Leadership Thoughts

Two Ways Help You Protect Your Relationships

June 30, 2011

If the most important skill we need in business is the ability to get along with others, it makes sense that we learn how to control ourselves and protect our relationships. I had a great conversation with a friend and coworker about this and she gave me a couple of great techniques you can use [...]

Read the full article →

Tear Down the (Cube) Walls

June 25, 2011

IT is a creative endeavor, and creativity requires interaction with others. Yet, in many if not most IT organizations, we build walls and put up barriers that prevent spontaneity, collaboration, interaction, debate, and productivity.

I’d like to tell you about my recent experience working in an environment without cubes or walls separating people.

Read the full article →

Busy Doesn’t Equal Important

June 22, 2011

Who are the important people where you work? How do you know they’re important? Is it because they have email boxes with hundreds of unread emails? Is it because they are in meetings 30 hours of every work week? Are they important because they’re busy? Does this describe you?

Read the full article →

Can You Make the Tough Calls or do You Hide Behind the Rules

June 12, 2011

I watched a couple of movies last night that got me thinking about a common failing of leadership – blind adherence to the rules.

Have you seen this behavior? Leadership claims to be concerned with the morale of the troops, but every action they take just makes morale worse. They’re so afraid of the staff that they don’t talk to them. They don’t listen to their concerns. They don’t take any action to improve the situation. They value their own position and status more than they value those they work with. They would rather people leave than examine their own actions.

Read the full article →

D Day Lessons

June 6, 2011

Several years ago I read Stephen Ambrose’s book, D Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II, and I’ve never forgotten it. I am amazed by these men. While reading, I imagined myself approaching Omaha beach on those Higgins boats, bobbing around, exhausted and hungry, standing in puke and seawater. Jumping off [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →