Lessons From The Great Recession IN 2009, in the thick of the Great Recession, I wrote a white paper describing most companies’ challenges. I provided a framework for how they could emerge from the ashes of the economic downturn. As we come out of the COVID 19 pandemic, one is aware of how history repeats […]
The TEDX Talk I’D LIKE you all to imagine you’re an engineer, working on a NASA project, to launch a shuttle into space. Due to weather and other issues, the launch has been postponed 8 times, each costing NASA millions of dollars. The pressure is mounting to get this bird off the ground. The date […]
When Employees Can Say No, Their Commitment Goes Up THE DESIRE to be productive is a part of our national DNA. Individually, it started at an early age when we learned the Newtonian law of cause-and-effect implying that if we work hard, success will come. When we entered the labor force, we heard the constant […]
Reject a Mindset of Fear Keywords: cultural resource management, importance of teamwork in the workplace, improve employee performance, organizational change management. SUPPOSE we are to fully recover from this pandemic. In that case, we have to recover our ability to think big, imagine a positive future, and believe we have the right and the ability […]
Redefining Leadership Post CovId-19 WHEN LEADERS avoid conflict, accountability, and setting a bold vision, they become facilitators of consensus. By favoring the safer parts of leadership – listening, encouraging, supporting – these leaders silence their unique perspectives and skills. Creating a safe space for others to engage is paramount. But sometimes, the pendulum swings too […]
Start by Leading Yourself GREAT leadership can be developed with the willingness to change, self-awareness, courage, and a commitment to translate knowledge into action, ideas into habits. Great leadership is all about improving employee performance through setting a compelling vision and guiding people toward it. We’ve designed a 30-day program with a different focus each […]
Put Engagement Before Planning When we try and create a “one team” culture, we align the wrong things at the wrong time. Typically, management defines the strategies, goals, roles, and metrics and cascades them throughout the organization. Then, they undergo a series of efforts to engage employees in the new structure and plans. However, senior-leader-roadshows, […]
Protect Your Culture SOONER OR LATER, all leaders confront the tough decision of what to do about a toxic team member. Company culture, morale, high-performance teamwork, and productivity are at stake. It is the moment of truth for these leaders: Should I take action or tolerate the toxic behavior? Do we walk our talk, or […]
A Practical Guide to Planning Your Plan STRATEGIC PLANNING is one of the most important and most misunderstood business processes. The word “strategy” shows up in just about every layer of an organization. Managers need to be good strategic thinkers; executives attend strategic retreats, and the board of directors approves budgets that support a strategic […]
Influence with the Right Style (3 of 3) by Dean Newlund, CEO HISTORY IS A GREAT teacher. Employee productivity went up during the great recession because the underlying message was “work harder to keep your job.” As the economy rebounded, the power shifted, and employees said, “reward our sacrifice, or we’ll slow down or quit.” […]