Today’s business leaders face the challenge of creating the future workplace. —Chess Media Group No matter how great its product or service is, a company can succeed only if it has good people. It may have solid funding and an innovative business plan, but without top-notch employees to produce, promote, and support its products, a […]
Book Club Highlights: Conversations on 5 Generations in the Office
Workplace demographics have been undergoing dramatic change during the past several years and with the arrival of Gen Z, more and more organizations are looking for guidance on how to navigate those shifts. I wrote Clash of the Generations: Managing a New Workplace Reality in the hope that it would be a useful tool for […]
Workforce 2030: Are You Ready?
I think there is an enormous sea change happening in the global workforce. —Dan Gilroy, American filmmaker The long-heralded workforce of 2020 has arrived, which means that leaders now need to focus on preparing for workforce 2030 and what employment landscapes will look like in another decade. No one has a crystal ball that makes […]
How to Build and Promote Your Personal Brand
Products are made in a factory, but brands are created in the mind. —Walter Landor; designer and pioneer of branding & consumer research techniques Through its brand, a company communicates who it is, what it stands for, the values it embraces, and how it expresses those values. One important goal of corporate branding is […]
How to Find a Mentor and Nurture the Relationship for the Long Haul
Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living—if you do it well I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor. — Denzel Washington Last month I wrote […]
Building Your Management Skills—Even Without Help from Your Company
The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. —Ray Kroc, Grinding It Out When I first started managing employees (in the early 90s), my two top responsibilities were identifying potential roadblocks that would affect the schedule and providing financial oversight so we met budgetary restrictions. My project management skills […]
Look Out, World! Generation Z Is Here!
Every generation brings something new to the workplace. —Kathryn Minshew Born in 1997, the youngest members of Generation Z have recently begun entering the workforce. Although we don’t know yet exactly how big that generation will be (demographers haven’t yet established its endpoint), odds are good that it will wind up being a pretty […]
Motivating Employees: Look Beyond Money
When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute. —Simon Sinek When you’re a manager, no matter what size your department is and how far removed you are from the CEO’s office, part of your job is to define the mission and goals of your […]
Need more time for strategic thinking? Learn effective delegation!
Chinese philosopher Xun Kuang, 3rd century BCE: Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I learn. Effective delegation can be one of the most difficult skills for managers to learn. On the typical promotion path, an individual contributor does such a great job that he or she is […]
The Fine Line between Micromanaging and Empowering
“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” ~ Steve Jobs Managing employees can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your professional career. It’s awesome to see people who work for you exceed even […]
