Many say competition brings out the best in us. Is this fact or fiction?
Let’s assume it is fact. Accordingly, since we want the best to emerge from whatever involves people we must make it a competition. We want a winner to incite the rest (of us losers) to become winners. No one wants to be [...]
Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category
A Competing Fact
Posted in Leadership, Systems Thinking, partnership, tagged human spirit, Leadership, management, partnership, relationships, Systems Thinking on March 17, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Hidden Lessons in Leadership #3
Posted in Leadership, tagged Leadership, relationships on March 14, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Adam Bryant’s New York Times interview with Tachi Yamada, M.D., president of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Health Program, reveals essential abilities for anyone interested in making a difference to the organization. Yamada points to the importance of communicating to those with whom you are conversing that you care about them by not [...]
Need to Suspend not Defend
Posted in Leadership, Quality, tagged Business of business, Decision-making, Leadership, Learning, Progress, Quality on March 10, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
While we know that Wall Street is in New York City, it’s not so obvious that it is in every publically traded company as well. Wall Street’s influence on the focus of those leading the organization cannot be overlooked. Wall Street’s impact on executive-level (corporate) decision-making is similar to the impact that thought has on [...]
Hidden Lessons in Leadership #2
Posted in Leadership, partnership, tagged Development of Self, human spirit, Leadership, relationships on March 4, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Since examples can illustrate successful practice, many aspiring leaders often search for them to direct (their) action. And just as often those copying these examples fail. Why? Because they really don’t know what to copy! Rarely do people critically think about the examples in an effort to develop understanding of why the practice is effective.
A [...]
A Means to Ends Sleight of Hand
Posted in Leadership, Progress, Quality, tagged Decision-making, Leadership, management, Progress, Quality on February 24, 2010 | 3 Comments »
Usually a business begins with an idea: An idea to deliver a product and/or service that meet the needs of people is the seed of a business enterprise. As needs are satisfactorily met a share of market is realized along with it revenue with profit. Share of market, revenue and profit are the material means [...]
Superficiality Won’t Suffice
Posted in Leadership, Progress, Systems Thinking, tagged human spirit, Leadership, management, organizational design, partnership, relationships, Systems Thinking on February 17, 2010 | 1 Comment »
How leaders—management in authority—respond to the question, what is the business of business, will likely pre-figure how they design and manage their organization.
If those in authority believe the business of business is profit then they will very likely organize and manage as if the world is their oyster. According to this system of thought, reality [...]
Hidden Lessons in Leadership
Posted in Leadership, Systems Thinking, partnership, tagged Critical Thinking, human spirit, Leadership, management, relationships, Systems Thinking on February 10, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Since examples can illustrate successful action, many aspiring leaders often search for them to direct (their) action. And just as often those copying these examples fail. Why? Because they really don’t know what to copy! There is rarely ever any critical thinking about the examples, so there is nothing learned from them. In other words, [...]
Profit isn’t Enough for Progress
Posted in Leadership, Progress, Systems Thinking, tagged Critical Thinking, Decision-making, Leadership, management, partnership, Progress, Systems Thinking on January 22, 2010 | 3 Comments »
Just what is the business of business? What should be the primary focus of decision-making in business? If you are like most then you likely agree with Milton Friedman’s thinking—which many graduates of business school tacitly learn—that the clear-cut answer is profit. After all, we have a free enterprise private property self-interest maximizing economic system, [...]
Afraid to Innovate
Posted in Leadership, Progress, Quality, tagged Critical Thinking, Decision-making, Leadership, management, Progress, Quality, Systems Thinking on January 8, 2010 | 4 Comments »
The fear associated with creative development can often be devastating to an enterprise. As a case in point “G.M.’s biggest failing, reflected in a clear pattern over recent decades, has been its inability to strike a balance between those inside the company who pushed for innovation ahead of the curve, and the finance executives who [...]
By The Numbers
Posted in Leadership, Progress, Statistical Thinking, Systems Thinking, tagged Decision-making, Leadership, management, Problem Solving, Progress, Systems Thinking on January 1, 2010 | 4 Comments »
The economic system has a considerable influence on the way business is conducted since it encourages enterprises operating within it to align with its material growth maximization maxim. Consequently, economic enterprises are expected not only to seek but to maximize (their) material gain. Accordingly, those with administrative authority over the enterprise pursue material growth, monetizing [...]
