Leadership = Purpose + Direction + Motivation + Coaching + Passion + Character + Trustworthiness + Discipline + Communication
I witness poor leadership behaviors all the time. It amazes me that these scoundrels have followers. People that follow bad leaders are a lot like sheep following a shepard. Don't follow a bad leader. Break out from the flock and look for a leader that wants you to succeed.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Characteristics of a Successful Organizational Culture - Part 2
Signs your organization's culture is healthy
Change is not seen as a goal but a journey
An individual’s status in the organization is gained because of their results ...and methods ...and communications, not their role or title
People have fun at work
People become more willing to speak their minds
All levels of the organization come together to solve problems
Risk taking is encouraged
Project management is taken seriously
Senior staff and executives are visible, available, and relevant
There are blurred lines between organizational groups and departments
External employee concerns (home, family, school) are part of the organization’s agenda
Teams evaluate themselves and other teams
Teams determine who is on or off “the team”
Executives and senior managers that show anti-social behavior or who are not team players are told to seek work elsewhere
People manage themselves
People doing the work are looked upon as experts on how the work should be done
Organizational decisions, rewards, and results are shared openly
There are formal and explicit links and work rules between internal groups
Managers are visible, informed, and accountable
Team assessments are used to measure a Team’s success
There is a new paradigm about what the organization owes the employee and what the employee owes the organization
The gap between potential and performance is reduced (must be measured by outsiders)
Teams replace supervisors
Information is shared about the organization’s failures, problems, successes, and opportunities
People smile more and like coming to work
People discuss then decide
Trust, Respect, Integrity, and Truthfulness are not an option
People are eager and willing to learn new things
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Characteristics of a Successful Organizational Culture
Culture can be described as a set of behaviors that are refined and are used or sought after by people in their group. Cultural behaviors are a set of shared ideas and beliefs that are associated with a way of life.
In highly effective enterprises, cultures tend to have the following characteristics. There are many more, but these are some that come to mind:
Leaders lead and teach others to be leaders
A positive attitude is displayed by key managers and leaders
The organization's plans, policies, procedures, rules, and strategic direction are well documented and discussed at all levels of the organization
The opinions of employees are valued and they believe they are key members of the larger enterprise team
Work teams are encouraged to develop solutions to organizational problems
Continuous improvement is a part of the way business is done
The organization believes in and practices a philosophy of creativity and innovation
Professional politicians are looked at as a liability
Interdependent relationships are numerous and exist at all levels of the organization
Employees are recognized for their achievements
Feedback is continuous and two-way
Senior managers are visible and available
Resourse planning is practiced continuously
There is "Systems Thinking"
There is a shrinking gap between organizatinal potential and performance (and it is measured)
Team members evaluate the performance of their team as a whole and eliminate unproductive members that are unwilling to perform at acceptable levels
Senior management understands that the people doing the work are the ones that know how the work should be done
Managers are facilitators and coaches
Moral is high and people are satisfied with their jobs
People are committed to the organization's goals and to their work groups success
In highly effective enterprises, cultures tend to have the following characteristics. There are many more, but these are some that come to mind:
Leaders lead and teach others to be leaders
A positive attitude is displayed by key managers and leaders
The organization's plans, policies, procedures, rules, and strategic direction are well documented and discussed at all levels of the organization
The opinions of employees are valued and they believe they are key members of the larger enterprise team
Work teams are encouraged to develop solutions to organizational problems
Continuous improvement is a part of the way business is done
The organization believes in and practices a philosophy of creativity and innovation
Professional politicians are looked at as a liability
Interdependent relationships are numerous and exist at all levels of the organization
Employees are recognized for their achievements
Feedback is continuous and two-way
Senior managers are visible and available
Resourse planning is practiced continuously
There is "Systems Thinking"
There is a shrinking gap between organizatinal potential and performance (and it is measured)
Team members evaluate the performance of their team as a whole and eliminate unproductive members that are unwilling to perform at acceptable levels
Senior management understands that the people doing the work are the ones that know how the work should be done
Managers are facilitators and coaches
Moral is high and people are satisfied with their jobs
People are committed to the organization's goals and to their work groups success
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Relationships in Project Management
“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” —Dale Carnegie
Friday, April 24, 2009
100ft. = 100 miles or 30.48 meters = 160.9 kilometers
In one of Tom Peter's many free presentations on his website he had the following quote from his book "In Search of Excellence".
I found the quote in regards to communication distances troubling, but true.
Tom's quote goes:
"It was the only chart we used in In Search of Excellence! It arrived courtesy of the research by Tom Allen and his colleagues at MIT. Studying communication patterns, they discovered that people more than a hundred feet apart might as well, in terms of communication frequency, be 100 miles apart!. Internet or no Internet (these days), that is nothing short of … stunning! And the implications are nothing short of profound!"
I found the quote in regards to communication distances troubling, but true.
Tom's quote goes:
"It was the only chart we used in In Search of Excellence! It arrived courtesy of the research by Tom Allen and his colleagues at MIT. Studying communication patterns, they discovered that people more than a hundred feet apart might as well, in terms of communication frequency, be 100 miles apart!. Internet or no Internet (these days), that is nothing short of … stunning! And the implications are nothing short of profound!"
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Heart of Business Strategy - Tom Peters
Tom's wisdom is awesome. Find lots more at his website
The post below was taken from a document Tom wrote called the Heart of Strategy.
Start Tom's Message below:
"We usually think of business strategy as some sort of aspirational market positioning statement. Doubtless that’s part of it. But I believe that the number one "strategic strength" is excellence in execution and systemic relationships (i.e., with everyone we come in contact with). Hence I offer the following 48 pieces of advice in creating a winning strategic that is inherently sustainable*:
"Thank you." Minimum several times a day. Measure it.
