Some Direct Advice on How to Make an Effective Case to Senior Leaders
I just heard from a middle manager who vented about her senior leaders’ lack of response after she made them aware of certain problems. She wondered if there were better ways to explain challenging circumstances... Continue reading
How to Screen Out a Star to Save the Team
In the Harvard Business Review article “How Facebook Tries to Prevent Office Politics,” Jay Parikh, Facebook’s global head of engineering and infrastructure, advises against hiring “empire builders, self-servers, and whiners” -- even if they’re also... Continue reading
Why You Need to Communicate Decisions Clearly and How You Can
In business, as in politics, I’ve watched many decision-makers accept simplistic solutions, seduced by promises that, based on either evidence or logic, aren't at all likely to turn out nearly as well as they sound.... Continue reading
How to End Meeting Madness and Get Better Results
Some of my clients go crazy with meetings. They schedule them back to back, invite a cast of thousands, start late and in disarray, drag on unproductively, and end late without closure. Suddenly, everyone is... Continue reading
From Urgent Care to Important Care: Design Considerations
Last Friday, I went to the new Northwell Urgent Care two blocks from my office. (I’m fine now.) It was a well-designed customer experience, and so different from the typical medical office intake, that it’s... Continue reading
Are Diversity and Inclusion Programs Failing? How to Help?
Research from McKinsey confirms that diversity leads to better financial results, competitive advantage, employee satisfaction, and other success factors. But most organizations aren’t prepared to deliver on that promise. All too often, people with differences... Continue reading
How to Get the Best from an Anxious Leader
After working for a number of months with a vice president who’s had a successful career trajectory in a well-regarded firm, I realized that every few years I meet leaders who are noticeably anxious --... Continue reading
When Being Strategic Is a Weakness
During a recent visit to a client company, I spent time with two different leaders whose initiatives weren’t progressing satisfactorily. The first leader was chatty and made sweeping motivational statements. Her team was deeply committed,... Continue reading