Last week on “Everyday Leadership” Dan discussed being the boss, and the different managerial styles between men and women. Different managerial styles between men and women can be a loaded question, with many different takes on it. Dan was looking to explore if there is a difference between genders, and what kind of effect it … Continued
Friends, Some thousand people making New Years Resolutions agreed to share their experience with Professor Richard Wiseman of the University of Hertfordshire in England. Over half were confident at the beginning that they’d succeed. That tells you something already, no? Half weren’t confident from the outset. What percentage do you think made it through the … Continued
Mistakes – I’ll Show You Mine if You Show Me Yours Friends, We sometimes are exasperated that employees (and kids and friends) take criticism all the wrong way! Today I suggest a way to create a way better atmosphere for facing mistakes and problems. Here (in blue) is a quick recap of the past 3 … Continued
What Do You Expect? Friends, Last week Jennifer, Jack, Cece and I saw a very powerful documentary film now out, called “Waiting for Superman.” There are enough scenes dramatic, controversial, or just really powerful, that it wouldn’t be possible for me to spoil the movie for you – even when I tell you that for … Continued
Why, I Oughta – and other authority instincts Friends, I was working with an office a while back where morale had sunk to awful levels. At one point in a full-group meeting I excused the management team so I could get a no-holds barred airing of the issues. Wham, did I get it! Both barrels. … Continued
Of Passion and Persistence Friends, My favorite leaders are those who create something out of nothing. Like Margaux Drake, whom I wrote about last week, an idea stalks them. They keep seeing something that could be better, wondering why no one’s doing it , and then, as John Madden used to say on Monday Night … Continued
Tap the Power – Oil and the Crow Friends, I was running up on Mackinac and thinking of my wife/governor’s recent successes landing a bunch of cutting-edge green energy companies in Michigan. Some people get fired up talking about sports, shoes, or sex. She gets passionate talking about things like “net metering,” through which a … Continued
This Probably Doesn’t Apply to You Friends, We think: This doesn’t apply to me. So, (first) let me talk about who it does apply to; namely, Lee Iacocca, at least according to Steve Miller, a former Chrysler exec who went on to become CEO of Delphi. Miller writes in his autobiography that Iacocca did great … Continued
What’s It Supposed To Be Like Today Friends, “What’s it s’posed to be like today?” they ask. It’s totally understandable why they do – in Michigan, especially in August. Summer dwindles. Most are hoping for sun and heat, and crisp and starry nights. For a decent sized minority (who would die in New Orleans or … Continued
Click here for the audio: Mom’s Contribution Friends, In September my second book will come out: Be Real: Inspiring Stories for Leading at Home and Work. I casually mentioned to Mom my book’s need for a fine-tooth comb edit, to push every last apostrophe to the correct side of the s, and to adjust every to, too, and … Continued