|
|
|||
|
We all know that whether a particular action is effective or not depends on the situation or circumstance in which it is taken. Giving a group of soldiers an order to fire on unarmed civilians is much different than giving the same order when faced with an armed and attacking enemy. Same order, different context. When Continue reading Context Matters  One of the persistent questions I get from people in my classes and training sessions is “What can I do to motivate people to give me work that is complete, accurate, and on time? I am tired of the excuses.” Fair question, though I think it is misdirected. It attributes the problem to their motivation Continue reading Get Better Results from Other People Are you finding that some projects are not moving as fast as you need them to? Do you have some projects that are ‘behind’ and need to be accelerated? Are there people around you who are notoriously unreliable in keeping up their end of a project, no matter what you say to them? If you Continue reading Displays Support Accomplishment 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 One reason people experience stress and feel that they have more to do than time in which to do it is because they are in an argument with The First Law of Accomplishment. The First Law of Accomplishment states: “The accomplishment of anything requires a sufficient period of time in which to accomplish it.” Its Continue reading Obeying the First Law of Accomplishment Building accountability requires giving honest feedback on how people perform. If we want people to provide high quality work on time, telling them when they succeed and when they fail at doing so is essential. But providing this feedback is often easier said than done. Accountability Accountability begins when we agree to do something for someone else. Continue reading Accountability Requires Feedback How often have you heard (or made) one of the following complaints (or some variation thereof): We have a real communication problem here. The absence or inadequacy of communication is one of the most frequently voiced complaints in the Continue reading Effective Workplace Communication Requires Using the Right Conversation How do you synchronize work when you can’t talk to each other? What allows people to know who you are and what you are accountable for if you can’t tell them? One way is through the use of “signage” which refers to the use of any kind of visual graphic created to display information to Continue reading What Name Tag Will He Wear? I recently had the working managers in my MBA class on execution (as in implementation, not hanging) undertake an exercise to improve relationships with the people with whom they work. In particular, we were interested in whether or not they could improve their affinity (liking) for people they currently did not like very much. They Continue reading Improving Relationships at Work 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? |
|||
|
Copyright © 2012 Professor Ford.com - All Rights Reserved |
|||