A Final Note: As I pen this final article for “The Business Times,” I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude. A special thanks to Phil Castle who first introduced me to this format as well as serving as a great editor these past few years. To my brother Bill who, in a very […]
Delegating isn’t easy. It is a skill that must be practiced and honed over time. However, the better you become at aligning the right people with the right tasks and responsibilities, the more effective you’ll become at your job as a leader. Delegation refers to the transfer of responsibility for specific tasks from one person […]
Judgmentalism: a behavior or attitude that reflects a critical and condemnatory (expressing strong disapproval; censorious) point of view. We generally prefer to see ourselves as forgiving, generous, kind, patient and smart people. The truth is we aren’t. Life isn’t ideal. We aren’t perfect. We can’t be nice all the time. If we’re honest with ourselves, […]
Those first critical five to 10 words that come out of your mouth have significance. Becoming a better listener presents other challenges that leave us hearing only about 20 percent of what someone says. Humans hear between 20,000 and 30,000 words during a 24-hour period. That’s a lot of words to retain in a given day. […]
The first five to 10 words out of your mouth have significance. I’ve been asked to consult and teach “communications” on several occasions to a variety of customers and businesses. It’s ironic people claim “communicating” — what they need to say — is a key issue. I’ve come to realize listening is the problem. By […]
Back in 1992, Jack Stack wrote and published “The Great Game of Business” to offer a new approach to business. Also known as “GGOB” or open-book management, the concept involves literally opening the books to the entire organization. In equipping everyone with the ability to read financial statements and make financial decisions, they gain a […]
The phrase “We have met the enemy, and they are ours” originates from a bit of military bravado during the War of 1812. Supposedly, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry said this to General William Henry Harrison after the Battle of Lake Erie. Cartoonist Walt Kelly adopted the phrase for his comic strip Pogo. In a parody of the […]
While I’ve written extensively about the numerous benefits of servant leadership, I’m compelled to also share some of the challenges leaders face after they move away from command and control and toward servant leadership. On the one hand, to become a true servant leader, one must have the ability, experience, patience and willingness to actively […]
The answers to the following questions can go a long way to determine whether an individual is emotionally secure as a leader — or not. Do you trust you’ll be OK no matter what challenges come your way? Emotionally secure people know life can be difficult and accept hardships. They maintain a deep sense of […]
The Met Life and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index noted several key indicators heating into 2024. While there are still some stumbling blocks in inflation and supply chain issues, I’d like to focus on another issue. Inflation and the supply chain present stubborn challenges and involve more factors than any one business can […]