Call Us Today! 847.612.8420|art.petty@artpetty.com
FacebookXYouTubeLinkedIn

Yeah, “Why Don’t Managers Think Deeply?”

Professor James Heskett highlights GE CEO Geoffrey Immelt's recent pronouncements that he is: looking for managers to think deeply about innovations that will ensure GE's longer-term success. He has vowed that he will protect those working on the breakthroughs from the "budget slashers" focused on short-term success. (Professor Heskett also reviews the book Marketing Metaphoria and the perspectives of the authors: Gerald and Lindsay Zaltman on why managers don't think deeply.) As I leader, I've wrestled with this topic for years, and have worked around and with many individuals perfectly content to let their days unfold in a transactional nature, with no time to think deeply or even strategically. Days pass into months and months to years, and still these individuals prefer conquering the issue of the moment versus wondering whether they are even working on the right issues.

By |2016-10-22T17:12:24-05:00June 16th, 2008|Leadership, Leading Change|4 Comments
Read More

Did Anyone Get the Memo on How to Act During a Slowdown?

You don't have to look hard to learn about the impact of rising fuel costs, including layoffs, plant closings, cutbacks, service reductions, fare hikes and new user fees. These headlines and many more just like them blare from the tv and radio or jump out at us from the front pages of our morning newspapers. However, what really amazes me is how hard you have to work to find examples of companies and leaders that received and read the memo on surviving, improving and even prospering during periods of economic difficulty.

By |2016-10-22T17:12:24-05:00June 11th, 2008|Leadership|0 Comments
Read More

Values-Based Leadership: More of What I Learned at Matsushita

I reflected on the Basic Business Principles as the values are known at Matsushita, when I co-authored the Values for a future employer, and I reflect and draw upon them regularly as I teach sections on Values-Focused Leadership in workshops and classrooms. A typical session will end with a majority of participants highlighting how they never understood until now how powerful the corporate values could be in strengthening their culture, driving performance and guiding behavior. This is a valuable lesson to learn for all of us.

By |2016-10-22T17:12:25-05:00May 11th, 2008|Leadership|2 Comments
Read More

Staying Strong in the Middle While Your Company Is Falling Apart

There are no magic answers for taking a horrible company situation and suddenly making it better. There are also no guarantees that your heroic efforts will save the day. However, as a professional and an emerging leader, these are the situations that test your skills, that challenge you to mature and that give you the tools to succeed the rests of your career. If you plan on walking through the door in the morning, show up prepared to fight for your firm. And when you walk out the door at night, remember the wise words of a good friend: "Family and health count, all the rest of this stuff is just politics and money." Keep it in context.

By |2016-10-22T17:12:25-05:00May 1st, 2008|Leadership|0 Comments
Read More

Teammate Yesterday, Manager Today

ndoubtedly, one of the most difficult and awkward professional transitions is the jump from team member to team manager. The people that you've worked with side by side, joked with and shared lunch with are no longer your peers, they are your employees, and for good or bad, your relationship with them will never be the same. If you are truly interested in developing as a leader, this awkward situation is an outstanding rite of passage, complete with some hardcore lessons on what it takes for you to build credibility, motivate, direct, support and lead others.

By |2016-10-22T17:12:26-05:00April 22nd, 2008|Leadership|0 Comments
Read More

Why Strategy is the Leader’s Most Potent Tool

Leading is more than just being the person in charge. It's about selecting and developing talent, providing direction and motivation, creating the effective working environment and providing consistent and timely feedback on performance. The "direction and motivation" component comes directly from the leader's understanding of the firm's strategic environment (market forces, competitors, customers) as well as the direction and strategies (goals/actions) that have been selected by an organization's management. Strategy is context that gives meaning and purpose to individual roles and group activities and goals.

By |2016-10-22T17:12:26-05:00April 15th, 2008|Leadership, Strategy|5 Comments
Read More

From Strategy-Starved to Strategy-Fueled: It’s All About Communication

It's critical for leaders to recognize that organizations that broadly understand their strategy and employees that specifically understand how their activities and decisions impact strategy execution are going to defeat less-enlightened competitors. Strategy is not an abstract concept reserved for the deep-thought thinking sessions of senior leaders. Strategy is a powerful leadership tool to engage the hearts and minds of associates and to fuel performance.

By |2016-10-22T17:12:27-05:00April 2nd, 2008|Project Management, Strategy|1 Comment
Read More
Go to Top