Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Managing People”
I was recently asked to give a presentation regarding how to communicate with difficult people. It’s a lofty ask. There are a multitude of ways to do this, and the probability of getting it right is pretty slim. I find that the best way to do this is to employ the good old Scientific Method. Think back to your 5th …
Think about all the questions you ask an employee before they’re hired (also known as a candidate): questions to get to know who they are, what experience they have, how they might fit into your organization. Now think about all the questions you ask an employee when they’ve decided to leave your company (also known as a traitor…I kid, I …
People hate it when other people cough or sneeze near them. The reason is pretty simple, right? WE DON’T WANT TO CATCH WHATEVER YOU HAVE, FREAK. We’re quick to say no to other people’s physical maladies. We’re much less quick to say no to what researchers have called emotional contagion. What’s emotional contagion? Click through on this link and you’ll see a …
You’ve all read about United Airlines replacing bonuses with a lottery and trying to tie it to their Core4 mission to become “known as the most caring airline in a highly-competitive industry”. It didn’t go over so well. In fact, it crashed and burned. The announcement was made public on a Friday, and by the following Tuesday United announced they …
A few years ago, I was working as Editor of a fairly well-known talent management magazine and found myself engaged in one of my frequent discussions with the publisher over something. I don’t remember what the subject was, but at some point I said something that seemed to startle my publisher. His face contorted, turned red, and he barked something …
After the Houston Astros knocked off three historic teams—The Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers—the city of Houston celebrated its first-ever World Series Championship. “Houston Strong“, coined post-Hurricane Harvey, became the mantra and the common thread that bound players, fans and observers together. Beer was certainly part of that celebration, and Budweiser produced another tear-inducing spot that gave props to a …
This post will be both intellectually deep and shallow. It will follow the rules of the quantum world – it will take both paths simultaneously – blog quantum superposition if you will. It will be intellectually deep because I’m pulling from a piece that was posted recently on the Edge.org which describes its mission as: “To arrive at the edge …
Bad management is a chronic corporate illness. And it’s an epidemic. Bad management reproduces quickly in today’s world because in many cases (especially in public companies) performance is measured on a quarter to quarter basis and some of the fastest ways to achieve short-term goals is through fear and intimidation. And managers who use those arcane techniques are the people …
Growing up in the 1970s, I watched the t.v. show Alice. Each time over-the-top waitress Flo would tell diner owner Mel to “Kiss my grits,” I’d laugh. I loved grits, so as a kid couldn’t understand why she used the phrase as a put down or shove off as opposed to a wonderful invitation. I get it now. GRIT, like …
