Robert Sutton, Professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University, has been researching great bosses for many years. His last book was the New York Times bestseller The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t. His work suggests a number of techniques and behaviors that research has shown good bosses … More The Mindset of a Great Boss
Why don’t we get the best out of people? It’s simple, really. Most “modern” corporations kill human capability the way we strip-mine and deplete the earth of natural resources. Think about it. We hire bright, ambitious, enthusiastic young people fresh out of the hope and idealism of school. We stick them in cubicles under fluorescent … More Getting the Best Out of People
Viktor Frankl addressing the Toronto Youth Corps in May 1972 Business has become incredibly sophisticated. We have phenomenal technology and analytical tools as well as proven frameworks and methodology. Our ability to use science and reason has taken a significant amount of guesswork out of decision-making. In addition, the number of college graduates in the … More I Want to Take You Higher
The other day I was explaining the results of a change readiness assessment to an executive and shared a piece of news he found disturbing. He believed that everyone wanted the change that he was leading because when he spoke with others in the organization about it, they all told him it was a great … More Making Change Fun
As child author and blogger, Adora Svitak, asks in this inspiring video, “When was the last time you were called childish?” She goes on to say, “For kids like me, being called childish can be a frequent occurrence. Every time we make irrational demands, exhibit irresponsible behavior, or display any other signs of being normal … More What Adults Can Learn From Kids
Sorry I’ve been away from blogging for a few weeks. It has been a busy time and writing, unfortunately, has taken a back seat. The upside to my absence is that the work I have been doing has provided an abundance of ideas and material to share, particularly with regard to innovation. It continues to … More The Call for Innovation . . . Part 2
Innovation is a hot topic in the United States, especially now as we search for ways of igniting our economic engines. From business publications to the main stream press, legions of voices are elevating the attention brought to the subject. Based upon the research, it’s clear that innovation is a requirement of healthy, vibrant, … More The Call for Innovation . . . Part 1
“Thomas Alva Edison” by No machine readable author provided. Minivalley assumed (based on copyright claims). – No machine readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims).. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons After struggling to develop a viable electric light-bulb for months and months, Thomas Edison was interviewed by a young … More The Joy of Failure
Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy Group, tells us with his adman’s great hilarity, that we can be much more effective creating behavior change if we focus instead on changing perceptions. And that’s about more than selling the benefits of something new. It about tinkering with the way we define the symbolic, subjective and … More Sex, Potatoes and Smiley Faces: The Keys to Selling Change
You better start loving up your employees. As we begin to recover from the economic downturn, organizations will be relying on their workforces more than ever to help them return to stronger financial performance. But with recent studies showing that fewer than 1 in 3 employees are engaged and as many as 55% are passive … More Now What? Managing Well After Layoffs, Recessions and Other Corporate Stressors
Erik Van Slyke 