeping the activities of your life in proper perspective.  Family, food and football have become the staples of the American Thanksgiving, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded that we are all on a similar journey of unknown […]

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The First Entry of Another Blog and How I Intend to Deliver Value

Oct 26, 2007

Welcome to the first entry! I’ve waited a few weeks since setting up this blog on TypePad for just the right inspiration to kick things off.  In the meantime, I’ve been reading as many other blogs as possible, searching for the key to producing something that resonates with readers, provides thought-provoking ideas and pithy commentary […]

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