Month: November 2010

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A Matter of Results

It seems we are obsessed with results.  We conduct life as if results are the only things that matter. To most results by any means are results just the same.  We manage by results, we define problems by results, we define our job by results, we make individuals accountable for results, we cause harm to others in the pursuit of results, we cheat and lie to show results, and we even define our self by the results we get.  Just look around and you will see that results—and getting them now—are all that matters. Continue reading →

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Hidden Lessons in Leadership #19

How do you motivate people? In a Harvard Business Review classic article (titled “One more time: How do you motivate employees?”) Frederick Herzberg addresses this very issue.  The essence of his explanation went something like this:  Simple answer is you don’t.  Actionable answer follows from the fact that people in your employ are already motivated.  So all you have to do is find out what they are motivated to do and give them that to do. Continue reading →

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Getting Education Right

Thomas Friedman’s editorial Teaching for America is but another article highlighting the troubled state of affairs of the educational system in the America.  Arne Duncan (Secretary of Education) reports “one-quarter of U.S. high school students drop out or fail to graduate on time. Almost one million students leave our schools for the streets each year.”  Clearly these are disturbing outcomes of the U.S. educational system, particularly when considered that they are common cause outcome patterns, not assignable cause patterns. Continue reading →

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Leading the Bottom from the Top

Leading from the top presents many challenges—you could also think of these as responsibilities—that have an impact on the viability of the enterprise. How do you maintain the energy that supported the growth of the business from its inception?  Whether the enterprise is new or old, this challenge is the same. Continue reading →

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A Lesson from Google

The recent buzz about Google giving all employees a 10% raise along with a $1000 bonus plus a holiday cash bonus, reportedly because in the words of Eric Schmidt (CEO) “We want to make sure that you feel rewarded for your hard work, and we want to continue to attract the best people to Google”, on the surface seems like a smart move by management.  After all who doesn’t want to be recognized for the contribution they make!  Moreover if the company is doing well, then everyone should benefit.  Such a policy encourages a cooperative (win-win) culture that can only contribute to continued collaboration among people to the benefit of the organization. Continue reading →

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Enfold and Unfold

All people throughout the world are human beings: We each are human beings having a human experience.  However while, at base, we are very much the same we are also very different.  Between individual to individual we can observe differences, as well as identify similarities.  Moreover, individuals living within the same society are more alike—perceiving and experiencing life in a similar way—than those living in very different societies. Continue reading →