Being chosen for a position is only the first of the five levels every effective leader achieves. Becoming more than “the boss” people follow only because they are required to requires mastering the ability to invest in people and inspire them. Building a team that produces requires helping people develop their skills to become leaders in their own right. And those who have the … [More]
The Heart of Leadership
Are you the type of leader people want to follow? You can be — but first, you’ve got to understand what sets great leaders apart from all the rest. Certainly, leaders need people skills, execution skills, a deep knowledge of industry trends, the ability to articulate a vision, and more, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In his latest business fable, Mark Miller describes … [More]
Creative Confidence
It is a common assumption that creativity and innovation are the domain of the “creative types.” But two of the leading experts in innovation, design and creativity show us that each of us is creative. Drawing on countless stories from their work at the Stanford d.school IDEO and with many of the world’s top companies, Tom and David Kelley identify the principles and strategies … [More]
How Can Manufacturing Increase Profits and Reduce Waste?
In an organization’s functional terminology, we refer to “money” as the finance function and “manpower” as the human resource department; “machineries” represents the plant and “materials” stands for the inputs required for the final product. In our present organizational set-up, the operations/manufacturing, engineering, quality control and R&D are combined under … [More]
The Chaos Imperative
In The Chaos Imperative, organizational expert and bestselling author Ori Brafman shows how even the best and most efficient organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to today’s U.S. Army, benefit from allowing a little unstructured space and disruption into their planning and decision-making. The authors reveal how organizations can drive growth and profits by allowing … [More]
Compelling People:
Drawing on cutting-edge social science research as well as their own work with Fortune 500 executives, members of Congress and Nobel Prize winners, the authors demystify the process we use to size each other up. It turns out that we judge each other primarily on two critical criteria: strength and warmth. The authors explain the inner workings of each, the tension that makes it … [More]
Out Think
From CEOs to marketing departments, company leaders are searching for ways to leap-frog their businesses to the leading edge, imprint their brand on the public consciousness, and become more relevant to the ever-changing global marketplace — to transform their businesses into 21st-century competitive game-changers. Out Think explains how to stand out, to express creativity and … [More]
How Successful People Lead
In this book, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author John C. Maxwell explains how true leadership works. It is not generated by a person’s title. In fact, being named to a position is the lowest of the five levels every effective leader achieves. To be more than a boss people are required to follow, a person must master the ability to inspire and invest in people. He or she … [More]
Navigate around the Quicksand in the Global Marketplace
Globalization has been the buzzword of the decade, yet many U.S. business managers are still unaware of the skill sets they urgently need to compete in a global market. There are 32 developed countries with 1 billion potential customers and 162 developing nations with 6 billion people, many heading into the middle class for the first time, with all the attendant needs and … [More]
Myths of Performance Management
Investments in performance measurement and management systems have been steadily increasing over the past two decades, and there is no sign this trend will change in the future. Leaders and managers in both private and public organizations regard such systems as a key means to implement and communicate strategy, support decision making, align behaviors, and, ultimately, improve … [More]
Strategic Business Structuring Can Save Assets
So you’re ready to open a business. You have 15 solid years of experience. Your first customer is waiting. A contract manufacturer is ready to start production. You’ve decided on an L.L.C. for your business structure and you’re ready to conquer the world … The best advice for someone in the above scenario is to slow down. Choosing the right entity for a business is … [More]
Can an Organization Survive the Fall of an Iconic Leader?
Recent revelations by disgraced “hero” Lance Armstrong raised speculations about the future of LiveStrong, the charity Armstrong founded to fight cancer in the aftermath of his own cancer-fighting experience. Although some anticipate a short-term drop in LiveStrong’s fundraising, many believe the nonprofit will survive because its core mission goes far beyond the image of its … [More]
Women at the Top: Are They Making a Difference in Business?
Yahoo’s recent appointment of Marissa Mayer to CEO when she was pregnant with her first child had many women cheering and others wondering just how effective she will be juggling a high-pressure job and a new baby. One thing is for sure: It opened up more dialogues about women breaking the barriers and advancing to the C-suite. Missing from the discussion, however, was any … [More]
Take Service to the Stratosphere
Service is everywhere. But there is a vast disconnect between the volume of service we need and the quality of service we are giving and receiving. Businesses have turned a very simple human concept into a catastrophic cliché. They remain blind to the fact that true service comes not from demands and dashboards, but from a basic human desire to take care of other … [More]
The Strength of ‘No Blame Game’ Leadership
When you arrive at the office each morning, you find yourself in a blame-free zone. Your team attacks projects proactively and with confidence. When a problem arises, everyone involved “owns it” and takes corrective action. Bob in marketing says he’s personally responsible for an event flier going to the printer late and stays late to overnight them to the client. Meanwhile, … [More]
Leadership: Business Trumps Politics
A global leadership management group, The Korn/Ferry International, polled business executives and found 65 percent felt a business professional would do a better job leading this country than a politician. The survey noted that 43 percent agreed with the statement that “a corporate CEO is better skilled to serve as U.S. President,” while 34 percent disagreed. Of those … [More]
Strategic Planning Vitalized
It’s that time of year again: strategic planning season. As annual planning and preparation tasks begin popping up on corporate calendars across the country, leaders cringe at the distraction. Given the current atmosphere of uncertainty, many executives approach planning with urgency and impatience — simply looking to get it over with — rather than approaching the process with … [More]
The Life, Death & Rebirth of America’s Global Leadership
One of the main challenges of the U.S. economy is mind-set. As trade borders become seamless and the world becomes more dependent on technology, U.S. companies and their executives must scramble to acquire the tools and skills necessary to survive and thrive in the increasingly competitive global market. The basic reason for our nation lagging behind and suffering from a … [More]