"Thank you" to everyone even peripherally involved in some activity—especially those
"deep in the hierarchy."
Smile. Work on it.
Apologize. Even if "they" are "mostly" to blame.
Jump all over those who play the "blame game."
Hire enthusiasm.
Low enthusiasm. No hire. Any job.
Hire optimists. Everywhere. ("Positive outlook on life," not mindless optimism.)
Hiring: Would you like to go to lunch with him-her. 100% of jobs.
Hire for good manners.
Do not reject "trouble makers"—that is those who are uncomfortable with the status quo.
Expose all would-be hires to something unexpected-weird. Observe their reaction.
Overwhelm response to even the smallest screw-ups.
Become a student of all you will meet with. Big time.
Hang out with interesting new people. Measure it.
Lunch with folks in other functions. Measure it.
Listen. Hear. Become a serious student of listening-hearing.
Work on everyone’s listening skills. Practice.
Become a student of information extraction-interviewing.
Become a student of presentation giving. Formal. Short and spontaneous.
Incredible care in 1st line supervisor selection.
World’s best training for 1st line supervisors.
Construct small leadership opportunities for junior people within days of starting on the job.
Insane care in all promotion decisions.
Promote "people people" for all managerial jobs. Finance-logistics-R and D as much as, say, sales.
Hire-promote for demonstrated curiosity. Check their past commitment to continuous
learning.
Small “d” diversity. Rich mixes for any and all teams.
Hire women. Roughly 50% women on exec team.
Exec team “looks like” customer population, actual and desired.
Focus on creating products for and selling to women.
Focus on creating products for and selling to boomers-geezers.
Work on first and last impressions.
Walls display tomorrow’s aspirations, not yesterday’s accomplishments.
Simplify systems. Constantly.
Insist that almost all material be covered by a 1-page summary. Absolutely no longer.
Practice decency.
Add “We are thoughtful in all we do” to corporate values list. Number 1 force for
customer loyalty, employee satisfaction.
Make some form of employee growth (for all) a formal part of values set.
Above
customer satisfaction. Steal from RE/MAX: “We are a life success company.”
Flowers.
Celebrate “small wins.” Often. Perhaps a “small win of the day.”
Manage your calendar religiously: Does it accurately reflect your espoused priorities?
Use a “calendar friend” who’s not very friendly to help you with this.
Review your calendar: Work assiduously and mercilessly on your “To don’ts.”—stuff
that distracts.
Bosses, especially near the top: Formally cultivate one advisor whose role is to tell you the truth.
Commit to Excellence.
Talk up Excellence.
Put “Excellence in all we do” in the values set.
Measure everyone on demonstrated commitment to Excellence.
The post below was taken from a document Tom wrote called the Heart of Strategy.
Start Tom's Message below:
"We usually think of business strategy as some sort of aspirational market positioning statement. Doubtless that’s part of it. But I believe that the number one "strategic strength" is excellence in execution and systemic relationships (i.e., with everyone we come in contact with). Hence I offer the following 48 pieces of advice in creating a winning strategic that is inherently sustainable*:
"Thank you." Minimum several times a day. Measure it.
"Thank you" to everyone even peripherally involved in some activity—especially those
"deep in the hierarchy."
Smile. Work on it.
Apologize. Even if "they" are "mostly" to blame.
Jump all over those who play the "blame game."
Hire enthusiasm.
Low enthusiasm. No hire. Any job.
Hire optimists. Everywhere. ("Positive outlook on life," not mindless optimism.)
Hiring: Would you like to go to lunch with him-her. 100% of jobs.
Hire for good manners.
Do not reject "trouble makers"—that is those who are uncomfortable with the status quo.
Expose all would-be hires to something unexpected-weird. Observe their reaction.
Overwhelm response to even the smallest screw-ups.
Become a student of all you will meet with. Big time.
Hang out with interesting new people. Measure it.
Lunch with folks in other functions. Measure it.
Listen. Hear. Become a serious student of listening-hearing.
Work on everyone’s listening skills. Practice.
Become a student of information extraction-interviewing.
Become a student of presentation giving. Formal. Short and spontaneous.
Incredible care in 1st line supervisor selection.
World’s best training for 1st line supervisors.
Construct small leadership opportunities for junior people within days of starting on the job.
Insane care in all promotion decisions.
Promote "people people" for all managerial jobs. Finance-logistics-R and D as much as, say, sales.
Hire-promote for demonstrated curiosity. Check their past commitment to continuous
learning.
Small “d” diversity. Rich mixes for any and all teams.
Hire women. Roughly 50% women on exec team.
Exec team “looks like” customer population, actual and desired.
Focus on creating products for and selling to women.
Focus on creating products for and selling to boomers-geezers.
Work on first and last impressions.
Walls display tomorrow’s aspirations, not yesterday’s accomplishments.
Simplify systems. Constantly.
Insist that almost all material be covered by a 1-page summary. Absolutely no longer.
Practice decency.
Add “We are thoughtful in all we do” to corporate values list. Number 1 force for
customer loyalty, employee satisfaction.
Make some form of employee growth (for all) a formal part of values set.
Above
customer satisfaction. Steal from RE/MAX: “We are a life success company.”
Flowers.
Celebrate “small wins.” Often. Perhaps a “small win of the day.”
Manage your calendar religiously: Does it accurately reflect your espoused priorities?
Use a “calendar friend” who’s not very friendly to help you with this.
Review your calendar: Work assiduously and mercilessly on your “To don’ts.”—stuff
that distracts.
Bosses, especially near the top: Formally cultivate one advisor whose role is to tell you the truth.
Commit to Excellence.
Talk up Excellence.
Put “Excellence in all we do” in the values set.
Measure everyone on demonstrated commitment to Excellence.