A while back I was at a conference that included a three-hour session for sales managers. So I went with our sales manager, and picked up 37 ways for a sales manager to treat your sales reps as your customers. Read more
Saying no is simple, but not always easy for most people. I've determined that you must have a systematic, philosophically-based approach to saying no. I recommend three steps: Read more
To succeed in shaping your organization's future, you must develop an organization that learns well, efficiently and constantly. Such learning is critical, because competing in rapidly changing environments means your organization must be able to track your environments, identify changes, and adjust to these changes. You must try new things and determine what works and what does not work--increasing what does and swiftly abandoning that which does not. Then you must build a new cycle of learning upon this learning in a never-ending fashion. In the words of John Naisbitt (1990): Read more
Q: What do you do when your immediate supervisor (an assistant manager) never takes a stand, never provides feedback or reactions to your work, gives you no support, and provides no leadership? Read more
1. Given with care. To be useful, feedback requires the giver to feel concern for the person receiving the feedback--to want to help rather than hurt the recipient. Read more
Some people associate innovation with Silicon Valley and computers and semiconductors. But innovation means change and advancement, no matter what shape or form it assumes. Read more
Change is in the eye of the beholder. If the beholders have initiated the change, then it is "logical," "rational," and "well thought out." If the beholders perceive the change as being done to them or if they disagree with the change, it is illogical, irrational, and improperly conceived. How many people do you know who were delighted at a a change that put their jobs at risk? And how many do you know who refused an organizational restructuring that increased their scope of responsibilities, and, not incidentally, their remuneration? Read more
One of the most important management skills you'll ever master is delegating. Delegating does not mean passing off work; it means giving others authority, responsibility and accountability. Read more
