Change Requires Conversation
A few weeks ago syndicated radio host Don Imus was fired for making degrading remarks about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team. By almost any standard other than his own maybe, his remarks were regarded as racist. So, after a short brouhaha played out in the media, Imus was fired. MSNBC dropped his program from television and CBS fired him from their network. Not long after I asked readers in this blog why they thought he was fired.
At the time this was national news. Why? I thought at the time that something shifted in the nation’s consciousness–that flagrantly racist ideas spouted by media figures are not acceptable. I wonder if anything has changed though.
Critics of both CBS and MSNBC said others with a public pulpit had long been denigrating blacks,…
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Nothing is More Important than the Truth
Today I met with a client in a mid-size technology company in Illinois.She has had a terrific career. A dozen years there, numerous high profile successes. She’s a gifted marketing professional with expertise in product design and business-to-business promotion. She has a unique combination of skills that have made her sought after for several new product projects over the years.
Two weeks ago she was demoted.
How is that possible? Simple; her primary weakness caught up with her; she is bad at developing collaborative relationships.
Now, I know a lot of executives and coffee-shop-arm-chair-management-consultants who would all too easily say well shame on her. She should have known what skills she was weak in and should have worked to fix those problems. It’s her fault. I agree with the self-awareness part. Let us…
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Why Was Don Imus Fired?
I’ve spent the past few days reading and listening to television news stories about why radio talking head Don Imus should be reprimanded for his racist and mysogenistic comments about the Rutgers University (the state university of New Jersey by the way) women’s basketball team.
If you don’t know what he said, I promise you, it’s worth reading. BUT, I feel it would be irresponsible to repeat his comments here. Put it this way — it was bad enough that his radio program was totally canceled…and he’s been on the air for around 30 years!
Very early on it was a sports story. The Rutgers University women’s basketball coach boldly objected to what Imus said. Then it went beyond just sports news to become a mainstream news story. Advertisers such as GE,…
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Leaders Should Watch Planet Earth
For weeks I have anticipated the premier of a new program on Discover Channel: Planet Earth. Filmed in high definition (HD), the program explores all the usual facets of the natural world: deserts, mountains, the African plains animals, plants, rainforests, and life and death.
But, that is half the story and a smaller part of why this show pertains to business.
A BIG part of a leader’s responsibility is to help people see important issues in new ways and craft solutions that are novel and, therefore, valuable. Every truly innovative product is birthed out of a new way of looking at a problem, desire or need.
The iPod is a classic example. On the surface it is merely a disc- or memory-chip based Sony Walkman and so is only an advance over playback…
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March Madness Lessons - #1
Oh man! What a great time of year to learn about teamwork and emotion and leadership the easy way!
Watch what the athletes say about teamwork, pulling their individual weight, trusting each other to bring their best skills and make smart decisions. Watch them hustle like mad for a loose ball as if the game depends on it.
Watch the level of engagement by the coach. Watch the intensity of encouragement given the players by their teammates on the bench.
Watch the amount of pride and emotional energy the players bring to their work, and show for their teams, teammates, school and each other.
I wish we had that kind of connectedness in our workplaces. Don’t you? After years of coaching highly skilled, successful executives, I still marvel at how impersonally many of them…
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A 50/50 Decision
I crossed paths with a friend I hadn’t seen each in five months or so. We caught up on the happens and goings on in each other’s world. He recently left his job of five or so years with a big retail chain to start a business with his roommate.
He was so proud of his move. He had wanted to leave his job for a while and so when he stepped away onto the entrepreneurial path he was so proud, and a little anxious.
I think he’s learning is that working for the man in a big company seems a lot easier than the early days of building a business. Nonetheless, he is feeling invigorated, hopeful and a little scared.
I’m hopeful for him, too, and a little worried. I don’t yet…
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Failure Inevitable at Chargers Park
Marty Schottenhemier was fired because of a relationship breakdown. A.J. Smith and Schottenheimer didn’t like each other and they stopped talking.
If it is true that Chargers president, A.J. Smith refused to talk with Schottenheimer about their relationship problems then significant blame belongs at Smith’s door. Of course, we cannot know what really happened. As in any relationship where communication breaks down, the cause is rarely only one person’s doing. Schottenheimer surely contributed to this problem.
Communication is a supporting pillar of all relationships, including managerial ones. Who among us doesn’t know this? Anyone married or in a long term relationship? What happens when you stop talking about the important and difficult stuff? Do those things magically get better? Does the relationship seem stronger or is there just a big lump…
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Noisy Story Tellers - STOP IT!
**This is a rather frank, bold entry. Let me know your thoughts after reading it. I’m particularly interested in what ways you see yourself reflected in the experience I wrote about.**
We’re now one month into the new year. Almost 8.5% of the calendar year is behind us. How are you doing on that New Year Resolution?
Have you kept up the good and challenging work of creating the new, effective habits necessary to get better results this year than last? Or are you back to eating cake, talking smack, procrastinating, avoiding learning that critical new skill, playing your same old tunes being the same old partner, coworker or friend?
By this time most people have settled and slipped back into their comfy old-ways. Habits die hard. Last year’s goal-setters and resolution-makers are…
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Information Overload = Decision Underload
Jeez! I’ve had it! I am positively and permanently done with feeling overwhelmed by “information.” I get too many emails and too much physical junk mail. I get too many industry publications. I subscribe to too many e-zines and e-newsletters. I surf too many websites.
Now, I can’t control people making requests for my time. I can’t control getting five pieces of direct mail from my insurance company this week alone. I can’t control San Diego Chamber of Commerce members putting me on their company direct mail lists.
I I could feel a bit out of control, given all I can’t control. But, not anymore. I can control the most important thing that governs whether I feel overwhelmed by information overload: Where I invest my attention.
So, to all you wonderful businesspeople…
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Lack of Poise Costs Charges Superbowl Hopes
Successful execution of most plays in Sunday’s playoff game against the New England Patriots could not save the Chargers from the underminining effects of poor decisions at crucial moments. Immaturity and poor critical-moment decisions cost San Diego the game, and a big dream.
It is time for the Charger leadership to put an end to the silly and immature, self-centered and aggressive behavior after great plays are made. Those childish in-your-face who’s-yo-mamma antics contributed to the organization’s failure to meet its goals. Are the players on the gradeschool playground or are they professionals responsible for consistent high-level execution in a high-stakes professional sport? Those antics are selfish and individualistic when the welfare of the whole should be a player’s top concern.
A head butt after a great play, unsportsmanlike conduct, and…
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