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Many managers focus on managing people as their leverage for getting things done. Since it is people who will perform the tasks and lead the projects, this focus seems appropriate. However, there is another way to get things done that is more direct, and appears to be more effective: manage agreements, not the people. Here Continue reading Manage Agreements, Not People  Is it possible that our current approach to leadership is insufficient for creating and developing leaders? Given the amount of time and money that is spent on leader development, along with the number of books and articles that have been written on the subject, you would think that we would have a much better track Continue reading Have We Gotten Leadership Wrong? During a recent meeting with a group of managers from COSI in Columbus, OH, one of them asked about the role of inspired understanding in getting people to do things. She was proposing that the primary difference between effective managers and less effective leaders was that effective leaders presented their ideas in a more compelling Continue reading Inspiration Is Not Enough It is said that when Caesar invaded England, he burned his boats to let his men know that there was no way home. The only options were victory or death. For most of us, the idea of cutting off all retreat is unnerving. We like to keep our options open, to have a back door Continue reading Burn the Boats Credibility is essential to being an effective leader. One of the most powerful ways to build credibility is to own up to something that didn’t work and apologize for it. When Ed Koch was mayor of New York, he was concerned about the number of accidents resulting from bikers darting in and out of traffic. Determined Continue reading Want More Credibility? Own Up and Apologize I recently got an email from – let’s call him Paul – a manager updating me on his attempts to interrupt the “high priority” manipulation that is so prevalent in organizations. Turns out he is becoming increasingly successful everywhere except with his boss. Apparently Paul’s boss doesn’t realize how he is undermining himself. Here is what Continue reading Is Demanding “Now” Undermining Leadership? While flying home from a weekend visit with my son in Houston, Texas, I got a flash of insight into why it is so difficult to train managers to be more effective. I was reading “The Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making” when I realized managers make a fundamental error in their understanding of what Continue reading The Fundamental Error in Managing Others No one likes to fail. Fail is a four letter work. Failing makes us look bad, and most of us will do alsmost anything to avoid looking bad. Yet, without failure, we would probably enjoy few successes. No one is a stranger to failure. We failed repeatedly before we learned how to sit, stand, walk, or Continue reading Failure is Important for Success – If You Use It We have a new dean at the Fisher College of Business. She is Christine Poon, former Vice Chairman for Johnson & Johnson. She began on April 1st and she is a game changer. Why? Because she is showing regard and respect for others. I have had the opportunity to work for six different Deans at three Continue reading A Game Changer – Showing Regard and Respect for Others Managers seem to be looking for a holy grail of management – the one tip, technique, method, or style that will finally make leadership and management easy – at least for them. But could this search be a source of dissatisfaction and unhappiness? I am in the midst of preparing my upcoming MBA class on management. Continue reading Are Managers Depressing Themselves? |
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