feedback Archives

An Irreverent but Pointed Look at Feedback & An Update on the Newsletter Promotion

Today's post is at my Building Better Leaders site/blog and features a slightly irreverent look at the value and need for feedback. It is entirely possible that in the course of making a point on why feedback is such a critical skill to master, I compared it to Viagra, dissed the Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler and encouraged incompetent leaders to volunteer to stand next to a wall with a blindfold on and smoke a cigarette. And yes, there is a message and at least a few ideas for you once you get beyond my slightly off-center suggestions

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:41:21-05:00December 17th, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|0 Comments

New Leader Identification: Exploration Before Promotion!

I talk with a great number of leaders at various levels and stages of their careers about their own experiences in “becoming a leader,” and I’m constantly fascinated by their start-up stories. Fascinated, that is, the way many drive past a car wreck. Shocked and curious at the same time.

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:43:34-05:00August 28th, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|7 Comments

The Seven Critical Conversations of Great Firms and Great Leaders

You learn a great deal about an organization’s current state, near-term prospects and about the health and effectiveness of a firm’s leaders by looking for and listening to the quality of the conversations in the working environment. There are at least Seven Critical Conversations that I observe taking place over and over again in organizations that that are either successful or improving. These same conversations are often nowhere to be found except perhaps behind the closed doors of a firm’s leaders in less successful firms or organizations that are struggling and sinking.

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:44:35-05:00June 23rd, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|6 Comments

Why I Hate the “Sandwich” Technique for Delivering Feedback

At the risk of inviting the ire of a great number of readers and trainers, I am once again opting for the dissenting opinion on a controversial topic. I absolutely hate the use of the “sandwich” technique in delivering constructive feedback. Here's why and here's my guidance to help you throw away this leader's crutch and to start delivering clear, polite feedback that supports behavioral change.

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:45:08-05:00May 7th, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|29 Comments

From Strategic Planning to Strategic Conversations

While there is no doubt that strategic planning done right is a valuable management process and tool, in my opinion, we need to change both the vernacular and the approaches to move from strategic planning to conducting strategic conversations. Frankly, I want everyone in my firm thinking, talking and relating their work activities to the firm’s strategies for creating customer value and thumping competitors.

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:46:01-05:00April 16th, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|3 Comments

Dumb Luck and Employee Happiness-One Works and the Other Doesn’t?

Every once in awhile, my second favorite publication, Harvard Business Review, serves up some fascinating content that leaves me scratching my head and wondering. In addition to some excellent content, the April, 2009 issue summarizes a couple of potentially pointless studies in the Forethought section. One asks: “Are Great Companies Just Lucky?” and the other serves up, “Employee Happiness Isn’t Enough to Satisfy Customers.” Both articles offer up some interesting premises and are backed by well-pedigreed professionals that seem to have conducted a fair amount of research to conclude that luck is important and employee happiness is not the silver bullet of customer satisfaction. My reactions range from, “OK, and the point is…?” to “Huh?”

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:46:04-05:00April 14th, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|2 Comments

“It’s Simple” and The Six C’s that Enable High Performance

Sometimes we learn lessons in interesting ways. I learned the power of "keeping things simple" in an amusing but instructive manner from an early mentor at Panasonic. For leaders looking to manage complexity during these difficult times, I offer my own Six Power Tools for keeping things simple and driving high performance.

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:46:22-05:00March 18th, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|0 Comments

Leadership Caffeine™ for the Week of March 16, 2009

Your weekly dose of Leadership Caffeine offers reminders and tips for improving communications, engaging your team members and helping knock down obstacles. Oh, and take a second sip of the iced coffee and spend a few minutes thinking about how you might leverage your firm's values as powerful leadership tools.

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:46:23-05:00March 15th, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|1 Comment

Leadership Lessons from the Road

One of the great things about leading workshops with talented professionals is how much I learn about the very real challenges that people face in trying to get work done inside their organizations. After spending a day together working with a group technical professionals at The Data Warehouse Institute's World Conference, I gained some insights into the challenges and barriers that are slowing down progress and inhibiting performance improvements inside organizations.

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:46:37-05:00February 27th, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|2 Comments

The Leader’s Mid-Week Survival Guide

Hey, it’s Wednesday. How are you doing on your leadership priorities this week? If you are starting to feel the week slip away from you, here’s a blunt reminder and a few tips to focus on your true priorities. The week’s not over yet…and victory is still within your reach. It’s time to fight off the fires and push away from the urgent-unimportant.

By Art Petty|2024-08-08T13:46:52-05:00February 4th, 2009|1,770 Legacy Leadership Caffeine and Management Articles|0 Comments