Experiences in the past few months are clearly trying to tell me to review the keys to process management in this issue. Problems with processes have featured prominently in a number of my workshops and management retreats. Much of the ongoing consulting and organizational coaching work we’re doing at The CLEMMER Group is currently centered […]
Read post »Here’s a an e-mail that caught me by surprise and made me sit up, take notice, and review what I’ve been sending out to subscribers of our Improvement Points service. “I enjoy your improvement points but think that you are far too hard on managers and leaders. Your articles show a distinct bias for employees […]
Read post »Most people want and appreciate a boss or work colleague who is direct and to the point. But it’s about the way that’s conveyed. We’ve all found ourselves resisting someone else not because of what they are saying, but how they are saying it. They may strike us as arrogant, unfeeling, rude, or overly critical. […]
Read post »Too many managers seem to operate on a variation of an old Groucho Marx routine; “I’ve got top priorities. I am going to stick to those priorities. And if you don’t like those priorities…I have others.” It’s very hard to bring the discipline of a goal setting system or planning process to a team or […]
Read post »Ensure you’re following the three keys to effective goals and priorities: 1) Follow-up; 2) Follow-up; and 3) Follow-up. Continuously communicate how your strategic imperatives connect to your vision, values, and purpose. Set goals and priorities from the outside (customers) in and help everyone see the big picture and where they fit in it. Keep the […]
Read post »High-performing organizations like Toyota have developed and evolved a very disciplined methodology that they call “Hoshin kanri.” It starts with high level or strategic imperatives and then cascades these through every part of the organization. Follow-through and follow-up is the key to moving this process from just another bolt-on planning program to a built-in management […]
Read post »In the midst of October’s economic uncertainty and turbulence, a reporter sent me an e-mail asking what leaders need to do in order to keep their business on track and employees reassured. Here are her questions and my responses: What do a firm’s executives and leaders need to do to reassure staff and maintain productivity? […]
Read post »Effective leaders are comfortable with paradox and ambiguity. This has been a favorite theme of mine since I began studying and writing about leadership over twenty years ago. Recently our son, Chris, was home from university to celebrate his birthday. During the weekend, he and I had a conversation about how much more complex, nuanced, […]
Read post »Here’s an e-mail I received from a regular web site visitor and subscriber to my monthly newsletter. My response follows: “I am an ardent reader of your articles. The latest improvement point article on Team Development is indeed good. The only point where I disagree is where you have brushed aside the adventure games as […]
Read post »Grant’s experience in the e-mail he sent me below underlines the need for manager’s having authentic conversations during performance discussions. His is a vivid example of how people join an organization and quit their boss. Retention is going to become a critical issue in the next few years in many organizations as baby boomers retire […]
Read post »As I continue to think and write about leadership courage, two points stand out for me. The first point is around having the courage as a leader to make it easy for people in our organization or team to speak up. Most managers dump out information (mainly through e-mail) and call it “communication.” Strong leaders […]
Read post »I have known John for nearly twenty years. Our relationship started before he retired from his previous company and delivered his experience and wisdom to the larger world through consulting. He was an excellent coach and trainer with a strong internal reputation in the large Canadian bank where he worked. And his storytelling skills were […]
Read post »Following are selected excerpts of a series of e-mail exchanges I had with a reader of my books and articles. It’s a great example of having the self-esteem, and mustering the courage, to do all you can to change your job situation (some of those details have been left out of this summary). And when […]
Read post »Yesterday’s story in The Globe & Mail quoted me from an interview I did with Wallace a few weeks ago. It mentions Moose on the Table. As he often does, Wallace provides good advice on dealing with the fear and concern raised by these turbulent times. Tough love for tough times As job concerns spread, […]
Read post »Most performance review systems are a disaster. They’re a perfect example of a great idea – getting team leader and team member together periodically to review what’s work and what’s not and make plans for continuous improvement – that has become a bureaucratic “fill in the forms” exercise. They are demotivating and degrading in most […]
Read post »The search for meaning is as old as humankind itself. At the societal level, every culture has searched for meaning through religion, mythology, and related pursuits. This clearly comes from deep personal yearnings we all have to find meaning and purpose in our lives. I believe the constant and continuous search is a key part […]
Read post »After about the fifth revamp of our web site since we first began a web site in 1996, we’ve found – once again – that web site makeovers are like home renovations; they take twice as long as expected and cost twice as much. We’re finally very pleased to announce a complete update and overhaul […]
Read post »Credibility, trust, and integrity are becoming ever larger issues with management teams at all organizational levels. People are looking for more from their leaders. As they fail to get the leadership they crave, a large credibility gap is opening up. In many cases, it’s becoming a chasm. For example, nearly fifty percent of people don’t […]
Read post »Most organizations have done a rotten job of harnessing the power of collective effort. That’s often because western society’s strength and weakness is rugged individualism and the ideal of the heroic manager single-handedly plucking victory from the jaws of defeat. This ethic is embedded deep in our cultural myths and stories as told through popular […]
Read post »True leadership is a lot rarer than we’d like to think it is – or should be. I have heard that 75% of us consider ourselves to be above average in our driving skills – a statistical impossibility. I often think the same is true about leadership. I believe a big part of the reason […]
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