Employees First and Customers Second?
Leading your organization into the next decade requires a solid understanding of your employees. At least according to Vineet Nayar the CEO of HCL Technologies, and author of Employees First, Customers Second: Turning Conventional Management Upside Down (Harvard Business Press, 2010). As HCL faced the prospect of being lost in a sea of competitors in […]
Three Tips to Finding and Closing New Business
Leaders face complex situations every day, such as engaging employees, aligning the organizational vision and keeping a work/life balance of some sort. How does a leader find and close new business at the same time? Peppers makes several points in this article about how to do this. Some key takeaways: 1. Build strong […]
What the NFL Taught the NHL
On Superbowl Sunday, millions gathered around their TV or congregated in a local bar to watch the biggest sports event unfold. It wasn’t just the avid sports fan that watched. Everyone was there…families, co-workers, kids, moms, and grandmas. So what does the National Hockey League have to do with Superbowl Sunday? John Collins, former CEO […]
Let’s Bring It In, Team
When you think of highly effective management structures, you don’t normally think of fire-fighting teams. This is precisely where Stephen Remedios takes us in his article concerning the future of high performing teams. When each person on a team is highly specialized, each individual is able to work independently yet in unison, trusting in the […]
How to Create a Successful Company
Do you recognize the company named Yum! Brands, Inc? Probably not. Recognize the names Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell? Absolutely! In 1997, PepsiCo spun these three restaurants into a new company called Yum! Brands. David Novak, the Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands (and author of Taking People With You), was faced with a […]
It’s Time to Flex Your Workplace Flexibility
A company is nothing without its team of talented employees. Even if a company executes one brilliant idea, it must continue to grow and evolve in order to stay afloat in today’s complex market. This calls for more brilliant ideas generated by a diverse and talented pool of employees. Talent often comes with expectations. […]
Creating a Culture of Trust in the Workplace
When organizations face tough, unpredictable times, it’s easy to blame a specific leader’s professional traits. When this happens, you might hear complaints about the leader, such as “She’s too rigid.” or “He’s in his ivory tower and doesn’t see what we deal with every single day.” Remember, most people complain the symptoms, not the root […]
Managing a Perfectionist
Ah, perfectionism. What we all wouldn’t give to turn in that perfect report with no mistakes found, a killer depictive chart and the best layout. Yet every project has a deadline. As nice as it would be to think of every possible interactive graphic, you have to prioritize what is most important as you work […]
Building an Innovation Ecosystem
As the new year begins, organizations are looking to up the ante. Fresh slates and new ideas abound after employees relaxed over the holidays. As such, Harvard Business Review’s recent article, How to Create an Innovation Ecosystem, is timely. Though geared toward for-profit businesses, a majority of its suggestions are ideas found in many international […]
Four Steps to Employee Engagement
What company doesn’t face lean, tough times? I heard a great podcast recently that interviewed the former CEO of Campbell’s Soup Company, Douglas Conant. He shared some excellent recommendations and insight for keeping employees engaged during tough times. According to Conant, the challenge leaders face today is leading in a “frenetic environment”, where workers are […]
