Joe and Wanda on Management

The One Thing

Administrator — Fri, 18 May 2012 02:08:13 +0000

In Debra Benton’s new book, The Virtual Executive, she relays the following:

Several times in this book I’ve mentioned one thing you consistently must do to become more memorable, impressive, credible, genuine, trusted, liked, cool, calm, collected, competent, comfortable, and confident. This one thing will help bring out these qualities in others as well. When you boil it down, this one thing is intelligently observing what most people do and then not do the same thing. Do the opposite (without being weird, of course). Use your common sense, but don’t be common in your actions.

Comments, Joe and Wanda?

Joe Kerr: I usually answer your silly questions, so this time I’ve decided to do the opposite.

Wanda B. Goode: Managers do tend to imitate. It’s seen as the safe play. It’s typically not the best way to lead though.

Some related quotes and a related post

Always show the you in you that makes you the you that you are.
–Chidinma Obietikponah

The hardest struggle of all is to be something different from what the average man is.
–Charles M. Schwab

Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.
–Cecil Beaton

Playing it Safe is Risky

2012 May Leadership Development Carnival

Administrator — Thu, 10 May 2012 01:55:18 +0000

Dan McCarthy hosts the May, 2012 Leadership Development Carnival at his site. Sample the dozens of management and leadership articles posted this month.

Benefits of Working On-Line

Administrator — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:15:56 +0000

In this Management Tips Podcast, Debra Benton, author of The Virtual Executive, shares benefits and advice for on-line communications.

E-mail isn’t a Real Thing

Administrator — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 01:20:26 +0000

In Debra Benton’s new book, The Virtual Executive, she relays the following exchange with a former marketing assistant:

Debra: What are you doing?
Assistant: E-mail.
Debra: Yeah, but what are you working on?
Assistant: E-mail. I’m reading my e-mail.
Debra: Look at me.
Assistant: What?
Debra: E-mail isn’t a real thing. The upcoming event is a real thing. Getting the press to the event definitely is a real thing. But e-mail is just a tool. When you leave here for a different job, are you going to list on your resume, “Read e-mail?”

Comments, Joe and Wanda?

Joe Kerr: So does that mean I can’t list, “Attend Meetings” on my resume either?

Wanda B. Goode: Well said Debra. Unfortunately, many of us get swallowed up in the reactive mode of overly attentive email baby sitters. Below are some links to tips on how to use email as a tool as opposed to allowing it to dictate our priorities and workload.

Dealing with Excessive E-mail
Don’t Just Flow with the Current

Click Less and Connect More

Administrator — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:05:22 +0000

Darcy Eikenberg, author of Bring Your Superpowers to Work, explains the importance of “unplugging” and provides tips for how to do it. Listen in to this Management Tips podcast to learn more.

All in the Wheelbarrow

Administrator — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:27:10 +0000

In the first chapter of their book, All In, Chester Elton and Adrian Gostick tell the story of the Great Blondin who crossed the 1,500 foot Niagara falls gorge on a tight rope 8 times. He did so blindfolded, on stilts, and with a wheelbarrow. One day, he approached the falls with his wheelbarrow as an eager crowd awaited another successful crossing. The Great Blondin yelled out, “Do you believe I can cross the falls with this wheelbarrow?” “Yes!” they all responded. “Wonderful,” he said. “Then who will get in?” He was surprised when he didn’t get any takers.

The Great Blondin thought everyone was on board with him. How could they not be? They were enthusiastic bunch that had regularly witnessed his passed heroics. What more could he do to convince them? He found out, as many of us managers do, that the troops don’t always follow along as planned.

Ever happen to you, Joe and Wanda?

Joe Kerr: Sure, but the Great Joe Kerr just straps the unwilling to the wheelbarrow and move on.

Wanda B. Goode: Has happened to me too. Getting sustained buy-in to your approach or vision is not easy, especially when the going gets tough. The authors contend that creating a culture of belief is the key. Below are a couple more posts that will wet your whistle.

Chester Elton on Engaging Employees through Recognition
When the World Learns Your Faults

Losers Changed the World

Administrator — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:06:04 +0000

Just came across an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer by William Ecenbarger entitled, Obsession with Winning Crowds Out Useful Lessons. William explains the necessity of losing… “Losing is part of the price of life – in job, in a relationship, on the tennis court… Losing is one of life’s constant companions, ever unwelcome, ever there. He explains that “Losers changed the world. Columbus missed his target by 1,000 miles. Thomas Edison had most of his inventing triumphs before the age of 40 and in his later years rolled up an ever-increasing number of failures. Mozart died impoverished.”

Unfortunately, losing is taboo in our society, and one of the terrible side affects of our “loser loathing” is that many will avoid losing at all costs by sitting on the sidelines. In other words, they won’t even try. “Americans need to lose their fear of losing, even see that it has a positive side… losing can be positive and ennobling if it compels us to examine why we lost.”

Thoughts Joe and Wanda?

Joe Kerr: Spoken like a true loser!

Wanda B. Goode: The fear of failure is alive and well in corporate America. Failure avoidance is typically the safe play. It’s not very rewarding, though, and it’s not much fun either.

Here are a couple of related posts.

Creating a Failure Culture for Success
The Fear of Failure

2012 March Leadership Development Carnival

Administrator — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 02:33:14 +0000

Dan McCarthy hosts the March, 2012 Leadership Development Carnival at his site. Sample the dozens of management and leadership articles posted this month.

No Change, No Change

Administrator — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:27:17 +0000

Magician, Giovanni Livera, spoke at a conference that I attended last week. The topic was, “Anything is Possible.” The message was spot on, and Gio’s delivery was very entertaining. Toward the end of the presentation, Gio had everyone in the audience repeat the chant, “No change, no change.” He made the point that we all learned something that day, but if we returned to work and didn’t act on what we learned, nothing would change. We need to do things differently if we expect different results. No change, no change.

Thoughts Joe and Wanda?

Joe Kerr: Interesting. I say the same thing to the panhandlers down town. I don’t think they’ve ever picked up on the duel meaning. By the way, would you like to see me pull a rabbit out of one of my many managerial hats?

Wanda B. Goode: Well said, Giovanni. All the training in the world won’t help unless we act on it.

Here’s a link to Giovanni’s web site: Giovanni Experiences

2012 February Leadership Development Carnival

Administrator — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:29:21 +0000

Mark Bennett hosts the February, 2012 Leadership Development Carnival at TalentedApps. Sample the dozens of management and leadership articles posted this month.