Six Myths About How to Manage People
“I have come to the conclusion that my subjective account of my motivation is largely mythical on almost all occasions. I don’t know why I do things.” – J.D.S. Haldane There are six major myths about the “people dimension” of management — all of which ignore the “it-all-depends” aspect of…
READ MORETwo Things You Must Do to Make Sure Your Good Business Doesn’t Fall Apart
One of the first things I did upon taking on AP as a client, many years ago, was to revamp the customer-service department. Employing models of other customer-service systems I’d established in the past, I replaced most of the staff with better-educated, more articulate, and more conscientious workers … I…
READ MOREAre You Guilty of “Executive Blah Blah”?
“An empowered organization is one in which individuals have the knowledge, skill, desire, and opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collective organizational success.” – Stephen R. Covey “Blah blah” refers to words that have little meaning. When we talk to a dog, the dog responds to…
READ MOREHow to Make Partnerships Work
“An honor is not diminished for being shared.” – Lois McMaster Bujold (“Shards of Honor,” 1986) Great partners make great partnerships — even if the partnership itself doesn’t work out. In my view, a great partner has the following characteristics: He has something besides money to offer the partnership…
READ MORETapping the Hidden Profit Center in Your Company: The “Business Within Your Business”
Your first business is your main one — the one you know you are in. Your second business is the one you automatically qualify to be in as a result of the knowledge you have to possess in order to deliver your main product or service. You can tap…
READ MOREWhen It Comes to Productivity: The Old Tricks are Best
“So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.” – Peter Drucker Here is the most important thing I know about management: There is no one right way to run a business. I’ve seen successful businesses built and run by all sorts…
READ MOREAll Ya Need to Know About Table Manners in France
“Good manners consist of doing precisely what everyone thinks should be done, especially when no one knows quite what that is.” – P.J. O’Rourke (“Modern Manners,” 1988) Let’s start with bread — that wonderful French contribution to good eating. If you have a bread plate, your bread goes there.…
READ MOREWho Do You Work For?
SB doesn’t know who he works for. As a development manager for a real-estate project I consult with, he must take direction from three people: a profit-center manager, a project manager, and me. Most of the time, our advice and recommendations are congruent. Sometimes, however, we disagree. And when…
READ MOREFive Good Reasons to Own a “Vacation” Home
“Home is where the heart is and hence a movable feast.” – Angela Carter There are at least five good reasons to buy a second home: 1. It can become your future retirement home. Buy it now and have it paid off in today’s cheap dollars. Years from now,…
READ MOREHow to Have the Best Summer Vacation Ever
“Good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.” – Lester R. Bittel (“The Nine Master Keys of Management”) Yes, you can get away from the office. You can travel. You can even leave your laptop and cell phone behind. But you…
READ MOREHow to Hire Great People
“If you hire only those people you understand, the company will never get people better than you are. Always remember that you often find outstanding people among those you don’t particularly like.” – Soichiro Honda AS, a friend and colleague, is a master of good hiring. His first hire…
READ MOREYou Can’t Fix What’s Broken With Good Policies
“Honesty is a question of right or wrong, not a matter of policy.” – Author unknown When I was young and inexperienced, I tried to “fix” such problems with policies. I figured — correctly, I think — that any problem I uncovered was just the tip of an iceberg. Since…
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