Too much standardization and systematization can eliminate the crucial human element. That was my recent experience at JFK Airport. I had arrived too early for my flight, and decided that instead of grabbing a sandwich,... Continue reading
Last week’s post talked about how to maintain an organizational culture that you prize. But what if some of your cultural norms aren’t good, healthy, or productive? What if your organization has a history of... Continue reading
How can you maintain your organization’s cultural norms in the face of new demands, like the pressure of market forces or your own internally generated growth? What if you need to be more nimble, flexible,... Continue reading
It can be extraordinarily frustrating when a leader introduces or supports an initiative and sponsors crucial discussions only to see the necessary change fade away. But whenever you have more than a handful of people... Continue reading
In business, lingering problems rarely have a single or simple solution. That’s why they linger. Many work problems are relatively unambiguous and easily are understood by the people who deal with them every day. We... Continue reading
How can you tell when an employment relationship has run its course? And what if you’ve figured it out, but the employee hasn’t? Often, the problem is a function of fit: The organization has evolved... Continue reading
“They never tell us anything. We’re always the last to know.” So many employees feel this way so much of the time. They see something that they don’t understand, something that doesn’t fit with what... Continue reading
Maybe we should stop talking about serving customers and, instead, talk about helping customers: creating a sense of relationship, eliminating problems, and taking care of what customers need. Here’s how I got started on the... Continue reading
Conflicting assumptions, incompatible needs, differing work styles, and individual stressors can have a negative impact on group process, particularly when it comes to making decisions. Some people need to come to a resolution so quickly... Continue reading
Some work teams have trouble bringing matters to an actual decision. They’re often unaware of how their own inconsistent processes reduce their chances of coming to agreements that everyone can live with. You can make... Continue reading
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