People First “A company is people … employees want to know … am I being listened to or am I a cog in the wheel? People really need to feel wanted.” “Having a personality of caring about people is important. You can’t be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you
I’m reading a David Baldacci novel. One of the characters says ” It didn’t seem as risky when we were planning it” to which he got the reply, “Planning something never seems risky. It’s in the execution where all the risk occurs .” When we agree to take a risk , when we set the
Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go- Oscar Wilde If you have only one of something you can’t say it’s the best of anything – Harold Pinter I am not young enough to know everything – Oscar Wilde There are some things one remembers even though they may never
I was doing a performance review with one of my managers and we were discussing his inability to fill some key positions. It wasn’t the first time we were having this discussion. He told me that our competition was badmouthing us so he could’t convince talent to join us. I found that unacceptable and told
KPIs, Metrics, objectives, financials … Our business relies so much in them; but it is also good to take a step back from these drivers and assess your business in a broader way. Intrinsically we know that to be true, but actually doing it is another thing. While I am a big believer in managing
Great customer service is something that is rare these days. But when we experience it, it reminds us of the powerful impact it can have on us and our willingness to be loyal to a brand. I’ve written before about about how when we start to take our customers for granted, when we start to
When we make tough decisions, we deliberate long and hard before we do so. We come out with the conviction that what we are doing is the right course, and while it may displease some, we have weighed the options and made a decision. Often, however, we miss the opportunity to communicate that rationale when
Often as leaders we need to evaluate many sides of an issue, need to gain a perspective that goes beyond a quick black-or-white decision, and come up with a best-possible solution. But there are times, when it is black or white, when its time to recognize our non-negotiables, recognize when living in the grey is
I’m working with a student, who is launching a social entrepreneurship business. Her excitement and enthusiasm are contagious, and it is clear to me that she will do great things. From the very first meeting we have had, we have created a tradition; a technique that I have used periodically to create team buzz around
I saw an interview with Paul McCartney once. The interviewer was remarking that Paul is still performing, at an amazing level, even at his advanced age and asked Sir Paul how long he planned to still perform. Paul replied that he would perform as long as people bought tickets to his show and then he