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Archive for May, 2009
Friday, May 29th, 2009
Stereotypes have a staccato feel to them; short, sharp and often deadly words that leave little room for exploring who or what is underneath. The other day I was researching how the media represents office life. Is it boring and silly? Is it fear driven and illness inducing? Is it a place of creativity and growth?
The usual few books, TV shows and movies kept coming up. Office Space, The Office, Mad Men, Executive Suite, Glengarry Glen Ross, 9 to 5, Gentlemen’s Agreement, Jerry Maguire, Wall Street, The Devil Wears Prada, and a few newer novels, Then We Came to the End, and Personal Days: A Novel.
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Tags: Accountability, Behavioral Patterns, Business, Conflict, Ethics, Leadership, pattern aware, Transformation
Posted in Accountability, Business, Communication, Economy, Ethics, Leaders, Leadership, PatternAware, Patterns, Transformation | No Comments »
Thursday, May 28th, 2009
I want to do light hearted blogs that can give inspiration and motivation. Yet, every time I go in that direction something pushes me elsewhere. I want to tell managers that you can build your kick ass team by standing in a huddle and chanting “yes, yes, yes” or “yoh, yoh, yoh”. I want it to be easy and simple. Except I know that we are complex, multi-layered beings and we have many competing sides to ourselves that we need to harness.
I want to tell leaders that all they need to do is get the communications department to write uplifting, visionary speeches they can give at annual meetings or town halls and everyone will fall into line. I want leadership development to be an easy cook book of check lists. I want everyone to always be on the same page, sing from the same hymnal. Except I know that for every employee who agrees with you there is someone to take the other side.
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Tags: Accountability, Business, Coaching, Communication, Leadership, Management, pattern aware, Patterns, programs, Transformation, Workplace Relationships
Posted in Accountability, Business, Coaching, Communication, Employers, Ethics, Executive Teams, Honor, Integrity, Leaders, Leadership, Management, PatternAware, Patterns, Team Building, Transformation | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
Yesterday we spent time with friends who have their pulse on the media. They are a gregarious couple with tons of varied interests. They are also filled with depth. At one point our conversation moved to the world of Twitter and collectively we wondered about the purpose of the quick little glances it gives into the lives of others.
Almost in chorus we looked at each other and said “What is the point?” If anyone reading this blog has a good answer we would all love to hear it.
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Tags: Accountability, Communication, Economy, Education, Fear, Leaders, Leadership, Management, Stress
Posted in Accountability, Business, Communication, Diversity, Economy, Education, Employers, Fear, History, Honor, Integrity, Leaders, Leadership, Transformation | No Comments »
Friday, May 22nd, 2009
When Danny stood at the grave site of his brother he was angry and still in shock. Neil had been a victim of a stray bullet. No he was not in uniform fighting for his country. He was a teen walking down the street in Chicago three months ago.
Alexa’s father cannot forgive. His daughter was killed by a drunk driver last year. The ugly crash that took his seven year old child’s life happened over Memorial weekend.
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Tags: Conflict, Holiday, Honor, Leadership
Posted in Communication, Ethics, Fear, Holiday, Honor, Integrity, Leaders, Leadership | No Comments »
Thursday, May 21st, 2009
I want to talk more about my friend at Google, Chade-Meng Tan. When we first met and he greeted me with his bright smile I suspected he was certainly intelligent (everyone who works at Google is), and creative (everyone who works at Google is) and action oriented (everyone…you get the point).
What struck me as we spent the afternoon together was his keen sense of humor and his capacity to look beyond the obvious to what really matters in relationships. Here is what I mean.
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Tags: Business, Google, Leadership, Power, Workplace Relationships
Posted in Business, Coaching, Communication, Diversity, Employers, Leaders, Leadership, Management, Politics, Reflections | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
I was invited to Google last week and by the time I left I felt, well, full of “good google” energy. I’m sure most of you know about the campus which reflects an authentic desire to be sustainable. Solar panels, organic food, and limited use of air conditioning prevail. There are places to congregate and talk, play volleyball, or quiet areas to sit alone and just be.
What impressed me the most, however, were the discussion groups and lectures going that you could just pull up a chair and join. And then there was my host, Chade-Meng Tan. As he tells it, he is “just one engineer among many”.
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Tags: Accountability, Business, Collaboration, Google, Leadership, pattern aware, Team Building, Workplace Relationships
Posted in Accountability, Business, Collaboration, Communication, Employers, Executive Teams, Leaders, Leadership, Management, PatternAware, Patterns, Team Building, Workplace Relationships | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
“It was so cold for May that I went to the mall to do a power walk. And then I realized I have no power so I went home.”
I have heard variations of this comment at least ten times a day in recent weeks. So, what can be done? Losing a job is like a death. The emotional stages from denial through anger to bargaining and eventually acceptance are in play.
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Tags: Accountability, Conflict, Economy, Ethics, Fear, Health, Leadership, Power
Posted in Accountability, Conflict, Economy, Ethics, Fear, Health, Integrity, Leaders, Power, Reflections | No Comments »
Monday, May 18th, 2009
Yesterday I flew from San Francisco to Newark. No big deal. I am used to lots of zipping around the place. Yet, I felt myself becoming more and more afraid that either I would not get to the airport on time (I did), the plane would be delayed (it wasn’t), or some disaster would strike me in my tracks (it didn’t).
I’m usually not a fearful person. I love adventure and drama so I tend to plunge into situations looking for a great after story to tell. Then why the fear? I thought about it for those long hours on the plane.
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Tags: Behavioral Patterns, Conflict, Economy, Fear, Leadership, Psychology
Posted in Conflict, Economy, Employers, Fear, History, Leadership, PatternAware, Patterns, Psychology | No Comments »
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
In his book “Good to Great” Jim Collins gives great advice. Getting the right people on the bus called “My company” or “my team at work” is right on. Making sure they are all in the right seats for that rock ‘em, sock ‘em ride to success is even better.
So why do I get calls from so many executives wringing their hands over poor hiring decisions? Why do so many of you lose sleep at night thinking about the power games and office politics that are often a part of most re-orgs? If the right folks are in the right seats on the bus going in the right direction, well, what is missing?
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Tags: Add new tag, Behavioral Patterns, Business, Communication, Conflict, Family-Based Patterns, Fear, Leadership, pattern aware, Team Building, Workplace Relationships
Posted in Business, Communication, Conflict, Employers, Executive Teams, Fear, Leadership, Management, PatternAware, Patterns, Team Building, Workplace Relationships | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 13th, 2009
You know how it goes. You think about someone, wonder what’s going on in his or her life, plan to email or call and then think about it again right before you fall asleep. By next morning it is a faded memory.
So, I must admit, I didn’t catch up with Lily until many months had passed. I felt a tinge of guilt as I speed dialed her number and wondered what kind of response I would get. You see Lily had graduated from our Total Leadership Connections program and had made a commitment to herself that she would only work in an environment with the highest ethical standards. Sadly, there had been some questions about the marketing of products in her company.
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Tags: Accountability, Business, Conflict, Consulting, Economy, Ethics, Fear, Leadership, pattern aware, Transformation
Posted in Accountability, Business, Conflict, Diversity, Economy, Ethics, Fear, Integrity, Leadership, Uncategorized | No Comments »
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