Since I was around 6 years old, I’ve been wearing glasses. Admittedly, a traumatic experience made them necessary. And, until my oldest was born, I was a four-eyed monster (with clip-on sunglass attachments, since they could never make prescription glasses that would solve my light aversion problems.)
Continue reading Sight for Sore Eyes?
We were working with a new client, helping to set up the systems and find the employees it will need to make the venture a success. During one of the discussions on direction and attitude, the client voiced that our Jewish values were truly helpful. I, for one, did not consider these to be innately Jewish- especially since my business partner of decades agreed with these “credos”- and he is a Southern Baptist. Moreover, I believe every person and company (every company is really a collection of individuals with a common mission) needs to espouse values or credos such as these to succeed. It has nothing to do with one’s religion.
Continue reading Leading Values
I just had a great weekend. No, not because I pigged out, attending multiple games at the Phillies ballpark. (Admittedly, that didn’t hurt matters at all.)
This is a problem that most small company leaders have. I fell prey to it once. And, I’ll share my personal experience, as well as this recent experience with a firm where I served as financial manager.
Continue reading Opportunity lost?
When I was young, I provided myself with some severe traumas. At times, I might have even thought I had a private room at the Meadowbrook Hospital. (This facility is now called the Nassau County Medical Center.)
Continue reading A Site for Sore Eyes?
Do you know your corporate culture?
If you are like me, then you certainly do. You also are involved in doing what makes your company great, not sitting back and watch (oh, wait- “manage”) what others do. (You may want to refer back to yesterday’s post about leadership development.)
Continue reading Are you “cultured”?
I routinely woke up with crusted over eyes when I was younger. Yup- allergies. But, I, thankfully, never suffered from dry eyes. (And, those that endured my performances on stage didn’t either 🙂 .) Because dry-eye syndrome is primarily found among post-menopausal women and older people. (Watch it, there, buster!)
Continue reading Is there a dry eye in the house?
I am tired of hearing that Marissa Mayer made a mistake. For those of you who live under a rock, she’s the head of Yahoo that was hired to turn the company around. And, when she came off her maternity leave, she decreed that working from home is not in Yahoo’s best interest. Her ostensible reasons? Yahoo needs to move quickly, it needs to focus on collaboration and communication. And, in her mind, that means working remotely full-time doesn’t work. That also means that some of the Yahoo employees are going to have to move- or quit. 
Immediately, many folks (in and out of the company) began complaining, citing that there is data that folks are more productive when working from home. That folks need to balance life and work- and this move does not fit that model. Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson, the creators of ROWE (Results Only Work Environment), took tremendous umbrage at Ms. Mayer’s approach. Their site posted this letter… Continue reading Telecommuting?
Leadership requires someone who can lead- and at least one person who can follow. It does not require exhortation. It requires someone with a vision, a goal, and a direction- and the ability to communicate that vision so that others feel compelled to join in the quest.
Continue reading Com-mu-ni-ca-tion (a useful definition)
Yesterday, I explained that leadership is not management – and management is not leadership. But, that did not take the conversation far enough. Too many leaders extol those wonderful values and ideals to their teams- but never get involved in the nitty-gritty of getting things done. Followers- and other leaders- trust leaders who have ‘done it’. And, one of the best ways to develop trust is to show folks how it’s done- once, twice, thrice.
Continue reading Leadership<>Management, Part 2
